'World’s first commercial fusion power plant' inches closer to reality
A German company has signed a deal to help build the first stellarator fusion power plant in Europe. Proxima Fusion has signed the agreement with the Free State of Bavaria, RWE, and Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) to put the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant on the grid in Europe.
The company revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed and it outlines a roadmap to commercial fusion in Europe that begins with building demonstration stellarator Alpha near the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching.
Alpha will become first stellarator to demonstrate net energy gain
“This MoU is a milestone that visibly positions the European fusion industry on the global stage,” said Francesco Sciortino, co-founder and CEO, Proxima Fusion.
“It marks the starting point of an industrial ecosystem that consolidates existing and new know-how in Europe and anchors value creation here. This marks the beginning of a long-term industrial growth trajectory over the coming decades, creating new export opportunities for Germany and Europe.”
Proxima Fusion also revealed that when operational in the 2030s, Alpha will become the first stellarator to demonstrate net energy gain, meaning its plasma will generate more energy than it consumes.
Demonstration stellarator will help validate key fusion technologies
The demonstration stellarator will additionally allow Proxima and its partners to test and validate key fusion technologies under real-world conditions and in shorter development cycles, accelerating the path to building the first stellarator fusion power plant, Stellaris, according to the details available.
“With Alpha in Garching and Stellaris in Gundremmingen, we are, for the first time in Europe, connecting world-class research, privately financed and publicly supported high-tech innovation, and its industrial implementation at a single location. Bavaria is therefore evolving from a research hub into a foundational location for the fusion industry,” said Sciortino.
The company revealed that the Alpha demonstration stellarator will first be built in Garching, while power plant Stellaris is subsequently planned for Gundremmingen.
Alpha and Stellaris will together create thousands of jobs and supplier contracts for European manufacturers and engineers, from construction and manufacturing to advanced electrical, magnet systems, and more. The long-term aim is to make fusion an integral part of Europe’s energy system, reduce dependence on imported energy, and, for the first time, apply Europe’s fusion expertise to a grid-connected commercial project, according to a press release.
“Alpha is a milestone on the path to the first commercial fusion power plant on German, and Bavarian, soil,” said Markus Blume, State Minister of Bavaria.
“Seventy years ago, with the Garching research reactor, we were the pioneering site of Germany’s first nuclear facility. Now, we aim to be the pioneering location for the national demonstration reactor for nuclear fusion.”
IPP will lead on plasma physics and the scientific leadership of demonstration stellarator Alpha. Proxima Fusion will lead on engineering, public procurement processes, and construction. RWE will contribute its extensive experience in the construction and operation of complex power plant facilities, as well as its strong global industrial network, as per the press release.
“The potential of fusion technology for the energy supply of the future is enormous. Thanks to an excellent research landscape and the start-ups that have emerged from it, such as Proxima Fusion, Germany can take on a key role,” said Dr. Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE AG.
“That is why it is good that the federal and state governments are jointly pushing this topic forward in order to build the world’s first commercial fusion power plant in Germany. We at RWE are happy to support this. Our decommissioning site, with its existing infrastructure combined with our operational expertise, offer ideal conditions to give Germany time and cost advantages in international competition.”