Relative to fission, fusion energy has been heralded for its cleanliness, safety and higher energy density, but it also has been “30 years away” for the past 40 years.
Nuclear energy is regaining investor and media attention, as more than 20 countries have pledged to triple their nuclear capacity by 2050. The boom in AI data centers is incentivizing tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft to explore the possibility of nuclear power as a clean source of energy. On the heels of a power-purchase agreement (PPA) with Helion, a private fusion company, Microsoft recently announced another PPA, this one for 20 years, to restore the Three Mile Island Unit 1 fission nuclear facility.
The two basic forms of nuclear energy are fission and fusion. Based on research, fusion still is facing significant challenges, making fission — which has been powering the U.S. grid since the 1950s — the more viable alternative.
Research indicates fusion will