While laboratory fusion experiments consistently achieve Lawson criterion milestones, translating these successes into utility-scale power plants faces severe engineering hurdles. Thermal energy conversion and structural degradation under sustained high neutron flux remain unresolved at industrial scale.
Grid Integration Constraints
Integrating episodic pulsed power output into steady-state electrical grids presents major infrastructure challenges. Pilot projects are shifting operational focus from short-duration high-yield demonstrations toward sustainable continuous-operation targets.