How the US must respond to China’s moves to win the fusion energy race
Photo: CFS CEO and Co-founder Bob Mumgaard testifies about fusion energy before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Credit: House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
What a difference four years makes. When I last testified before the House in 2021, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) had just proved our core magnet technology works and had only started digging holes in the ground for our facilities in Devens, Massachusetts.
Now at CFS, we’ve built those facilities. Our factory is making magnets. Our crews are assembling our SPARC proof of concept machine that’ll demonstrate the commercial viability of our fusion approach. We’re accelerating our work on the ARC power plant we will build in Virginia. The flywheel is spinning.
Since Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s NIF shot in 2022 first demonstrated net fusion energy, a global race is underway to deploy fusion first. A working fusion power plant is not a matter of “if” but of “when” and “where.” As I recently testified before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, China is moving to win the fusion energy race while the US fusion program is struggling to keep pace.
The US government needs to step up. We need the Department of Energy to realign its work to dramatically increase support for commercialization. We need to build critical research infrastructure at our National Laboratories. Today, China is building out these facilities, and the US is not.
According to an analysis that the Special Competitive Studies Project published this month, the Chinese government’s fusion program — a nationally coordinated effort funded at $6.5 billion since 2023 — recognizes this reality. That Chinese funding is three times what the US federal government spent on fusion over the same period.
Photo: China is working on several large-scale fusion projects. Its government has spent $6.5 billion on fusion energy projects since 2023. Credit: Special Competitive Studies Project.
The stakes in this race couldn’t be higher. Fusion is a foundational tool to build an advanced society. A trillion dollar market is on the line, and countries that have fusion have energy security. Fusion means energy becomes a technology, no longer bound by who has resources. The abundant, clean, and affordable energy that comes with fusion power at scale will change the world forever.
I was encouraged during the hearing that so many members of Congress from both sides of the aisle seemed to appreciate the moment we’re in. Now we need action. Here’s what I told Congress we need:
- Set the US up to win the race and invest money in critical public-private partnerships, like the DOE Milestone program, and use that program to support commercial demonstration.
- Build the test stands and fund commercially relevant research that the entire fusion industry needs.
- Prime the pump for the future by starting work now at the Department of Energy to support a fusion industry, with key investments in applied research, workforce development, and supply chains.
These investments would strengthen the American competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem — and would be better than spending 10 times that amount later to catch up.
The window to lead in fusion energy is open now. We just need to get through it.
My thanks to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for giving me the chance to raise these issues and for all the constructive comments from the Energy Subcommittee members.
Those who want to learn more can watch the fusion energy hearing video below and read my written testimony on the race to fusion energy.
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