Could fusion pilot plants create new equity problems through material scarcity?
Yes, there is a real risk that scaling fusion could strain supplies of key metals, which might drive up costs and create new inequities. A 2022 study found that if global energy use were equitably distributed at the level of the European Union in 2050, the in-use stocks of cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel in energy transition technologies—including fusion—could consume 20% to 30% of the ultimately available resources of these metals in the Earth's crust [1]. Even with 80% recycling, annual primary use of lithium would need to increase by 86% and cobalt by 52% compared to a world without the energy transition [1]. This means that without aggressive substitution and recycling, fusion could compete with other clean technologies for scarce materials, potentially raising costs and limiting access for poorer nations.
However, fusion pilot plant designs are already addressing this. The MANTA design, for example, uses high-temperature superconductors (REBCO) in its magnets, which require less material than conventional superconductors, and its tritium breeding blanket achieves a breeding ratio of 1.15, meaning it produces more fuel than it consumes [5]. This reduces the need for external lithium supplies, a key material in tritium breeding. Similarly, the Infinity Two stellarator design achieves a tritium breeding ratio of about 1.3 with a helium-cooled pebble bed, further reducing material demand [6]. These engineering choices show that the industry is aware of material limits and is designing around them.
Will fusion power actually reduce energy poverty, or could it make it worse?
Fusion has the potential to reduce energy poverty, but only if the electricity it generates is affordable and accessible. A 2022 study introduced the concept of the 'energy equity gap'—the difference in outdoor temperature at which low-income and high-income households start using cooling systems [2]. In the study region, this gap was 4.7–7.5°F (2.6–4.2°C), meaning low-income households endure hotter conditions before turning on air conditioning to save money [2]. The study found that income-based metrics missed 86 energy-poor and 214 energy-insecure households that were only identified by this behavioral measure [2]. If fusion power is cheap and reliable, it could close this gap by making cooling (and heating) affordable for low-income households.
But the cost of fusion electricity is still uncertain. The MANTA design projects an overnight capital cost of US$3.4 billion for a 90 MW net electric plant, which is under the US$5 billion target set by the National Academies [5]. However, this is a first-of-a-kind cost, and scaling to many plants could either lower costs through learning or raise them if materials become scarce. The advanced tokamak design described in another study aims for 200 MW net electricity at a compact scale, but it notes that divertor heat flux challenges are comparable to ITER, requiring more dissipation [4]. If these engineering challenges increase costs, fusion might not automatically benefit low-income communities. The key is that fusion's success in reducing energy poverty depends on deliberate policy to keep electricity affordable and to ensure that the benefits of cheap, clean power reach those who currently cut back on energy use to make ends meet.
Do different fusion designs have different equity implications?
Yes, different fusion designs have different material and operational profiles, which affect their potential equity impacts. The Infinity Two stellarator, for example, uses a quasi-isodynamic magnetic configuration that achieves high fusion gain (Q=40) at 800 MW fusion power, with very low bootstrap current (about 2 kA) and excellent confinement [6]. This design requires a large, high-field magnet system (9 T average field) and a four-field period coil set, which could be material-intensive [6]. In contrast, the MANTA design uses negative triangularity to handle heat more easily, with only 23.5 MW of power reaching the scrape-off layer, allowing a peak heat flux of just 2.8 MW/m² [5]. This reduces the need for complex divertor cooling, potentially lowering material costs.
The advanced tokamak design takes a different approach, using high plasma density to boost fusion performance and reduce current drive demands, enabling a compact 200 MW net electric plant [4]. However, it notes that divertor heat flux is a challenge comparable to ITER, requiring more dissipation [4]. The Infinity Two stellarator also addresses heat exhaust with a novel 'large island backside divertor' design that improves neutral pumping and reduces plasma re-entry [3]. These design choices matter for equity because they affect the amount and type of materials needed, the complexity of construction, and ultimately the cost of electricity. A design that uses less scarce materials and is simpler to build could be scaled more equitably, while a design that relies on exotic materials or complex engineering might concentrate benefits in wealthy nations. The evidence shows that the fusion community is actively exploring multiple paths, but no single design has yet proven it can scale without creating new equity problems—the outcome will depend on which designs are pursued and how their costs and material demands are managed.
About These Sources
This answer is built on 6 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2021 to 2025, 3 from 2024 or later, 2 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 367 times — selected as the most relevant from 7 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 63 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.
Sources used in this answer
The Energy Transition and Energy Equity: A Compatible Combination?
A 2022 ex ante evaluation found that if global energy use were equitably distributed at EU 2050 levels, the in-use stocks of cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel in energy transition technologies could consume 20–30% of ultimately available resources, with annual primary use of lithium increasing 86% and cobalt 52% even with 80% recycling.
Unveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gap
A 2022 study of 4,577 households introduced the 'energy equity gap'—the difference in outdoor temperature at which low- and high-income groups start cooling—finding a gap of 4.7–7.5°F (2.6–4.2°C) and identifying 86 energy-poor and 214 energy-insecure households missed by income-based metrics.
Power and particle exhaust for the Infinity Two fusion pilot plant
A 2025 analysis of the Infinity Two fusion pilot plant divertor designs presented a classical island divertor and a novel large island backside divertor (LIBD) that improves neutral pumping and reduces plasma re-entry, with conditions for acceptable heat flux at 800 MW operating point.
The advanced tokamak path to a compact net electric fusion pilot plant
A 2021 study using integrated 1.5D core-edge modeling projected a compact net electric fusion pilot plant at 6–7 T, ~4 m radius, and 200 MW net electricity, identifying high plasma density as a key lever to reduce current drive demands and enable net electricity at compact scale.
MANTA: a negative-triangularity NASEM-compliant fusion pilot plant
The 2024 MANTA design study projected a pulsed, radiative, ELM-free tokamak with 450 MW fusion power, 90 MW net electricity, a peak heat flux of 2.8 MW/m², an overnight cost of US$3.4 billion, and a tritium breeding ratio of 1.15.
The Infinity Two fusion pilot plant baseline plasma physics design
The 2025 Infinity Two stellarator baseline design achieves 800 MW DT fusion power with Q=40, low bootstrap current (~2 kA), <1.5% alpha-particle energy loss to the first wall, and a tritium breeding ratio of ~1.3 with a helium-cooled pebble bed.