In 2011, after the Fukushima disaster, Germany made the fateful decision to switch off its nuclear plants. Now, two have been promised a second life as fusion-energy projects in a high-risk technology bet aimed at revitalizing Europe’s industrial core. 

The plan rides on two ventures that are pursuing the same dream—creating a star on Earth to create abundant low-cost clean energy—in different ways. 

Fusion requires heating and compressing nuclear fuel to make superheated plasma in which atomic nuclei combine, releasing energy. Power plants harnessing this process couldn’t melt down and would create only a little short-lived radioactive waste, but they remain theoretical. The challenge is controlling the plasma, which is (excuse the technical jargon) tricky stuff. There are two main options: magnets and lasers. Germany is betting on both. 

Read more in the Wall Street Journal here.

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