this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2023
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We probably would have fusion power if we’d funded it at the consistency we needed. Just like this, as long as it receives funding it will continue to make progress.
I'm not so sure. For example, everyone thinks of solar panels as having beaten expectations and that's true. But they don't remember that it took over 50 years from their invention before they went into widespread use. Same with the internet--the changes it brought seemed rapid but in reality there was slow, steady progress over many decades until finally it was ready and swept the world.
I think we're still in that early phase for fusion. There are interesting experiments being done, and I think maybe in a few decades we might have some early plants that can actually make power. But there's still a LOT of work to be done. Even with higher funding, there's a lot to do. It certainly could be expedited to some extent though.