Congress shows a unified front in backing fusion energy, aiming to integrate this zero-carbon source into the national energy strategy within a decade.
Congressional leaders from both parties rally around fusion energy, advocating for increased federal funding to achieve commercial viability.
Recent breakthroughs have bolstered confidence in fusion's potential, with bipartisan support growing across ideological divides in Congress.
Legislation efforts focus on ensuring fusion projects are not regulated like nuclear reactors, emphasizing the technology's safety and non-waste producing benefits.
Key quote:
“There aren’t a lot of truly bipartisan things on the Hill. We have to make sure that we are supporting the science and the engineering to overcome skepticism. My goal someday is to have the Fusion Caucus be the largest caucus on the Hill.”
— Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Fusion Caucus co-chair.
Why this matters:
Fusion energy represents an advance in tackling climate change, offering an abundant energy source that could dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
Scientists have been chasing the dream of harnessing the reactions that power the Sun since the dawn of the atomic era. Interest, and investment, in the carbon-free energy source is heating up.
The achievement is another key step — albeit in a journey that may take decades to complete — in the quest for an unlimited source of cheap and clean power.
Abundant carbon-free energy from nuclear fusion has long been considered a holy grail. Recent technological advances and the emergence of startup companies have led to new optimism, but experts caution that the production of fusion power is still a long way off.
