When fossil fuels run out in a hundred years, fusion is the only foreseeable option we have to sustain our society. If we do not devote resources to truly revolutionary technology, the intervening years will take a high toll on us all.
The existing billion dollar efforts into fusion energy face insurmountable engineering and economic issues. Good science does go on at facilities such as NIF and ITER, however the fundamental designs have been clearly impractical for about 20 years. Large projects become about the money and not the mission.
Small businesses and universities are better suited to producing the necessary innovation in this field. Increasing and redirecting resources along the lines of competitive SBIR programs will stimulate advancement.
Thank you for your consideration.