ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 26, 2024 — The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) held its inaugural meeting yesterday of the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy. The meeting marked the official commencement of the Commission’s vital work in positioning the United States at the forefront of the global fusion energy race.
The four-hour session brought together the Commission’s distinguished members, including ten commissioners and three co-chairs, to frame the stakes of their mission and establish the course for their year-long effort. The meeting emphasized the critical importance of accelerating U.S. fusion energy development, particularly in light of increasing global competition.
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), serving as co-chairs alongside SCSP President Ylli Bajraktari, opened the session with remarks underscoring the urgency of the Commission’s work.
“We are convening our country’s top experts to chart a way forward on how to scale fusion energy development. Energy is critical to maintaining our competitive edge against China, Russia, North Korea and Iran,” said Ylli Bajraktari.
Commissioners were briefed by a Department of Energy expert on the current state of fusion research, including recent advancements and emerging trends; were provided an analysis by the nuclear industry association of the international fusion landscape, focusing on major projects and partnerships; and were briefed by an intelligence community expert on the geopolitical aspects of fusion technology development, with an emphasis on global competition and national security implications.
Following these presentations, the commissioners established initial priorities, set formal procedures, and formed working groups to address specific aspects of fusion energy scaling.
“The Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy offers the opportunity to further explore the potential behind fusion technology and its role in clean energy development,” said Risch. “It is an honor to be chosen as a co-chair of the commission, and I look forward to learning how our technology is progressing and how America can lead the world on fusion.”
Commission members are Manu Asthana, president & CEO of PJM Interconnection; Dr. Kimberly Budil, director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Dr. Steven Cowley, director of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; the Honorable Paul Dabbar, co-founder & CEO of Bohr Quantum Technology; Dr. David Kirtley, co-founder & CEO of Helion Energy; Mike Kuiken, distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; the Honorable Mark Menezes, president & CEO of the United States Energy Association; Dr. Bob Mumgaard, co-founder & CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems; Luke Murry, head of government affairs at Marvell Technology; and Dr. Rachel Slaybaugh, partner at DCVC and co-founder of Good Energy Collective.
As the session concluded, commissioners reached a clear agreement on their priorities and the challenges ahead. They identified key areas where the United States can leverage its strengths to accelerate the scaling of fusion energy technology.
“Taking fusion from the power source of the future to the power source of the 2030s is really the challenge of this commission,” said Senator Maria Cantwell. “One of the reasons I know we can be successful is that innovation is in America’s DNA. We need our ecosystem of private sector, public sector, and universities all working and competing at the same time to empower fusion’s success.”
The Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy will continue its work over the next 12 months, focusing on developing strategies to accelerate fusion energy development and deployment in the United States. Future meetings will go into specific aspects of the electrical grid, regulatory frameworks, and supply chains for reactor components, among other things.
For more information about the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, please contact Tara Rigler at tmr@scsp.ai. For more information about SCSP, visit our website, and subscribe for regular newsletter and podcast updates.
SOURCE Special Competitive Studies Project