Here's a reality check for nuclear fusion

Presented by Chevron: Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Dec 12, 2022 View in browser   By Arianna Skibell Presented by Chevron A color-enhanced image of the inside of a preamplifier support structure at the National Ignition Facility. | Damien Jemison If the news of a breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy and its potential for cheap, carbon-free electricity sounds too good to be true, there's a reason for that. Theoretically, fusion holds the potential to be a practically waste-free and unlimited source of clean energy by using the same process that fuels the sun — basically, squeezing two atoms together and turning the energy they produce into electricity. In an exciting first, scientists at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California are expected to announce that they have managed to produce a fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed. Yet there are daunting scientific and engineering hurdles to developing this discovery into machinery that can affordably turn a fusion reaction into electricity for the grid. That puts fusion squarely in the category of "maybe one day." Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is expected to announce the scientific breakthrough Tuesday. While the development, which was first reported by the Financial Times , may be incremental, the Biden administration is sure to tout it as a major milestone in its climate and energy agenda. Here are some reasons for tempering expectations that this breakthrough will yield any quick progress in addressing the climate emergency. First and foremost, as climate scientists have warned, the world does not have decades to wait until the technology is potentially viable to zero out greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, the hurdles associated with a national or global power switch remain. Reducing greenhouse gas output from the nation's top carbon source — transportation — will still require either transitioning entirely to electric vehicles or dramatically re-imagining how we travel (or some combination of the two). The bureaucratic and technological hurdles to expanding and upgrading the nation's grid system to transmit clean power, no matter the source, also remain the same — not to mention the inevitable political complications of closing coal plants and oil and gas operations for a new carbon-free source. "I'd be more excited about an announcement that U.S. is ending fossil fuel subsidies," University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann tweeted .   It's Monday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host,  Arianna Skibell.  Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to  askibell@eenews.net.   A message from Chevron: At Chevron, we're working to help progress the energy sector forward. Subscribe to The Human Energy Newsletter to receive our recently published methane report, energy news, powerful insights, and the latest on our efforts to bring affordable, reliable, ever-cleaner energy to the world.   Listen to today's POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Steven Overly breaks down why Democrats are unrepentant, as U.S. trading partners fume over the country's recent electric vehicle tax credits. Takeaways Exxon Mobil Corp. CEO Darren Woods testifies remotely during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. | Francis Chung/E&E News Friday's mass document release by House Oversight and Reform Committee Democrats didn't just fuel a new round of accusations of "greenwashing" by the oil and gas industry. It also shed light on a host of other internal dynamics in the industry, including companies' response to former President Donald Trump's surprise victory in 2016, write Corbin Hiar, Nick Sobczyk and Lesley Clark.   A message from Chevron:   Power Centers Flared natural gas is burned off at a facility in the Permian Basin in Garden City, Texas. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images Natural gas pitch As the U.S. government prepares to usher in an avalanche of renewable energy investments, Texas officials are signaling they'd like to head in a different direction, writes Jason Plautz. Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state lawmakers are pitching a plan to mandate new natural gas generation to avoid future power crises in Texas. Under pressure Jean Chemnick breaks down how U.S. environmental justice advocates helped deliver a new climate compensation fund for the world's poor, breaking through years of entrenched American opposition. Developing countries countries and their advocates have long called for a dedicated funding stream under the U.N. climate process. But the issue, known in U.N. jargon as loss and damage, had struggled to gain traction. Gas price cap Time is running out for European leaders to agree to a deal to cap the price of natural gas, writes Victor Jack. Twelve EU countries are pushing for a lower price cap, which is intensifying concerns that the bloc could fail to reach a deal on the measure. in other news A JetBlue Airways jet sits on the tarmac. | Scott Olson/Getty Images Direct reductions: JetBlue is giving up carbon offsets for its domestic flights, shifting its focus instead to sustainable aviation fuels. Actually, never mind: Wall Street's biggest names are backing off their climate commitments.   A NEW POLITICO PODCAST: POLITICO Tech is an authoritative insider briefing on the politics and policy of technology. From crypto and the metaverse to cybersecurity and AI, we explore the who, what and how of policy shaping future industries. We're kicking off with a series exploring darknet marketplaces, the virtual platforms that enable actors from all corners of the online world to traffic illicit goods. As malware and cybercrime attacks become increasingly frequent, regulators and law enforcement agencies work different angles to shut these platforms down, but new, often more unassailable marketplaces pop up. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY .     Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Firefighters battle the Bond Fire burning in Orange County, Calif. | Noah Berger/AP Photo More Americans are moving into dangerous wildfire zones, despite the fact that fires are growing bigger, more frequent and more destructive as the climate warms. A New York state senator has proposed a private cause of action for individuals to sue fossil fuel companies for climate damages, taking a page from Texas' abortion playbook. A new window material could cool indoor spaces by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit without consuming any energy. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   POLITICO AT CES 2023 : We are bringing a special edition of our Digital Future Daily newsletter to Las Vegas to cover CES 2023. The newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the event. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of CES 2023.       A message from Chevron: From news and updates on Chevron's renewable fuel projects to the latest energy reports, The Human Energy Newsletter will keep you better informed on the entire energy sector. Subscribe to the newsletter and be the first to receive news and updates directly to your inbox. Subscribe now.     Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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