Home / Science / Fusion Power: The Quest for Everlasting Energy Heats Up
Fusion Power: The Quest for Everlasting Energy Heats Up
10 Nov
Summary
- ITER experts working to harness fusion reactions, the same energy source as the sun
- Fusion could provide a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear fission
- Project faces challenges, including a ballooning budget and delays
As of November 10th, 2025, experts at ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, are making progress in their quest to harness fusion reactions and provide a cleaner energy alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear fission. The ITER team is working to prove that the fusion process, which powers the sun, can be industrialized and used to generate everlasting energy on Earth.
The project, which has been underway since at least 2005, faces significant challenges. The original $5.5 billion budget has now nearly quadrupled to $22 billion, and the team has had to make difficult decisions, such as skipping a testing milestone, to stay on schedule and aim for initial fusion power by 2035.
Despite the complexities and setbacks, the ITER team remains determined. They are working on the largest magnetic confinement chamber on the planet, a tokamak that will weigh over 25,000 tons and withstand temperatures of up to 302 million degrees Fahrenheit. If successful, this groundbreaking technology could provide a cleaner alternative to the world's current energy sources, which are contributing to global overheating.
