Niek Lopes Cardozo

Socio-economic aspects of the deployment of fusion energy

Fusion energy: Doable? Affordable? Desirable? 

Fusion power, when it comes to the market in 2070 or so, will not be cheap; and the product it offers is sustainable electricity, which - if the world manages to meet the Paris transition goals - should by then be abundantly available

We address the question if fusion energy, under the assumption that it is technically feasible, will be wanted when it is ready for deployment: what does it bring to the market that is not already available? And at what cost? Will it be economically competitive? What are the added values of fusion energy in an energy market that is already fully sustainable? How will the risk profile - large complex reactors, combining a high capital investment with large technological uncertainties and a long construction time - affect the deployment of fusion power? Who will buy the first generation of fusion power plants, which are not yet very good while very expensive? How will the long construction time affect the effectiveness of the innovation cycle? Will fusion energy cross the valley of death?