I am not against these fusion startups and research. It will be important in the future. But I think it is important to get a sense of perspective and realize this is NOT the technology which will solve the global warming problem. It is too far away from completion.

However that is not the same as me saying “give it up.” It is more addressed to the people who seem to think we don’t need renewables because Fusion is right around the corner to save the day.

It isn’t. Despite all the limitations and flaws of solar and wind power we don’t actually have any other clean energy today which we can do asking ramp up production of at a sensible cost and build time.

Molten Salt Reactors or High Temperature Gas Cooled reactors are much more likely to get done in time to play a role in limiting the effect of global warming. Yet even to these reactors there is a fair amount of uncertainty.

We have more than enough area in the world to produce enough wind and solar power for our energy needs. The primary problem is intermittence. Next generation nuclear power could help solve that.

However it is not given it will. Battery technology may end up advancing faster. And hydrogen electrolysis may get cheap enough. Thermal and cryogenic energy storage is capable of scaling up a lot at low capital costs. Their challenge is efficiency. If you got 50% round trip efficiency, you got to be able to sell power at twice the price you bought it.

This problem may very well end up solved if wind and solar prices continue to drop. With overcapacity one will be able to sell very cheap power when the wind is blowing and sun is shining. That will radically improve economics of storage.