Building a Star on Earth
Issues in Science and Technology
An award-winning journal devoted to the best ideas and writing on policy related to science, technology, and society.
Some of the recent advances in fusion energy, which we mentioned in last week’s newsletter, have generated excitement about the prospects of this clean energy technology. Fusion’s momentum has also led some observers to call for reducing federal support, arguing that the technology is at a stage where the private sector should take over research and development.
Dr. Michael Ford argues that such a move would be premature. “Getting to the point where commercial developers can create fusion generation that can compete with other low-carbon energy sources still requires a significant amount of research.” Public research facilities and federally funded programs are best positioned to support the broad, fundamental innovations that can advance the entire fusion industry and deliver societal benefits.
To figure out how best to direct public funds, Ford suggests creating a “more detailed technical assessment and roadmap [that] would enable a better public-private alignment of technological readiness and research priorities.” Such a roadmap can help build the technologies, workforce, and public support necessary to make this?complex endeavor succeed.
Andrew Lo and Dennis Whyte argue that the biotech industry offers lessons for building public trust and creating an investment ecosystem to help fusion achieve its potential.