Global fusion developments: The race for power

Alan Costley is talking fusion at The Royal Institution on Monday 26 October, and if you've ever wondered why we're still talking about nuclear fusion as a 'future' energy source, this is a good place to start. Costley is a physicist who's spent more than 50 years in the field; he got his PhD in fusion physics in 1976 from Brunel University and Imperial College, held senior roles on the JET and ITER projects, and has put out more than 250 papers. He's not just skimming the surface here.

He frames fusion as the primary energy source of the universe — the thing that powers every star, including the Sun. From there, he points out that all our other sources, gas, oil, nuclear fission, wind and solar, actually derive from it. The promise is basically everlasting, low-CO2 power with a small footprint and inherent safety. The problem is that more than 50 years of state-funded programmes have left a commercially viable source decades away. But a new force has entered the race: private enterprise backed by substantial capital, aiming to commercialise fusion research on a much shorter timescale.

Costley's talk weighs those competing technologies and asks whether the East and West should collaborate or compete. It's a look at the gap between the slow, steady pace of government-led science and the faster, riskier drive of private money, and what that means for when we actually get power from it.

The talk is in the Theatre at The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BS — first floor, step-free access via lift. It runs from 7.00pm to 8.30pm, with doors opening about 15 minutes before and the building open from 6.00pm. Theatre audience tickets are £16 or £10, and Ri Members or Patrons get in for £7, with an Eventbrite booking fee on top.