Nuclear Fusion Partnerships – US Clean Energy
In an interesting effort to find clean energy, the U.S. government has announced that they will give $50 million dollars to private nuclear fusion companies. These grants to private companies don’t happen often, and it may show the United States’ willingness to have alternative energies grow with commercial significance.
So, what exactly is nuclear fusion? Well first, don’t let the term ‘nuclear’ scare you. Nuclear fusion is regarded as the “holy grail” of clean energy. It offers almost unlimited energy, doesn’t release any greenhouse gases, and doesn’t release any long-lasting nuclear waste. Scientifically, nuclear fusion acts to replicate how stars are formed, just on a much smaller scale. In a nuclear reactor, scientists slam together two atoms that will merge into one larger atom, where the leftover mass lost in the process is converted to energy. The only issue with this high-value energy experiment is that it is currently hard to scale and replicate the process safely.
Although the U.S. government has been investing in fusion research since the 1950s, this is the first time they have invested a large sum into actual commercializing the process, rather than just in fusion research. Hopefully, the move, along with the other $5 billion invested through VCs and other firms, can spur long-time growth in the nuclear fusion industry, making the United States the first country to reach “Net Power”.
Want to learn how to invest? Download the Invstr app, where you can play Fantasy Finance and manage a virtual investment portfolio, or open a brokerage account and invest for real. Take our interactive investing course on Invstr Academy and become a better investor today!
I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.
