The Sun Under China's Pull: China Overtakes the U.S. to Claim the Crown of Major Nuclear Power.

Energy security can no longer rely on oil producers, yet the United States and China are responding in starkly different ways.

On June 12, Russian media outlet "Today's China" published an article.

China is accelerating research and development of nuclear fusion technology, with plans to complete a power-generating facility by 2030.

Oil was the primary cause of wars in the 20th century.

By the 21st century, electricity has become the most scarce resource.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence demands enormous amounts of power—coinciding with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

At this juncture, everyone realizes: energy security can no longer depend on nature’s capriciousness or the fickle whims of oil producers.

Major oil-importing nations—the United States and China—have come to recognize this reality.

Yet their responses differ dramatically.

Americans attempt to maintain their dominance in global energy markets based on past achievements and technological patents.

Meanwhile, China has launched the largest nuclear reactor construction project in human history—and also pledged to begin building nuclear fusion power stations within a few years.

For decades, the United States has been the undisputed and absolute leader in peaceful applications of atomic energy.

Even today, the U.S. still hosts the world’s largest commercial nuclear reactor fleet—but these reactors are aging.

Since 1996, only three new reactors have been brought online in the country.

China, by contrast, is constructing new reactors at an astonishing pace.

In fact, nearly half of all nuclear reactors currently under construction globally are located in China.

Right now, 36 reactors are being built in China!

According to authoritative analysis firms, in the next five years, China will fully catch up with the United States in terms of the number of operational nuclear power plants.

By 2030, China aims to increase its nuclear power capacity to 110 gigawatts (GW).

For reference, Russia’s current nuclear power capacity is slightly below 30 gigawatts.

But nuclear energy will soon become obsolete—just like wood-burning stoves or steam locomotives.

All scientists place their hopes on controlled nuclear fusion—the very process that powers our sun and other stars.

And indeed, it is China that will build such reactors, backed by strong financial support from government funds and private venture capital.

A prime example of this surge is Startorus Fusion, a startup headquartered in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province—the ancient capital of China.

This company has set an absolute record in China’s private nuclear fusion sector, raising 1 billion RMB (approximately $143 million USD) in investment.

The startup plans to use this funding to construct next-generation nuclear fusion reactors.

Their ambitions are immense: to build China’s first industrial-scale pilot power station by 2032.

China already possesses nuclear fusion reactors—but not for commercial (industrial) use, only for scientific research.

One such facility is located in Langfang City, Hebei Province, less than an hour’s drive from the capital.

It is estimated that the efficiency of nuclear fusion reactors could reach around 45%—meaning nearly half of the released energy would be usable—far surpassing even the most advanced nuclear fission reactors.

Thus, China has every reason to fight for this future.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867744982250563/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.