PRESS RELEASE
Energy for the Common Good and the Conservation Law Foundation Applaud Advancement of Historic $1.24 Billion Investment in Fusion Energy by the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Call for the US House and Senate to Include Funding in the
Final Reconciliation Package
Tuesday, September 14, 2021 (Concord, MA. and Boston, MA.) – Energy for the Common Good (ECG), a non-profit focused on furthering fusion energy, and the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a non-profit dedicated to protecting the environment for the benefit of all people, applauded the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology for advancing $1.24 billion in funding for commercial fusion research and development in its reconciliation legislation. This extraordinary investment is a recognition that fusion energy is real and vital to all efforts to combat climate change.
“The commitment to and investment in fusion in the bill advanced today by the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology is unprecedented. We thank Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-TX 30, and Congressional Fusion Caucus founder Congressman Don Beyer, D-VA 8, for their vision and leadership,” said Jane Hotchkiss, President of ECG. “President Biden has set a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and a carbon-free power sector by 2035. While renewable energy technologies have expanded dramatically in the past decade-plus, most experts acknowledge that existing technologies alone will be unable to meet these goals. This proposed funding reflects the growing understanding that fusion energy can and should be an absolutely critical part of the solution. We are thrilled to see Congress recognize this and applaud the Committee for this historic and future-forward investment. We call on the House to pass, and Senate to echo, this commitment to fusion energy innovation.”
“I am thrilled that the House Science Committee agreed to such a major investment in fusion energy research and development in the Build Back Better Act markup,” said Beyer. “Fusion power represents the kind of bold advance required to complete the shift to clean energy we need to prevent the worst effects of climate change, and offers the potential for massive economic growth. The Fusion Energy Caucus has shown the strong bipartisan support in Congress for fusion, and I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to support these robust funding levels for research that could prove transformational.”
Fusion energy has the potential to generate enormous amounts of power with no greenhouse emissions, risk of meltdown, or long-lasting radioactive byproducts. The United States has long been the leader in fusion research, but in recent months the United Kingdom and China have pulled ahead in the race to build a fusion energy future, in large part due to significant government investments.
“Fusion energy is a potential breakthrough technology in addressing the climate crisis,” said Bradley M. Campbell, President of Conservation Law Foundation, New England’s leading energy and environmental advocacy organization. “We cannot leave any stone unturned in confronting this crisis, and these investments will be essential in learning if fusion can be developed and deployed in time to make a difference.”
Two recent US government-sponsored reports, the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) Report (2020): Powering the Future: Fusion and Plasmas and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Report (2021): Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid, however, highlight the need for domestic research and development infrastructure to accelerate fusion power commercialization in areas where such funding could make considerable impact. Both reports highlight key facilities that the federal government should fund, allowing all fusion stakeholders to take advantage of the federal investment. These facilities include:
Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source (FPNS)/Volumetric Neutron Source (VNS);
High-Heat-Flux (HHF) testing facilities; and
Blanket Component Test Facility (BCTF).
The funding included in the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology mark will support these recommendations and allow them to move forward.
“This funding not only enhances this once in a lifetime climate infrastructure bill, but also efficiently targets the most pressing needs for fusion’s advancement,” Hotchkiss said. “This is
a revolutionary week for fusion. If included in the final reconciliation bill, the expansion of US funding for fusion and other non-carbon energy sources reveals the pathway toward cleaning existing energy production soon enough to make a difference on climate change.”
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Energy for the Common Good (ECG) is building a voice for fusion energy with the existing climate and clean energy community. Our mission is to prepare leaders in energy, environmental regulation, and policy to be ready to implement safe, non-carbon innovations as soon as they are available. Through coalitions, forums, and small groups, we encourage evaluation of fusion’s potential to replace our electric grid’s fossil baseload. Through education, communication, and strategic partnerships, ECG seeks to ensure demand and market support for fusion energy as soon as the industry can deliver it. Learn more at www.energycommongood.org.
Conservation Law Foundation protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. We use the law, science, and the market to create solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant regional economy. CLF’s approach to environmental advocacy is distinguished by our close involvement with local communities; our ability to design and implement effective strategies; and our capacity for developing innovative and economically sound solutions to our region’s most critical environmental challenges. Learn more at www.clf.org.
Contact:
Bradley Campbell
Conservation Law Foundation
bcampbell@clf.org
(617) 850-1786
Jane Hotchkiss
Energy for the Common Good
jane@energycommongood.org
(617) 410-4752 Ext. 101