How the U.S. is losing ground to China in nuclear fusion, as AI power needs surge

CNBC March 16, 2025
Katie Tarasov

China and the U.S. are in a race to create the first grid-scale nuclear fusion energy. After decades of U.S. leadership, China is catching up by spending twice as much and building projects at record speed.

Often called the holy grail of clean energy, nuclear fusion creates four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than traditional nuclear fission and four million times more than burning coal, with no greenhouse gasses or long-term radioactive waste. If all goes to plan, it will be at least a $1 trillion market by 2050, according to Ignition Research.

There’s just one big problem.

“The only working fusion power plants right now in the universe are stars,” said Dennis Whyte, professor of nuclear...

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