Italian oil giant Eni S.p.A. has bought into a fusion power plant in Virginia for $1 billion, and it won't even be connected to the grid for another few years.
Commonwealth Fusion System (CFS), the company behind the fusion power plant, will build its Arc facility near Richmond, Virginia, near many energy-intensive data centers, according to The Well News.
This is fitting, as the other major buyer for CFS's technology is Google.
"This funding recognizes CFS' leadership role in developing a new technology that promises to be a reliable source of clean, almost limitless energy — and will enable investors to have the opportunity to capitalize on the birth of a new global industry," Bob Mumgaard, co-founder and CEO of Commonwealth, said.
CFS has brought its total funding to nearly $3 billion, and they hope to start generating plasma within two years at their Boston facility and shortly after prove that their facilities generate more energy than is required to power them, The Well News reports.
Their technology relies on fusion energy, which is a clean, nearly infinite source of energy that pulls power from nuclear fusion reactions.
Find the best HVAC solution to heat and cool your home more efficiently Mitsubishi Electric’s efficient heating and cooling HVAC solutions can help you stay comfortable no matter the weather or region. You can even regulate temperatures in each room with individually controlled all-electric heat pump systems. With an energy-efficient, all-climate system from Mitsubishi, you can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home, receive up to $2,000 in tax credits, and get peace of mind knowing you’re choosing rigorously tested, high-quality products. |
As the World Economic Forum explains, "Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, merges two atomic nuclei into a larger one." When these nuclei merge, energy is released.
Diversifying clean energy sources can help us move away from dirty energy like coal or oil that emit heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere, exacerbating the effects of the overheating of the planet.
Unlike dirty energy sources, fusion energy emits no pollution into the atmosphere and therefore does not worsen the changing climate.
However, there are still many challenges associated with fusion energy. For one, engineering challenges have kept it from providing us with a scalable amount of energy to outpace the energy costs of running the facility. Logistically, fusion needs to be cost-competitive with other energy sources before it can become truly useful.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Should we be pouring money into nuclear fusion technology? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes — it'll pay off 👍 Also, as a 2024 article published in Physics and Society notes, we need a better understanding of the environmental impacts, including material mining and potential waste streams, before we can see the full picture of fusion's energy footprint.
Despite these challenges, fusion remains an optimistic opportunity to meet energy generation needs while avoiding pollution. In September 2025, the U.S. government invested $128 million into fusion energy research, highlighting the potential for this technology.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
