Advanced Fusion Power Technology Experiences Significant Advancements
The world of clean energy and sustainable travel is experiencing a significant leap forward, with advancements in fusion energy and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft making headlines.
In the realm of fusion energy, commercialisation is no longer a distant dream. Major scientific breakthroughs, increased funding, and strategic partnerships have propelled this once speculative research towards commercialisation. Since 2021, over $7 billion in private capital has been invested globally, with an additional $2.64 billion invested in the 12 months leading to mid-2025 alone.
Private fusion companies, such as First Light Fusion, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), Helion Energy, Marvel Fusion, and others, are driving this momentum. For instance, Helion Energy raised $425 million in early 2025 and targets the first commercial plants in Texas to power data centers. CFS is scaling high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet production with plans for a plant in Virginia. Marvel Fusion secured €113 million Series B funding in 2025, with Siemens Energy as a backer.
Partnerships between private firms and large energy companies, including Eni, Equinor, Shell, and Chevron, are forming to accelerate technology development and deployment. The fusion industry collectively targets commercial electricity deployment mostly by the late 2030s, with over half aiming for grid-connected plants by 2035. By then, industry participants expect fusion power to reach competitive costs around $50/MWh, comparable to renewables with storage and cheaper than conventional nuclear fission.
However, significant investment is still required. Industry reports estimate a median of $700 million more per company to bring pilot plants online, aggregating to tens of billions invested in the coming decades before fusion becomes a scalable commercial reality.
In the world of sustainable travel, eVTOL aircraft are transforming the aviation industry. Companies like Lilium, based in Germany, plan to build the first eVTOL aircraft in production in 2021, following the testing of five prototypes since 2017. The VX4, developed by Vertical Aerospace, took its first flight in 2022 and is expected to be certified for transportation by 2025. A Bristol-based company, Vertical Aerospace, aims to lead the revamping of the aviation industry by making air travel accessible, safe, and sustainable.
Volocopter, a German aerospace pioneer, plans to start public flight testing of their VoloCity in 2021. Numerous businesses worldwide are competing to offer eVTOL services for quick journeys in response to the demand for efficient and affordable transportation.
These advancements in fusion energy and eVTOL aircraft mark a major step forward in harnessing sustainable and renewable energy sources. The first prototype fusion reactor, expected to be completed by the early 2030s, has the potential to provide numerous opportunities for renewable energy and revolutionize how humans power the world. On December 5, 2022, fusion power was achieved at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a significant industry milestone.
The United States is investing $50 million into a private business for the construction of the first prototype fusion reactor in the world, demonstrating the global commitment to this clean, abundant energy source. As these technologies continue to advance, the path to widespread fusion power and sustainable travel remains capital-intensive and complex, requiring sustained investment, successful pilot demonstrations, and supportive regulation to realize their promise.
- The fusion energy industry anticipates commercial electricity deployment largely by the late 2030s, with over half of the industry aiming for grid-connected plants by 2035, as the investment in this sector approaches tens of billions in the coming decades.
- In the health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise industry, advancements in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are revolutionizing transportation, with companies like Vertical Aerospace aiming to make air travel accessible, safe, and sustainable.
- Technology in the global clean energy sector is thriving, as private investments have flooded fusion energy companies, such as Helion Energy and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS,) with over $7 billion in private capital invested since 2021 alone.
- The net worth of clean energy and sustainable travel industries is poised for significant growth, as these sectors leverage innovation from science and finance with the shared goal of energy sustainability and efficient transportation.
