Chris Gillespie
The “net energy” is the catch. One **must** consider the LCOE – levelized cost of energy. If the fusion reactor requires that the energy used to fuse *and* make the fuels is greater than or equal to the output of the reactor, then the fusion reactor is a liability and is wasting energy. My suspicion is that they will never to do better than break even and fusion will have to be abandoned.
Right now, there is an overwhelming need to end the burning of fossil fuels before it’s too late and the Earth can’t recover. The resources that are being used for fusion should be diverted to ending burning of fossil fuels.