Why isn’t Nuclear Fusion a Major Energy Source Yet

Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together to form a larger nucleus/nuclei and byproduct neutrons. Most importantly it generates and enormous amount of energy. If controlled, this amount of energy could surely be a huge boon in the ongoing energy crisis. So why aren’t we using it?

To start, we need to discuss the concept of the fusion energy gain factor Q. Q represents the ratio of fusion power produced in a fusion reactor to the energy required to produce that energy. In simple terms Q = Energy Earned/Energy Spent. So, breaking even on a fusion reactor would mean a Q factor of 1. Doesn’t sound too hard, right? Wrong! Due to the strong repulsive forces between like (in this case meaning both positive) charges, an enormous amount of energy is needed to bring two nuclei close enough to induce fusion. In the last few years some small scale tests have been conducted with Q>1 and attempts are being made to put this into wider production.

One way to overcome this repulsion force is with extreme heat. But this comes with many of its own problems. The first is this: heat is expensive! It takes a lot of energy to make all that heat, so that throws the  factor out. The other is that it is very card to contain all this heat. At the moment scientists are working to develop better ways to contain the heat and keep the plasma (state of matter created by heating gas) at a stable temperature.  Some scientists are also working on ways to stimulate fusion at room temperature, this is the titular ‘cold fusion’ that you may have heard so much about.

Stepping away from physics for a moment, politics plays a huge role in stifling the development of fusion power. Many see it as an environmentally unfriendly power source. While the waste produced by fusion is particular dangerous and difficult to dispose of, the energy to waste ratio is very good, better than any of the current mainstream energy production methods other than wind and solar, which it can beat in efficiency. There is also a lot of fear mongering using famous nuclear disasters. While there is a risk of such things happening, nuclear safety increases every year, and this is not something people should fear. Many fossil fuel companies have outsized influence over governments and have motivation to slow the development of nuclear fusion down wherever they can.

So, in conclusion, the main reason that nuclear fusion hasn’t been put into use yet is that the science just isn’t there yet. There is currently no way to perform nuclear fusion that is both safe and doesn’t have an energy deficit. However, the field is being advanced all the time and in the near future it should finally go into widescale production.

Image Source: File:Nuclear fusion illustration.svg. (2025, February 9). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 15:27, March 25, 2025 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuclear_fusion_illustration.svg&oldid=996139269.