Energy chief Wright to outline fusion road map
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Energy Secretary Chris Wright is set to announce the Trump administration's fusion roadmap at a Tuesday industry gathering, according to DOE officials.
Why it matters: Fusion — the power of the stars — is still early in its development, and federal government support will likely be essential for it to ever actually exist.
Driving the news: Wright is making his announcement at a summit focused on fusion and AI on Tuesday hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project, a think tank by former top Google executive Eric Schmidt.
- On Wednesday, the Fusion Industry Association hosts another forum.
- All week, China is hosting within its borders a global gathering of the sector coordinated with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The big picture: The Trump administration has been supportive of fusion and has continued policies from the prior administration in this area, marking a departure from other clean energy.
- Wright recently visited the pilot plant of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, one of the best-funded U.S.-based fusion startups.
What they're saying: Andrew Holland, head of the 4-year-old Fusion Industry Association, hopes his group's forum draws high-level attention and interest from the Trump administration, though ultimately he is aiming for dollars to back up the rhetoric.
Reality check: The federal government, no matter the administration, hasn't supported fusion's scale-up nearly as much as it has its atomic cousin: fission.
- Holland said $5 or $6 billion has been awarded to advanced fission startups as part of the Advanced Reactor Demonstration program.
- "We need a similar scale for fusion," Holland said, adding that the sector needs help with first-of-their-kind plants that can cost billions of dollars.
By the numbers: Holland pointed to an analysis by Schmidt's think tank that estimated China's investment in fusion to be at least $6.5 billion.
- A report coordinated by that same group — which has bipartisan backing from Congress — urges the U.S. to win the "fusion energy race against China" by investing $10 billion to build several fusion demonstration power plants.
What's next: We'll be watching to see if the administration's road map includes any dollar bills attached.
Sign up here for Axios' Future of Energy newsletter.
