The U.S. and China are in a high-stakes race to develop fusion energy, a potential game-changer for clean, limitless power. China is outspending the U.S. and working around the clock, with far more experts dedicated to the cause. American officials worry that China’s rapid advancements might outpace their own efforts, despite the U.S. initially leading the way. As both nations strive to harness the power of the sun through fusion, the outcome of this technological battle could reshape the global energy landscape and power dynamics.
A high-tech race is underway between the U.S. and China as both countries chase an elusive and potentially game-changing energy source: fusion. This technology, which mimics the process powering the sun, could provide almost limitless, clean energy if it can be perfected.
China is significantly outspending the U.S. in this race. It has built a massive fusion technology campus and launched a national fusion consortium involving some of its largest industrial companies. Chinese crews work in three shifts, essentially around the clock, and the country has ten times as many Ph.D.s in fusion science and engineering as the U.S.
This has caused increasing concern among American officials and scientists. JP Allain, head of the Department of Energy’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, reports that China is spending around $1.5 billion a year on fusion, nearly twice the U.S. government’s fusion budget. Moreover, China seems to be following a program similar to the roadmap that hundreds of U.S. fusion scientists and engineers published in 2020, which is particularly frustrating to the American scientific community.
Scientists familiar with China’s fusion facilities say that if China continues its current pace of spending and development, it will surpass the U.S. and Europe’s magnetic fusion capabilities in three or four years. Fusion, the process of combining atomic nuclei to release vast amounts of energy, faces daunting scientific and engineering challenges. While a breakthrough could benefit humanity, some in the U.S. fear it would give China a significant advantage in the global energy competition.
China’s dedication to this cause is evident. The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei is nearly completed, focusing on industrializing fusion technology. Late last year, China announced the formation of a new national fusion company led by the Chinese National Nuclear Corp., involving state-owned firms and universities. Private companies like ENN, an energy conglomerate, have built two tokamaks, the machines essential for fusion, using powerful magnets to hold plasma.
Interest in fusion has surged worldwide, especially after scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California achieved “ignition” in 2022—a fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed. This breakthrough led to increased investments, with the Biden administration setting a goal for commercial fusion energy within a decade and requesting $1 billion for fusion in its recent budget proposal. Tammy Ma, lead for the Inertial Fusion Energy Initiative at Lawrence Livermore, highlights that the U.S. fusion budget of $790 million for the 2024 fiscal year hasn’t kept pace with inflation, resulting in fewer research grants and positions.
The fusion world is full of “frenemies”—collegial competitors whose partnerships span the globe. However, cooperation is complicated by the increasingly adversarial relationship between China and the West. China has heavily invested in raw materials and technologies crucial for fusion and participates in international fusion conferences, though language barriers exist.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, co-chair of Congress’s Fusion Energy Caucus, notes that much U.S. fusion funding goes to legacy programs rather than cutting-edge projects. Dennis Whyte, a professor at MIT, points out that China has rapidly built a world-class fusion program in just a decade, surprising many with its capabilities.
The U.S. has an innovative approach but lacks the same level of organization and investment seen in China. The outcome of this race could reshape the future of global energy and power dynamics. As Dennis Whyte aptly puts it, “It’s not clear to me who will win.”
