Energi

Penghalang Selanjutnya bagi Energi Fusi adalah Memenangkan Kepercayaan Publik

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Tantangan Berikutnya Fusion Bukan Hanya Teknis

Fusion energy promises a future with virtually unlimited energy, generated without any pollution.

Ini karena, berlawanan dengan energi nuklir klasik, fisi nuklir tidak menggunakan atau menghasilkan unsur radioaktif berat seperti uranium, plutonium, atau torium. Sebaliknya, ia mengubah hidrogen atau unsur ringan lainnya menjadi unsur yang sedikit lebih berat, tidak radioaktif, untuk menghasilkan energi.

(Anda dapat membaca lebih lanjut tentang cara kerja fusi nuklir dalam laporan khusus kami tentang topik ini)

Fusion power used to be an almost science-fiction concept, always elusively 30 years away in the future. This is quickly changing, as explained in the recently published DOE Fusion Roadmap. Many commercial companies are getting close to producing their first fusion reactor, notably Helion Energy, General Fusion (soon to IPO) (GFUZ ), Proxima Fusion, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems.

Namun, jika sejarah energi nuklir mengajarkan kita sesuatu, itu adalah bahwa persepsi publik hampir sama pentingnya dengan pencapaian teknis. Inilah mengapa energi nuklir tetap sangat tidak populer, meskipun merupakan sumber energi rendah karbon, dan reaktor nuklir modern jauh lebih aman daripada yang lama.

Persepsi negatif ini tidak hanya menyebabkan negara‑negara seperti Jerman meninggalkan energi nuklir. Hal ini juga menyebabkan inflasi besar‑besar pada aturan, regulasi, dan persyaratan teknis yang pada gilirannya meningkatkan biaya energi nuklir.

Jadi persepsi publik terhadap fusi nuklir kemungkinan besar akan sangat memengaruhi berapa banyak pendanaan yang dapat diperoleh, seberapa cepat ia akan diterapkan, dan seberapa berhasil pada akhirnya sebagai bentuk energi.

Three different recent studies have investigated the public perception of nuclear fusion, and give us some insights into how the nascent nuclear fusion sector can improve its image:

Kesadaran Publik Masih Rendah, Namun Sikap Awal Positif

Across multiple sociological studies in places as diverse as the Czech Republic, the US, and across Europe, a consistent finding is that public awareness and objective knowledge of fusion energy are low.

Namun, sikap publik secara umum ditemukan positif atau mendukung dengan hati‑hati. Ketika diberikan informasi dasar yang seimbang, orang cenderung mengungkapkan pandangan yang lebih menguntungkan terhadap fusi.

Namun, keberatan yang berulang adalah terhadap investasi signifikan yang diperlukan untuk teknologi yang belum terbukti secara komersial, terutama dalam konteks krisis iklim yang mendesak.

Jadi pada dasarnya, reaksi publik bukanlah permusuhan, melainkan skeptisisme bahwa investasi sebesar itu adalah opsi terbaik mengingat perubahan kebijakan energi yang mendesak.

Menariknya, terdapat sangat sedikit perbedaan sosio‑ekonomi dalam persepsi ini, dengan persepsi yang relatif setara antara laki‑laki dan perempuan, muda dan tua, serta tingkat pendidikan, meskipun dukungan sedikit lebih tinggi untuk profil yang lebih tua, laki‑laki, dan/atau memiliki gelar 4‑tahun.

Fusion Mendapat Manfaat dari Menjadi “Nuklir, Tapi Bukan Fisi”

As can be expected from a technology radically different from nuclear fission, its public perception benefits from its key technological advantages:

  • Sedikit atau tidak ada limbah nuklir.
  • Tidak ada kemungkinan senjata (bom nuklir atau bom kotor).
  • Desain aman tanpa risiko meltdown seperti Chernobyl.
  • Bahan bakar melimpah, tidak mencemari, tidak radioaktif.

As a result, words like “clean”, “endless”, and “future” are commonly associated with fusion, contributing to a positive affective response that boosts support.

Namun, di antara orang yang melihat fusi secara negatif atau netral, “stigma nuklir” menjadi hambatan signifikan, karena kekhawatiran tentang limbah, keamanan, dan radiasi sering kali tercampur antara dua teknologi tersebut.

Memberikan informasi tentang topik ini dapat sangat mengubah pendapat, menunjukkan bahwa ini lebih merupakan masalah kebingungan dengan fisi nuklir daripada keyakinan yang mengakar.

Kepercayaan, Tata Kelola, dan Dampak Lokal Penting

A major impact on the perception of nuclear fusion is trust in institutions. The part of the public that has higher trust in scientists, regulatory bodies, and industry actors is also associated with greater support for fusion energy.

On the opposite side, people skeptical of institutions do not trust them to properly handle or give an honest assessment of nuclear fusion advantages and risks.

“Rather than shying away from difficult topics like cost, timelines, or the handling of radioactive materials like tritium, stakeholders should address them transparently. This demonstrates respect for the public’s intelligence and builds the credibility needed for long-term trust.”

The primary concerns revolve around the management of radioactive materials, high costs, and the long development timeframe.

In the U.S. context, the public attitudes toward nuclear energy and nuclear weapons are tightly interconnected. When concerns over the military applications of nuclear research intensify, public support for nuclear energy may decline, including for nuclear fusion.

“A one-size-fits-all communication strategy is unlikely to be effective. The research indicates that different socio-demographic groups may have varying levels of concern and support.”

The advantage of fusion over fission in perception is not evenly distributed.

Mungkin tidak mengherankan, negara‑negara anti‑nuklir (fisi) seperti Jerman memiliki salah satu perbedaan terbesar antara fisi & fusi, namun juga memiliki opini keseluruhan yang lebih rendah terhadap fusi.

Negara‑negara lain seperti Prancis, Spanyol, atau Inggris jauh lebih mirip. Beberapa negara, seperti Polandia, bahkan memiliki citra positif yang lebih tinggi terhadap fisi nuklir.

Informasi Membantu, Namun Pesan Sendiri Tidak Cukup

Providing information that clearly differentiates fusion from fission has been shown to improve public attitudes.

Namun, asosiasi fusi dengan “elemen yang menstigma” seperti penggunaan uranium terdeplesi dapat memengaruhi dukungan. Efek ini berkurang ketika dijelaskan mengapa material tersebut digunakan (misalnya, penyimpanan dan pengiriman tritium), namun tidak sepenuhnya terhilang.

Walaupun minor, elemen bahasa seperti menyebut “energi fusi” alih‑alih “fusi nuklir” juga dapat membantu meningkatkan persepsi.

Tetapi elemen lain selain pemahaman teknis dan bahasa juga memengaruhi opini publik.

Seperti pada kebanyakan proyek energi besar, responden lebih cenderung mendukung pembangkit skala kecil yang terletak lebih jauh dari tempat tinggal mereka.

“Proactive engagement with local communities is crucial, since NIMBY-related concerns drive much of the opposition to nuclear development in our experiment.”

In Europe, sourcing fuel domestically or from the EU increased support, likely reflecting citizens’ heightened awareness of energy security in the post-Ukraine invasion context.

Projects employing scientific (white-collar) rather than technical (blue-collar) staff received significantly more support, likely due to associations with prestige, safety, added economic value, and long-term research orientation.

“Citizens prioritize affordability, directly associating support for nuclear projects with their impact on consumer electricity prices. Hence, policymakers should focus on delivering nuclear solutions with clear economic benefits, contained costs, and emission profiles that are comparable to renewable energy sources.”

Another important point is that, compared with renewable energy sources like solar power, fusion’s advantages are less distinct in the public mind. Here, attitudes are shaped by prior beliefs, perceived costs and benefits, and trust, rather than by technical knowledge alone.

A potential advantage of fusion is the idea of fewer, larger facilities which could deliver national-scale output without dispersing visible infrastructures across landscapes to the extent required by highly distributed wind and rooftop/ground-mounted PV, still a common objection to renewables deployment.

Mengapa Penerimaan Publik Penting bagi Investor

For investors, especially investors in fusion energy companies, but also in AI companies that might soon use such energy sources, properly estimating the public perception is important.

Public support for fusion energy will not just impact permitting. It will also shape the availability of public funding and the scale and seriousness of eventual local and national opposition to nuclear fusion projects.

Public perception is also likely to affect the regulatory framework in which nuclear fusion power plants will operate.

A skeptical and concerned public would pressure regulators to enact safety regulations that might increase costs, slow down construction, and slow down or block deployments of power plants close to cities, natural reserves, etc.

“The goal is not simply to make the public understand fusion, but to make the public feel heard. This is essential for building the trust that underpins a durable social license to operate.”

Further research will also be needed to assess the potential impact of the shift from public research to private companies in developing nuclear fusion.

Kesimpulan: Fusion Membutuhkan Lisensi Sosial Sebelum Skala

Fusion energy is promising to be one of mankind’s most impressive technical achievements. It could not only unlock access to an unlimited supply of clean energy on Earth, potentially solving climate change, but also power the infrastructure for a new wave of space exploration and even the colonization of other planetary bodies.

It will, however, need to be distinguished from the stigma still associated with nuclear fission if a widespread positive public perception is to occur.

Luckily, such an attitude already exists, and people who see fusion negatively mostly do so out of ignorance rather than deeply held negative beliefs. So, more education about the technical and safety differences between fusion and fission can help a lot.

Besides the technical understanding of fusion, the economic and local impact of fusion power plants is the other key factor in public acceptance of this technology.

The creation of qualified & high-pay jobs, limited local impacts, and cost competitiveness with positively-viewed renewables are all important factors.

So the fusion industry as a whole will benefit from focusing on technical education of the public and separating itself as much as possible from nuclear fission, potentially by insisting on a label such as “fusion energy’ instead.

And individual projects will do better by explaining the local impact and how they fit inside the broader green energy framework.

For example, presenting a fusion reactor as a source of jobs, energy independence, and a complement to green rooftop solar & an alternative to landscape-altering wind farms could help beyond just the mere acceptance of the technology’s safety.

Studi yang Dirujuk

1. Christian Oltra, et al. Public acceptability of fusion energy: A scoping review of social science research. Fusion Engineering and Design. Volume 226, Mei 2026, 115692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2026.115692
2. Merve Biten Butorac, Francesco Nicoli, Roberto Lalli. Unpacking public support for nuclear energy: A twin conjoint experiment on innovative nuclear fusion and next-generation fission technologies. Energy Policy. Volume 210, Maret 2026, 115007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2025.115007
3. Christian Oltra, et al. Public acceptance of fusion energy in Europe. Fusion Engineering and Design. Volume 222, Januari 2026, 115430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115430 

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Jonathan adalah mantan peneliti biokimia yang bekerja dalam analisis genetik dan uji klinis. Ia kini menjadi analis saham dan penulis keuangan dengan fokus pada inovasi, siklus pasar, dan geopolitik dalam publikasinya 'The Eurasian Century'.