Tuesday, Dec. 5 — U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Northern Virgniia, founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, today hailed Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry’s announcement of a U.S. international engagement plan for fusion energy at COP28.
Beyer said:
“I’m thrilled that the U.S. delegation brought fusion to the global stage at COP28. This strategic plan would accelerate progress in fusion science and engineering by expanding access to experimental and test facilities, strategically foster cooperation and competition through robust intellectual property protections, adopt appropriate protections and incentives to safeguard against predatory economic practices, and strengthen a diverse and global workforce pipeline. I look forward to the expansion of international collaborative efforts in infrastructure and information-sharing that will address critical scientific and technological gaps, putting us on track toward a future where fusion provides power to the grid.
“Between the Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s success in achieving fusion ignition last December and again this summer, and our historic investments toward commercializing fusion energy through the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program and the CHIPS & Science Act, there is no doubt that the U.S. has been the global leader in fusion energy. Fusion energy has the potential to be a transformational source of clean energy, and I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to support the administration’s fusion development efforts, help sustain the progress we’ve already made, and work toward fulfilling the incredible promise which fusion energy offers.”
Beyer is the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus. He was a leading governmental voice in celebrating the historic announcement of a net energy gain from a human-controlled fusion energy reaction late last year. He has continuously advocated for fusion energy research and funding as a long time member of the House Science Committee, with hiscolleagues in Congres
The bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus, which Beyer founded in 2021, has helped secure increased funding for investments in the Department of Energy’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences through the annual congressional appropriations process, as well as in the Inflation Reduction Act, and authorized major expansions of the U.S. funding for fusion research in the CHIPS and Science Act. The Caucus has over seventy-five members in the House, with a mission to educate Congress about the research and increasing potential of fusion energy, and to build support for research and development.
