Department of Energy announces $49 million for research on foundational laboratory fusion

Projects address scientific gaps foundational to enabling fusion energy

2024-10-09

(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the Department of Energy (DOE) continues to accelerate a clean-energy future that includes fusion technology, a total of $49 million in funding for 19 projects was announced today in the Foundational Fusion Materials, Nuclear Science, and Technology programs.

The purpose of the funding is to reorient the laboratory-based foundational and basic science research programs to better align and support the new FES program vision.

“The Fusion Nuclear Science Foundational research program, in enabling research and development and furthering research in fusion nuclear science and fusion materials, is vital to addressing critical scientific gaps foundational to enabling fusion energy,” said Jean Paul Allain, DOE Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences.

Fusion energy holds the potential to revolutionize the world’s energy supply by providing a virtually limitless, clean, and sustainable power source. Unlike current nuclear power, which relies on splitting atoms (fission), fusion mimics the process that powers the sun by combining atomic nuclei to release massive amounts of energy.

Fusion produces no long-lived radioactive waste, emits no carbon dioxide, and uses abundant fuels like hydrogen. If harnessed successfully, fusion energy could provide a safe, reliable solution to meet global energy demands while significantly reducing the environmental impact of power generation.

The projects funded under this initiative cover a wide range of cutting-edge research areas, each crucial to the development of fusion energy technology. For instance, scientists are testing new magnet designs that will help control the extremely hot plasma needed for fusion.

Other teams are working on materials that can withstand the damage caused by plasma, ensuring that systems used for maintaining the plasma remain functional and efficient. Some researchers are investigating blanket materials, which are designed to absorb heat from the plasma and turn it into usable energy, while also studying how these materials can be made durable enough to function in such an extreme environment.

Additionally, efforts are being made to improve fuel cycle systems, which help maintain the continuous flow of the fuel necessary for fusion reactions. Finally, advanced structural materials are being developed to construct stronger, more durable components that can endure the harsh conditions inside the fusion systems. Together, these projects aim to advance our understanding and capability in the pursuit of clean, sustainable fusion energy.

The projects were selected by competitive peer review under the DOE Lab Call: Opportunities in Foundational Fusion Materials, Nuclear Science, and Technology.

Total funding is $49 million for projects lasting up to three years in duration, with $7 million in Fiscal Year 2024 dollars and outyear funding contingent on congressional appropriations. The list of projects and more information can be found on the Fusion Energy Sciences program homepage.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.

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