Amid the latest groundbreaking news in the broader energy space, investors may want to target certain long-term stocks to buy on the nuclear fusion announcement. According to The New York Times, scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California announced a major milestone: they laid the groundwork in reproducing the power of the sun in a laboratory.

Before we dive into specific long-term stocks to buy to bet on nuclear fusion, we should note what the underlying innovation is. Per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), “[n]uclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.”

Further, the IAEA states that “[t]he sun, along with all other stars, is powered by this reaction.” Going back to the NYT, the nuclear fusion breakthrough “sparked public excitement as scientists have for decades talked about how fusion, the nuclear reaction that makes stars shine, could provide a future source of bountiful energy.” While we’re still in the early innings, some market ideas will likely benefit more than others. Below then are the long-term stocks to buy to bet on nuclear fusion.

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)

Typically, when the name Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) enters the frame, you usually think Google. And with Google comes its utter dominance in the search engine arena, a fact that I’ve already discussed for the umpteenth time so there’s no point rehashing it here. However, the technology giant also invests in myriad sectors and nuclear fusion happens to be one of them.

Along with two other long-term stocks to buy which I’ll discuss below, Alphabet invested in a $250 million funding raise for TAE Technologies. Per CNBC, TAE Technologies is a “nuclear fusion startup with an unconventional strategy that has now raised a total of $1.2 billion.” Without getting bogged down into the science, TAE aims to generate “nearly unlimited emission-free energy without the equivalent harmful, long-lasting radioactive waste that nuclear fission produces.”

To be fair, both the Class C GOOG and Class A GOOGL took a beating this year. However, Alphabet itself features strong financials, particularly its return on equity of 26.6%. This stat rates above 85.5% of the competition. It also indicates strong capacity to convert equity financing into profits.

Chevron (CVX)

As a candidate among long-term stocks to buy, almost everyone presumably acquires Chevron (NYSE:CVX) for its dominance in the hydrocarbon space. Per its website, Chevron represents the second-largest integrated energy firm headquartered in the U.S. This means CVX is involved in every aspect of the energy value chain, from upstream (exploration and production) to midstream (storage and transportation) to downstream (refining and marketing).

So, it’s a bit strange to consider CVX as one of the long-term stocks to buy on nuclear fusion. However, Chevron also invested heavily in TAE Technologies. “TAE (and fusion technology as a whole) has the potential to be a scalable source of no-carbon energy generation and a key enabler of grid stability as renewables become a greater portion of the energy mix,” said Jim Gable, president of the oil firm’s Technology Ventures unit.

In the meantime, investors seeking long-term stocks to buy for any reason may appreciate Chevron’s solid balance sheet. As well, according to Gurufocus.com’s proprietary calculations for fair market value (FMV), CVX rates as modestly undervalued.

Sumitomo (SSUMY)

One of the largest general trading companies in the world, Sumitomo (OTCMKTS:SSUMY) – for those that are even familiar with the brand – typically generates headlines within the financial ecosystem. Therefore, to consider it one of the long-term stocks to buy on nuclear fusion presents a strange look to say the least. Nevertheless, Sumitomo ranked among the major investors for the aforementioned TAE Technologies.

In Oct. of this year, TAE partnered with Japan’s Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) for fusion fuel research. According to the IAEA, Japan currently receives most of its power needs via coal, oil and natural gas. Further, the above CNBC article stated that the country’s “geography makes its clean energy goals particularly challenging.”

Therefore, with multiple obstacles in its path – along with controversies and tragedies associated with nuclear fission reactors – nuclear fusion makes plenty of sense. Certainly, Sumitomo will require patience. But if you have this quality, SSUMY could be one of the long-term stocks to buy.

Cenovus Energy (CVE)

Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Cenovus Energy (NYSE:CVE) represents an integrated oil and natural gas company. It’s one of the largest hydrocarbon players in its native Canada. From that perspective, CVE easily ranks among the best long-term stocks to buy for relevance. On a year-to-date basis, Cenovus gained a remarkable 40% of equity value. Undoubtedly, the geopolitical crisis that sparked huge swings in energy prices bolstered CVE.

Of course, big oil firms can’t rely on a fossil-fuel-enabled future indefinitely. With issues such as climate change and now geopolitical vulnerabilities becoming pressing issues, Cenovus must prioritize adaptability. For that, the company has been a long-time investor of General Fusion, a Canada-based nuclear energy tech firm. Per its website, General Fusion pursues a fast, efficient, and collaborative path to practical fusion power.

With the latest breakthrough in the field, Cenovus’ investment may eventually pay off big one day. For now, investors can appreciate the company’s solid financials, including a better-than-sector average ROE of nearly 21%.

Amazon (AMZN)

Obviously not the most direct play among long-term stocks to buy on the nuclear fusion breakthrough, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) nevertheless deserves some consideration. Back when Jeff Bezos was CEO of the e-commerce giant, he along with Cenovus Energy backed the aforementioned General Fusion. In 2021, the Financial Post reported that General Fusion signed paperwork with the U.K. government to build a $400 million nuclear fusion test plant at Culham in Oxfordshire.

Fundamentally, the news item represented a major sign of intent. “This is the commercialization of fusion,” Chris Mowry, General Fusion CEO told the Financial Post. “A great analogy is the commercialization of space over the past decade or two, which was historically just the focus of governments.”

Of course, Bezos no longer runs the show at Amazon as CEO. Nevertheless, the fruits of Bezos’ investment could indirectly affect Amazon. With the e-commerce stalwart competing in the logistics space, a near-limitless amount of clean energy could do wonders for its electric fleet.

Veolia (VEOEY)

When considering long-term stocks to buy on the breakthrough of nuclear fusion, it’s not just energy firms that will benefit. Instead, it helps to think about the innovation as a force multiplier. Through practically unlimited zero-emission energy, societies across the world can spark a paradigm shift. And we’re not just talking about a garden variety paradigm shift but perhaps the greatest in human history.

Think I’m being hyperbolic? You only need to consider the case of Veolia (OTCMKTS:VEOEY). A utility firm that features water management as one of its business units, Veolia operates desalination plants. Desalination refers to the process of converting ocean water into potable (drinkable) water. Per its website, Veolia built hundreds of desalination plants and systems all over the world.

However, the main problem centers on economic viability. “Desalination is an energy-intensive process because of the energy required to separate salts and other dissolved solids from water,” states the Department of Energy. Well, if you have access to bountiful energy through nuclear fusion, this innovation could potentially solve the global water crisis.

Kellogg (K)

As a food manufacturer and one of the most popular breakfast brands, Kellogg (NYSE:K) as one of the long-term stocks to buy on the nuclear fusion announcement appears odd. I’m going to get to the relevance in a moment. However, just from a reliability perspective (ahead of a possible recession), K’s worth your time. Since the start of the year, shares gained over 10%.

Now, as a food specialist, Kellogg got into the plant-based meat phenomenon. Under its MorningStar Farm brand, the company launched Incogmeato. Its marketing phrase is “Plants. A whole different animal.” You got to give the folks spearheading this initiative credit – it’s catchy as all heck. Anyways, plant-based meat do carry much appeal but a problem exists: because of the relatively small scales involved, fake meat pings more expensive than the real deal.

However, nuclear fusion might change this narrative entirely. As the United Nations notes, even traditional fission reactors help improve food and agriculture. However, with fusion’s ability to potentially foster volumes of potable water, the costs to produce plant-based meats may decline significantly.

Combined with Kellogg’s solid track record, you’ll want to keep K on your radar for long-term stocks to buy.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.