Overview of Policy and Technical Progress in Fusion Energy Development Around the World

Authors: Tim L. Peckinpaugh, R. Paul Stimers, James Green, Michael L. O’Neill, Francis E. Iyayi, Abraham F. Johns

Fusion energy is moving towards technological and commercial reality.  Fusion involves the release and harnessing of energy by fusing two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus.  Fusion reactions differ from nuclear fission, which is the splitting of relatively heavy atoms to release energy.  Fusion avoids potential downsides to nuclear fission by leaving behind no long-lived and highly dangerous radioactive waste and creating no risks of a runway chain reaction or meltdown.  Fusion also releases substantially more energy, such that it is capable of replacing fission to become baseload power that operates 24/7 and releases no CO2 emissions.

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