NTI: Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, has long been regarded as a potential source of clean energy. On an ordinary street in Shanghai, China, a start-up called Energy Singularity is working on this cutting-edge technology. Around the world, there is an ongoing race to advance in nuclear fusion, with several countries making significant progress. However, one of the main challenges is sustaining the energy output for extended periods. Currently, the United States and China are leading the efforts in fusion energy, but there is growing concern among U.S. companies and industries that America may be losing its decades-long advantage in the field.
The rise of numerous Chinese companies in clean energy has been one of the primary reasons for this shift. Achieving mastery in nuclear fusion offers not only the promise of abundant energy but also wealth and global influence to any nation that succeeds. Fusion energy has the potential to provide 4 million times more energy than burning fossil fuels like oil or gas and four times the energy output of nuclear fission. It also holds the promise of being a crucial solution in combating global warming.
The Chinese government has been heavily investing in fusion energy research, spending vast amounts of money. According to Jean Paul Allen, head of the Fusion Energy Sciences Office at the U.S. Department of Energy, China is investing between $1 billion and $1.5 billion annually in fusion energy. In contrast, the United States is only allocating $800 million. Allen emphasized that beyond just the funding, the speed at which China is advancing in this field is a critical factor.
Despite the technical challenges, private sectors in both the U.S. and China remain optimistic. They predict that electricity from fusion energy could begin flowing as early as 2030. While the U.S. was the first country to start working on fusion energy back in the 1950s, China’s late entry into the field after 2015 has been marked by a sharp increase in patents, far surpassing those of other countries. Energy Singularity is just one example of China’s growing presence in the race for fusion energy.
