Inside the World's Biggest Bet on Fusion Energy

Key Points:

• The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in southern France is the world's largest fusion reactor project, aiming to create plasma temperatures 10 times hotter than the Sun's core to generate clean energy.
• ITER, costing an estimated $22 billion, is a rare example of global cooperation involving geopolitical rivals such as China, Russia, the US, Europe, Korea, India, and Japan, sharing risks and rewards in fusion research.
• The project faces significant technical challenges, including maintaining superconducting magnets near absolute zero next to extremely hot plasma, with past delays caused by heat shield cracks, welding distortions, and the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a $5 billion repair cost increase.
• Despite setbacks, ITER is publicly funded and openly shares its scientific progress with over 30 member countries, fostering a global fusion energy supply chain and reducing risks for private fusion startups aiming to commercialize the technology.
• ITER exemplifies international collaboration for a sustainable future, offering hope that fusion energy may transition from a distant dream to reality within the next decade.