Editing Fusion power (section)

== Geopolitics ==
Given the potential of fusion to transform the world's [[energy industry]] and mitigate [[climate change]],<ref name="regulation">{{Cite web|last=Holland|first=Andrew|title=Fusion energy needs smart federal government regulation|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/oct/6/fusion-energy-needs-smart-federal-government-regul/|access-date=October 10, 2020|website=The Washington Times|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Turrell|first=Arthur|date=August 28, 2021|title=The race to give nuclear fusion a role in the climate emergency|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/28/the-race-to-give-nuclear-fusion-a-role-in-the-climate-emergency|access-date=February 15, 2022|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> fusion science has traditionally been seen as an integral part of peace-building [[science diplomacy]].<ref name="quest">{{Cite book|author1=Clery, Daniel|title=A piece of the sun: the quest for fusion energy |date=2014|isbn=978-1468310412|location=New York |publisher=Overlook Duckworth |oclc=1128270426}}</ref><ref name="ITER">{{Cite book|last=Claessens, Michel |title=ITER: the giant fusion reactor: bringing a sun to Earth|date= 2019|isbn=978-3030275815|location=Cham |publisher=Springer |oclc=1124925935}}</ref> However, technological developments<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 18, 2018|title=Will China beat the world to nuclear fusion and clean energy?|language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |work=China Blog |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-43792655|access-date=October 12, 2020}}</ref> and private sector involvement has raised concerns over intellectual property, regulatory administration, global leadership;<ref name="regulation" /> equity, and potential weaponization.<ref name="Diffusion">{{Cite journal|last1=Carayannis|first1=Elias G.|last2=Draper|first2=John|last3=Iftimie|first3=Ion A.|date=2020|title=Nuclear Fusion Diffusion: Theory, Policy, Practice, and Politics Perspectives|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9078039|journal=IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management|volume=69 |issue=4 |pages=1237–1251|doi=10.1109/TEM.2020.2982101|s2cid=219001461|issn=0018-9391}}</ref><ref name="Urgent Action">{{Cite journal|last1=Carayannis|first1=Elias G.|last2=Draper|first2=John|last3=Bhaneja|first3=Balwant|date=October 2, 2020|title=Towards Fusion Energy in the Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0 Context: Call for a Global Commission for Urgent Action on Fusion Energy|journal=Journal of the Knowledge Economy|volume=12|issue=4|pages=1891–1904|language=en|doi=10.1007/s13132-020-00695-5|issn=1868-7873|s2cid=222109349|doi-access=free|pmc=7529587}}</ref> These challenge ITER's peace-building role and led to calls for a global commission.<ref name="Urgent Action" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Carayannis|first1=Elias G.|last2=Draper|first2=John|date=April 22, 2021|title=The place of peace in the ITER machine assembly launch: Thematic analysis of the political speeches in the world's largest science diplomacy experiment.|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pac0000559|journal=Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology|volume=27|issue=4|pages=665–668|doi=10.1037/pac0000559|s2cid=235552703|issn=1532-7949}}</ref> Fusion power significantly contributing to climate change by 2050 seems unlikely without substantial breakthroughs and a space race mentality emerging,<ref name="Tokamak" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gi|first1=Keii|last2=Sano|first2=Fuminori|last3=Akimoto|first3=Keigo|last4=Hiwatari|first4=Ryoji|last5=Tobita|first5=Kenji|date=2020|title=Potential contribution of fusion power generation to low-carbon development under the Paris Agreement and associated uncertainties|journal=Energy Strategy Reviews |language=en|volume=27|pages=100432|doi=10.1016/j.esr.2019.100432|doi-access=free|bibcode=2020EneSR..2700432G }}</ref> but a contribution by 2100 appears possible, with the extent depending on the type and particularly cost of technology pathways.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nicholas |first1=T. E. G. |last2=Davis |first2=T. P. |last3=Federici |first3=F. |last4=Leland |first4=J. |last5=Patel |first5=B. S. |last6=Vincent |first6=C. |last7=Ward |first7=S. H. |date=2021 |title=Re-examining the role of nuclear fusion in a renewables-based energy mix |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112043 |journal=Energy Policy |volume=149 |pages=112043 |arxiv=2101.05727 |doi=10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112043 |bibcode=2021EnPol.14912043N |issn=0301-4215 |s2cid=230570595}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Carayannis|first1=Elias|last2=Draper|first2=John|last3=Crumpton|first3=Charles|date=2022|title=Reviewing fusion energy to address climate change by 2050|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/557471226/Reviewing-Fusion-Energy-to-Address-Climate-Change-by-2050-by-Elias-G-Carayannis-John-Draper-and-Charles-David-Crumpton|journal=Journal of Energy and Development|volume=47|issue=1}}</ref>

Developments from late 2020 onwards have led to talk of a "new space race" with multiple entrants, pitting the US against China<ref name=5big>{{Cite journal|last=Clynes|first=Tom|date=2020|title=5 Big ideas for fusion power: Startups, universities, and major companies are vying to commercialize a nuclear fusion reactor|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8976899|journal=IEEE Spectrum|volume=57|issue=2|pages=30–37|doi=10.1109/MSPEC.2020.8976899|s2cid=211059641|issn=0018-9235}}</ref> and the UK's [[Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production|STEP]] FPP,<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 14, 2021|title=National Academies calls for a fusion pilot plant|url=https://thebulletin.org/2021/04/national-academies-calls-for-a-fusion-pilot-plant/|access-date=April 15, 2021|website=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 13, 2021|title=US must make an infrastructure investment in fusion energy|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/us-must-make-an-infrastructure-investment-in-fusion-energy|access-date=July 16, 2021|website=Washington Examiner|language=en}}</ref> with China now outspending the US and threatening to leapfrog US technology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nilsen |first=Angela Dewan, Ella |date=September 19, 2024 |title=The US led on nuclear fusion for decades. Now China is in position to win the race |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/19/climate/nuclear-fusion-clean-energy-china-us/index.html?mc_cid=d722362adc&mc_eid=98f2d233a7 |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tarasov |first=Katie |date=March 16, 2025 |title=How the U.S. is losing ground to China in nuclear fusion, as AI power needs surge |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/16/the-us-is-falling-behind-china-in-nuclear-fusion-needed-to-power-ai.html |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> On September 24, 2020, the United States House of Representatives approved a research and commercialization program. The Fusion Energy Research section incorporated a milestone-based, cost-sharing, [[public-private partnership]] program modeled on [[NASA]]'s COTS program, which launched the commercial [[space industry]].<ref name="Space Race" /> In February 2021, the National Academies published ''Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid'', recommending a market-driven, cost-sharing plant for 2035–2040,<ref>{{Cite web|title=An aggressive market-driven model for US fusion power development|url=https://news.mit.edu/2021/aggressive-market-driven-model-us-fusion-power-development-0224|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=MIT News {{!}} Massachusetts Institute of Technology|date=February 24, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Cho |first1=Adrian |date=February 19, 2021|title=Road map to U.S. fusion power plant comes into clearer focus – sort of|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/road-map-us-fusion-power-plant-comes-clearer-focus-sort|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=Science |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kramer |first=David |date=March 10, 2021|title=Academies urge public–private effort to build a pilot fusion-power plant |journal=Physics Today |volume= 2021|issue=2 |pages= 0310a|language=en|doi=10.1063/PT.6.2.20210310a|s2cid=243296520 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021PhT..2021b.310. }}</ref> and the launch of the Congressional Bipartisan Fusion Caucus followed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 19, 2021 |title=FIA Congratulates Congressional Bipartisan Fusion Caucus |url=https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/post/fia-congratulates-congressional-bipartisan-fusion-caucus |access-date=February 26, 2021 |website=Fusion Industry Association |language=en-us}}</ref>

In December 2020, an independent expert panel reviewed [[EUROfusion]]'s design and R&D work on DEMO, and EUROfusion confirmed it was proceeding with its Roadmap to Fusion Energy, beginning the conceptual design of DEMO in partnership with the European fusion community, suggesting an EU-backed machine had entered the race.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vries|first=Gieljan de|title=Expert panel approves next DEMO design phase|url=https://www.euro-fusion.org/news/2020/december/expert-panel-approves-next-demo-design-phase/|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=www.euro-fusion.org|date=December 15, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

In October 2023, the UK-oriented Agile Nations group announced a fusion working group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US, Japan Team Up for Commercialization of Fusion Energy {{!}} Rigzone |url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/us_japan_team_up_for_commercialization_of_fusion_energy-15-apr-2024-176406-article/ |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=www.rigzone.com}}</ref> One month later, the UK and the US announced a bilateral partnership to accelerate fusion energy. Then, in December 2023 at [[2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference|COP28]] the US announced a US global strategy to commercialize fusion energy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 5, 2023 |title=At COP28, John Kerry unveils nuclear fusion strategy as a source of clean energy |url=https://apnews.com/article/fusion-nuclear-john-kerry-cop28-climate-power-energy-40ffa257eae528163f68554368cacfee |access-date=December 8, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Then, in April 2024, Japan and the US announced a similar partnership,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Renshaw |first1=Jarrett |last2=Gardner |first2=Timothy |date=April 10, 2024 |title=US, Japan announce partnership to accelerate nuclear fusion |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-japan-announce-joint-partnership-accelerate-nuclear-fusion-sources-2024-04-10/ |work=Reuters}}</ref> and in May of the same year, the G7 announced a G7 Working Group on Fusion Energy to promote international collaborations to accelerate the development of commercial energy and promote R&D between countries, as well as rationalize fusion regulation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caroline |date=April 30, 2024 |title=G7 Puts Fusion Forward At The Climate, Energy And Environment Ministers' Meeting |url=https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/g7-puts-fusion-forward-at-the-climate-energy-and-environment-ministers-meeting/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Fusion Industry Association |language=en-US}}</ref> Later the same year, the US partnered with the IAEA to launch the [https://usionenergysolutionstaskforce.org Fusion Energy Solutions Taskforce], to collaboratively crowdsource ideas to accelerate commercial fusion energy, in line with the US COP28 statement.

Specifically to resolve the tritium supply problem, in February 2024, the UK ([[United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority|UKAEA]]) and Canada ([[Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Research Facilities|Canadian Nuclear Laboratories]]) announced an agreement by which Canada could refurbish its [[CANDU reactor|Candu]] deuterium-uranium tritium-generating heavywater nuclear plants and even build new ones, guaranteeing a supply of tritium into the 2070s, while the UKAEA would test breeder materials and simulate how tritium could be captured, purified, and injected back into the fusion reaction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK and Canada team up to solve nuclear fusion fuel shortage |url=https://sciencebusiness.net/news/uk-and-canada-team-solve-nuclear-fusion-fuel-shortage |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Science{{!}}Business |language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, both South Korea and Japan announced major initiatives to accelerate their national fusion strategies, by building electricity-generating public-private fusion plants in the 2030s, aiming to begin operations in the 2040s and 2030s respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2024 |title=Gov't to chase 'artificial sun' with $866 million investment in nuclear fusion reactor development |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-07-24/business/economy/Govt-to-chase-artificial-sun-with-866-million-investment-in-nuclear-fusion-reactor-development/2097463 |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=koreajoongangdaily.joins.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 19, 2024 |title=核融合発電、30年代実証へ国家戦略改定 高市早苗経済安全保障相が表明 |url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA192KS0Z10C24A7000000/ |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=日本経済新聞 |language=ja}}</ref>