It is expected that fusion could meet humanity’s energy needs for millions of years. Fusion fuel is plentiful and easily accessible and will play a future climate change mitigating role as a low carbon energy source. How long it will take to recreate the process of the stars on the Earth? EUROFusion has developed a roadmap to align the priorities in fusion research and development towards the ultimate goal of achieving electricity from fusion energy; it recognises fusion energy as a potential long-term solution and understands that Europe needs to remain at the forefront of developing fusion technologies.

In the short to medium term, the key research infrastructure is the ITER project, a worldwide tokamak, which will demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of magnetic fusion. While the design of a demonstration fusion power plant DEMO is already on-going, high-performance ¬operation of ITER will give important input to fine tune the DEMO design. DEMO will demonstrate first electricity production to the grid by fusion.

A strong programme of accompanying research and innovation is needed alongside ITER and DEMO. An essential element in this respect is the realisation of a test facility, called IFMIF-DONES, for validating materials to be used in the harsh conditions of a fusion power plant. But also there are challenging technologies being developed by innovative companies such as Tokamak Energy and Commonwealth Fusion that could be paramount in the future of fusion energy.

In this webinar, we take a step ahead and identify the technologies that will drive these and other organisations’ future projects, having a look at their strategies for the future and their research and development programmes and how industry can get involved in early phases.