Hey Snackers,
All America wants for Christmas is… Santa Claus? Demand for costumed Clauses is said to be up 125% over prepandemic years, leading to a ho-ho-holiday shortage. Maybe Mrs. Claus can pinch-hit?
Stocks fell yesterday after the Fed announced it would raise rates by 50 basis points. Investors expected that, but were possibly disheartened by the Fed's suggestion that it'll keep raising rates longer than previously thought.
Sounds like the plot of "Iron Man"… actually real life. This week the US Department of Energy announced a milestone in the development of fusion energy. For the first time, scientists successfully used a nuclear-fusion reaction to generate 50% more energy than what was required for its creation — aka "net energy gain" — paving the way for sustainable clean power. Nuclear fusion (imagine: atoms fusing together) occurs naturally in the sun and releases 4M times more energy than burning oil, coal, or gas. Experts say it could unlock "virtually limitless" carbon-free power.
The nuclear evolution… has been a long time coming. For decades, scientists have researched ways to harness nuclear power (like the more familiar nuclear fission) in hopes of producing alternatives to fossil fuels. Now, investors are on course to have put $1B+ into fusion tech this year, driven partly by growing climate-change initiatives and Russia’s war on Ukraine, which disrupted global energy supplies. That's just a fraction of the $1.4T invested this year in clean energy, but the future’s bright:
It’s a small short-term step for clean energy… but a giant long-term leap. Even with the net energy gain breakthrough, commercial nuclear-fusion tech (picture: electricity, heating homes) could be decades away. Legislation like President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act could help expedite the tech's development by offering tax credits for green-energy startups.
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