The US Energy Secretary anticipates that nuclear fusion will transition from laboratory settings to commercial power generation within eight years, potentially bringing revolutionary changes to the global clean energy landscape.

On September 16, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced that nuclear fusion power technology could achieve commercial application within the next decade. Wright projected that commercial nuclear fusion power generation could be realized as early as eight years from now, with a maximum timeline not exceeding 15 years.

This statement has injected new confidence into the nuclear fusion industry, which has long faced technical challenges. Nuclear fusion technology is regarded as a crucial solution for future clean energy, possessing the potential to provide substantial carbon-free electricity, though commercialization progress has been slow for many years.

Wright's optimistic forecast is based on recent technological breakthroughs in the field. The US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory achieved the first net energy gain from a nuclear fusion reaction in 2022, marking a significant milestone in technological development.

The technology has attracted billions of dollars in investment from prominent investors including Bezos, Bill Gates, and Peter Thiel, while also receiving support from sovereign wealth funds, national development banks, and venture capital institutions, demonstrating growing market attention to nuclear fusion commercialization prospects.

**Technological Breakthroughs Drive Commercial Progress**

Wright emphasized that the Trump administration will clarify the commercialization pathway for nuclear fusion. This statement builds upon key advances made in nuclear fusion technology in recent years.

In 2022, the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory first achieved net energy gain from nuclear fusion reactions, meaning the energy produced exceeded the energy consumed. This breakthrough is considered a historic moment in nuclear fusion technology development, proving the feasibility of using nuclear fusion to generate electricity.

Nuclear fusion technology mimics the energy production mechanisms of the sun and stars, theoretically capable of providing virtually unlimited clean electricity without greenhouse gas emissions or long-term radioactive waste.

Wright stated that the pace of innovation in nuclear fusion is accelerating. "The speed of innovation is faster than ever before," he said. "This technology is coming, and it's exciting."

Nuclear fusion technology has become a key focus area for top-tier investors and institutions. Technology giants including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel have invested billions of dollars in the field.

In recent years, the nuclear fusion industry has also gained broader capital support. Sovereign wealth funds, national development banks, and venture capital institutions have joined the investment ranks, indicating the market's serious attitude toward nuclear fusion commercialization prospects.

This investment surge reflects growing market demand for clean energy technologies and increased confidence in the eventual commercialization of nuclear fusion technology.

As technology continues to mature and investment continues to flow in, multiple nuclear fusion companies are advancing their respective commercialization projects, competing to become the first enterprise to achieve commercial nuclear fusion power generation.