tech
March 28, 2026
What will power the grid in 2035? The race is wide open
Fusion, fission, and even natural gas are appeared tied in the race to deliver new power to the grid in the early 2030s.
TL;DR
- AI's high energy consumption is driving competition for new power sources like fusion and fission.
- Natural gas faces challenges due to supply chain disruptions and long wait times for new turbines.
- Small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) startups are close to deploying commercial plants within five to seven years.
- Fusion power startups are also targeting the early 2030s for reactor deployment, promising large amounts of power.
- Renewables paired with batteries are becoming increasingly cost-competitive, potentially undercutting all other options.
- New battery technologies that avoid critical minerals could significantly reduce long-duration energy storage costs.
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