The U.S. has explicitly elevated "controlled nuclear fusion" to a core national strategy, driven not only by a desire for technological breakthroughs but also by its struggle with rising AI energy consumption and an imbalanced energy structure. Recently, the U.S. has rolled out a series of policies, including the *Nuclear Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap*, to accelerate research, development, and commercialization of nuclear fusion technology. This aggressive push toward "artificial sun" technology reflects both ambition and necessity amid mounting energy challenges.
### Nuclear Fusion: America's "Absolute Solution" to Energy Scarcity Nuclear fusion involves merging lighter atomic nuclei (such as deuterium and tritium) under extreme heat to release vast energy. With low emissions, high reliability, and stable output, controlled fusion has emerged as the only viable path for the U.S. to secure its energy future amid multiple strategic anxieties.
1. **Traditional Energy Can’t Feed AI’s "Bottomless Pit"** As AI applications expand, U.S. data centers’ power demands are projected to grow exponentially. Deloitte estimates that by 2035, AI-related electricity needs could surge 30-fold. Neither fossil fuels, nuclear fission, nor renewables (wind, solar, etc.) can reliably meet this demand. With aging grids, slow power plant construction, and labor shortages, fusion is seen as the sole option to break free from energy constraints and enable an "AI + unlimited energy" ecosystem. Bill Gates has likened fusion’s potential to "the invention of the steam engine before the Industrial Revolution," calling it "monumental."
2. **Funding Surge Accelerates Commercialization** Breakthroughs in fusion superconductors, AI-assisted research, and policy incentives have triggered a funding boom. The *2025 Global Fusion Industry Report* shows a 178% year-on-year increase in investments, the highest since 2022. The IAEA projects the global fusion market could hit $496.5 billion by 2030. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Meta are investing heavily to secure power for AI data centers and dominate the emerging energy sector.
3. **Global Race Intensifies U.S. Competition** In 2025, China, the EU, Japan, and others announced fusion development policies, marking a "U.S.-China-led, multi-player" phase. Japan revised its *Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy*, Korea released a *Key Technology Roadmap*, and the EU plans its first *Fusion Strategy*. The U.S. countered with policies like *Deploying Advanced Reactors for National Security* and the *Fusion Roadmap*, aiming to lead in R&D and commercialization.
4. **Rulemaking for Fusion’s Future** As a nascent energy source, fusion lacks global regulations. On October 31, the U.S. led a G7 statement urging unified safety standards. The NRC is drafting fusion-specific laws and pushing regulatory collaboration with Japan, Korea, and others to shape a U.S.-centric framework.
### Why Fusion Won’t Solve America’s Energy Woes Soon A industry quip goes: "Ask scientists when fusion will be viable, and the answer is always ‘50 years away.’" Despite Helion Energy’s claim of commercialization by 2028, the U.S. faces steep hurdles:
- **Technical Barriers**: Challenges include sustaining plasma ignition, developing materials resistant to extreme heat/neutron bombardment, and improving energy conversion efficiency. Public "nuclear fear" from fission also hinders acceptance, despite fusion’s minimal waste.
- **Funding Gaps**: Building a single fusion plant costs ~$700 million, far exceeding current U.S. investments. Public funding lags, relying heavily on private capital. Congress’s *Milestone Fusion Development Program* received <20% of authorized funds, stalling progress. The DOE admits its 2030s-2040s timeline hinges on private-sector backing—risky given speculative trends.
- **China Dependency**: The U.S. relies on China for critical components like superconducting magnets and capacitor films (80% sourced from China). A report by the U.S. Fusion Energy Scale-Up Committee highlights China’s dominance in tungsten (80% global supply), vanadium (67%), and rare materials (e.g., lithium-6, gallium). The DOE calls this reliance a "strategic nightmare."
While betting big on fusion to power AI and compete with China, the U.S. must overcome technological, financial, and supply-chain hurdles—likely requiring many more "50 years" to succeed.
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