Lasers are essential in fusion energy—not just for ignition in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) systems like NIF, but also for diagnostics, tritium monitoring, and plasma analysis in tokamaks.
Michael Heumann
Editor-in-Chief, The Fusion Report
This Week’s Fusion News: March 21, 2025
The United States is losing ground to China in the development of nuclear fusion technology, which is seen as critical for powering the future demands of artificial intelligence. China is making significant investments and accelerating its progress in fusion research, while U.S. efforts remain slower and more fragmented.
ARPA-E Conference Highlights: The Return of “Coolness” to Fossil Fuels
The 2025 ARPA-E Conference signaled a return to fossil fuels as a priority for U.S. energy policy, with DoE Secretary Chris Wright calling for an “energy dominance” strategy. While fusion was briefly mentioned, concerns remain over whether the U.S. is keeping pace with China. Discussions covered AI-driven power generation, nuclear expansion, biofuel innovation, and the rising energy demands of data centers. Read the full breakdown of the conference’s key takeaways.
Increasing Fusion Supply Chain Diversity: High-Temperature Semiconductors
Alternative use cases for HTS tapes are helpful to fusion energy. As the cost of HTS tapes continues to decline, the potential for additional use cases grows.
This Week’s Fusion News: March 14, 2025
Things You Gotta Know The Fusion Supply Chain: Tracking Who Is Supplying What to WhomThe fusion energy sector relies on a complex network of suppliers and stakeholders. Understanding these...
The Fusion Supply Chain – Scaling Fusion Energy from FOAKs to Thousands
Scaling fusion energy requires a secure supply chain. Explore how global efforts, industry standards, and key policies can enable mass deployment of fusion power.
The Gorillas of Fusion – The Race to Dominate Fusion Energy
Fusion energy is a high-stakes race, but who will win it? The Fusion Report explores which companies are best positioned to dominate based on three key factors: capital, timing, and access to enabling technologies like HTS magnets. We analyze funding data, founding timelines, and early utility deals to identify the likely “gorillas” of fusion—including Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion, TAE, and Pacific Fusion.
This Week’s Fusion News: March 7, 2025
Things You Gotta Know First Light Fusion Shifts Focus to Amplifier TechnologyFirst Light Fusion has strategically pivoted from developing its own fusion power plant to commercializing its...
Day 2 Highlights: 2025 Fusion Industry Association Policy Conference
At the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) 2025 annual policy conference last week at Union Station in Washington DC, the second day focused on “supercharging” the road to commercial fusion energy....
Day 1 Highlights: 2025 Fusion Industry Association Policy Conference
The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) had their annual policy conference last week at Union Station in Washington DC. The conference encompassed seventeen (17) sessions over two days, with a number...
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