10 Years of fusion energy development

And here is a 24 minute studio discussion of this topic  that makes it more accessible for the casual browser .... https://veo.uk/UK_Fusion_Energy_A_Decade_of_Progress_Towards_Delivery.mp3

Affordable Energy has been the defining challenge obstructing peace and progress over the past 100 years (and arguably for the whole of industrial revolution); yet the recent efforts to extricate mankind from the many gotchas arising have been piecemeal and far from "joined up" - or even thought-through. The interests of all those (corporate and political) that influence and control any aspect of energy creation and distribution have made it quite difficult at times to work out who is playing what games with science and truth, in order to mislead and remain on top of the heap. 

Compared to the prosaic thinking prevailing in generation and dsitribution, there was already a weird and wonderful distractiion from the unconventional work of Nikola Tesla - who was a visionary inventor whose ideas about energy creation and distribution set him apart from the more conventional approaches of Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison, and George Westinghouse. While Faraday laid the groundwork for electromagnetism, Edison focused on practical direct current (DC) systems, and Westinghouse championed alternating current (AC) for power distribution, Tesla pushed the boundaries further with radical concepts that often defied the incremental thinking of his peers.

Tesla’s most distinctive contribution was his vision for wireless energy transmission. Unlike Edison’s DC-based systems, which required extensive wiring, or even Westinghouse’s AC grid, which still relied on physical infrastructure, Tesla proposed transmitting electrical energy through the air or the Earth itself, without wires. This stemmed from his experiments with high-frequency, high-voltage AC and his development of the Tesla coil, a resonant transformer capable of producing dramatic electrical discharges. He believed that energy could be sent over vast distances by leveraging the Earth’s natural conductivity and the atmosphere as a medium, effectively turning the planet into a giant conductor. His Wardenclyffe Tower project in the early 1900s was intended to demonstrate this, aiming to provide free, limitless energy to the world by tapping into what he called the "ambient medium" or the Earth’s resonant frequencies.

Tesla also diverged in his approach to energy creation. While Faraday, Edison, and Westinghouse worked within the framework of generating electricity via mechanical means (e.g., dynamos driven by steam or water), Tesla speculated about harnessing energy directly from nature’s untapped reservoirs. He theorized about capturing cosmic rays, radiant energy from the sun, or even the Earth’s own electromagnetic field as inexhaustible power sources. In a 1891 lecture, he described "electricity derived from the energy of the universe," hinting at concepts that went beyond the chemical or mechanical processes of his contemporaries. 

What made Tesla an outlier was his rejection of the localized, profit-driven energy models of Edison and Westinghouse. Edison’s DC system was limited by distance and inefficiency, while Westinghouse’s AC, though more scalable, still tethered society to a centralized grid. Tesla’s dream was decentralized, almost utopian—energy as a universal right, freely available to all, unshackled from wires or monopolies. His famous statement, “Electric power is everywhere present in unlimited quantities and can drive the world’s machinery without the need of coal, oil, or gas,” encapsulates this radical departure.

However, Tesla’s ideas were often impractical or ahead of their time and seemed uncomfortably "whacky" to convenional physics. The physics of Faraday and Maxwell, which underpinned Edison and Westinghouse’s work, dealt with measurable, reproducible phenomena. Tesla’s theories—like the Earth as a resonant circuit or wireless power over global distances—lacked the engineering precision to be fully realized then, and some remain unproven or speculative today. His brilliance lay in his imagination, but it was his refusal to stay within the pragmatic confines of traditional physics that made him both a genius and an enigma compared to his peers.

The Big challenge of the all-electric world

...is storing electricity in anything as convenient as portable and-energy dense as a fossil fuel. Batteries have come a long way from lead acid accumulators, but they are still 10 years from being "convenient".  

Compared to the ignorance and noise around the usual net-zero nonsense - from farting cows to cementing over fracking excavations - there is a fair bit to be hopeful in this briefing on fusion energy generation, assembled for us by  from Grok and Gemini.

We were tempted to look into the many conspiracy theories around space aliens and speculate that the only plausible way any interstellar travel would be possible would have to involve fusion energy technology. Far too many rabbit holes lie down that path.

Fusion energy in the UK has progressed significantly in the last decade due to increased research, funding, and strategic initiatives like the STEP programme, moving beyond purely experimental stages seen in 2015 with facilities like JET. This push towards commercialisation by 2040 involves substantial government investment and collaboration, contrasting with earlier reliance on international efforts. While challenges remain in achieving consistent net energy gain and cost-effectiveness, current projections suggest that the levelized cost of energy for mature fusion could become competitive with or even undercut renewable sources like wind and solar, potentially offering a stable baseload power solution in the future.

UK Fusion Energy Advancement

This briefing document reviews the significant strides made in the UK's pursuit of fusion energy over the past decade (2015-2025). The analysis reveals a substantial shift from primarily experimental research to a more focused and funded national strategy aimed at delivering a prototype fusion power plant (STEP) by 2040. Key drivers of this progress include increased government investment, the establishment of targeted national programs, technological advancements, and growing private sector involvement. While significant challenges remain, the UK is demonstrably closer to realising fusion energy than it was ten years ago, with a clearer roadmap and growing momentum. Furthermore, early projections suggest that the cost of mature fusion energy could be competitive with current renewable sources, offering a potential baseload complement.

1. A Decade of Transformative Progress:

The UK's fusion energy landscape has undergone a significant transformation since 2015. Ten years ago, the focus was largely on fundamental research, primarily through the Joint European Torus (JET) facility, with commercialisation prospects appearing distant. As the source states, "A decade ago, in 2015, fusion energy in the UK was still largely in the experimental phase, with facilities like the Joint European Torus (JET) at Culham providing critical data but no clear path to commercialization."

The present situation (2025) is characterised by a national strategy, exemplified by the STEP program, which aims for a prototype power plant by 2040. This represents a shift from purely experimental goals to a tangible deliverable.
The source highlights this shift: "Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape has shifted. The UK has pivoted toward an ambitious national strategy, exemplified by STEP, which aims to build a prototype fusion power plant in Nottinghamshire by 2040."

2. Increased Funding and Strategic Planning:

Government investment in fusion energy has significantly increased. By 2025, STEP had received over £300 million, with a further £410 million announced for 2025-2026. The broader Fusion Futures Programme commits up to £650 million through 2027 for research, development, and skills.

This contrasts with the situation a decade ago, where funding was "significant but primarily directed toward international collaborations like ITER in France, with the UK contributing through Euratom, rather than a standalone national effort."

The UK's decision not to rejoin Euratom in 2023 has spurred the development of an independent national strategy and dedicated funding streams.

3. Technological Advancements:

Significant progress has been made in critical areas such as plasma physics, materials science, and magnet technology, including the use of high-temperature superconductors.

The success of JET, culminating in a record 59 megajoules of energy in 2022, demonstrated improved control over fusion processes and validated design choices for future reactors. The source notes, "A key milestone came in 2022 when the Joint European Torus (JET) laboratory in Oxfordshire... broke its own world record by producing 59 megajoules of energy over five seconds—more than double the output of similar tests in 1997."

Private sector involvement has grown considerably, with numerous UK-based fusion companies now active, driving innovation and pushing timelines. The source mentions, "...growing private sector involvement, which was nascent in 2015 but now includes dozens of UK-based fusion companies."

4. Economic Justification and Integration with Renewables:

Economic analyses suggest a strong return on investment in fusion research, with a 2020 report indicating a £1.4 billion impact from £350 million of public funding over ten years.

Fusion is increasingly seen as a vital complement to intermittent renewable energy sources, providing a potential solution to baseload power requirements. The source states, "Today, fusion is seen as a complement to renewables, addressing their intermittency, a priority that was less urgent in 2015 amid lower electrification demands."

5. Ongoing Challenges and Future Outlook:

Despite the progress, significant challenges remain, including sustaining net energy gain over extended periods, managing extreme heat within reactors, and achieving cost-effective scalability.
The 2040 target for STEP is ambitious and may face delays. Some experts suggest commercial fusion might be more likely in the 2050s.
However, the current outlook is significantly more concrete than it was a decade ago, with a clear roadmap and tangible progress toward a prototype. The source concludes, "In short, while fusion isn’t here yet, the UK is measurably closer than it was in 2015—moving from theoretical promise to a structured push for delivery within 15 years."

6. Potential Cost Competitiveness:

Estimates for the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of mature fusion range from 2.5 to 5 pence per kWh, potentially undercutting or matching the costs of current onshore wind.

Nearer-term fusion (2030s-2040s) is projected to have an LCOE of 5-10 pence per kWh, making it competitive with offshore wind.

These projections are based on research tied to inertial confinement fusion and estimates from programs like STEP and companies like Tokamak Energy. The source notes, "More conservative estimates for nearer-term fusion, such as those from the UK’s STEP program or Tokamak Energy’s ambitions, suggest an LCOE range of 5-10 pence per kWh by the 2030s or 2040s..."
A key advantage of fusion over renewables is its potential to provide consistent baseload power, reducing the need for extensive backup systems or energy storage.

However, the substantial upfront capital costs of fusion projects and the uncertainties associated with technological breakthroughs mean that renewables currently hold an advantage in terms of cost and readiness.
Conclusion:

The UK has made remarkable progress in its pursuit of fusion energy over the past decade. Increased investment, strategic national programs like STEP, technological breakthroughs validated by JET, and growing private sector engagement have shifted fusion from a distant aspiration to a more concrete goal. While significant technical and economic challenges persist, the UK now possesses a clearer roadmap and greater momentum towards delivering fusion power. Early cost projections suggest that mature fusion could be economically competitive with renewables and offer a crucial baseload power source. The next decade will be critical in determining whether the current trajectory translates into the successful deployment of fusion energy on the UK grid.

And here's a trip down memory lane to the 50s, when al-fresco fission bomb testing was a thing.. . a fascinating site at https://www.tumblr.com/thevaultoftheatomicspaceage

Audio url veo.uk/UK_Fusion_Energy_A_Decade_of_Progress_Towards_Delivery.mp
Image source
https://spectrum.ieee.org/5-big-ideas-for-making-fusion-power-a-reality