The Department of Energy released a fusion road map Tuesday to expedite development of a technology viewed by the Trump administration as an important player in the future electricity mix.
DOE’s final fusion strategy, which involved the input of more than 800 scientists and engineers, outlines infrastructure needed to commercialize the technology within the next decade and sets detailed timelines for the department to reach milestones. Fusion envisions harnessing the same reaction that powers the sun and stars but has not been demonstrated at scale to produce electricity.
“With this roadmap, we now have the clarity, coordination, and sustained commitment needed to turn the promise of fusion into a reality for the American people,” DOE Undersecretary for Science Dario Gil said in a statement.
The plan, which is being implemented through a newly created Office of Fusion, calls for industry, universities and DOE’s national laboratories to work together to close “technology gaps.”
