A Hero's Journey, Fusion Energy's Road from Lab to Grid Commercialization

What do storytelling, energy development, and people have in common? The answer lies in our collective opportunity to write a new story in the realm of energy development, a story driven by the potential of fusion energy, sculpting how communities around the world will benefit. Recent milestones, like the first demonstration of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility in 2022, and over $8 billion in investments into private fusion companies since 2022, signal that the longstanding story of fusion being "twenty to thirty years away" is no longer relevant.

In this talk, we will explore the current state of fusion energy and the transformative changes unfolding both in the United States—within the context of Developing a Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy—and globally. We are closer than ever to achieving fusion’s commercialization, but we still face significant challenges in bridging the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and the integration of fusion energy into the electrical grid.

This discussion will be driven by The Hero’s Journey narrative framework, examining the history of fusion energy, where we currently stand, and the critical steps needed to move forward. A focal point of the talk will be the "gap" between laboratory successes and grid commercialization, and how education can play a pivotal role in catalyzing, rather than hindering, this process.

Additionally, we’ll journey down two potential roads for fusion energy’s future: one that follows the traditional route of energy development, and another that reimagines a new, uncharted route that could effectively address the needs of all stakeholders. Through this lens, we will discuss the climate impacts and broader societal ramifications of these possible pathways, and how the next generation of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and informed citizens can drive the change needed to fully harness the power of the stars.