Department of Energy awards $134 million for fusion technologies
The INFUSE leadership team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory evaluated applications for one of the solicitations.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $134 million in funding for two programs designed to secure U.S. leadership in emerging fusion technologies and innovation. These investments are part of DOE’s broader mission to unleash American energy, science, and innovation, ensuring the technologies that define the future of fusion power are developed here in the United States.
Most of the funding – $128 million – was for the Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) collaboratives. The funding was awarded to seven teams that are focused on creating a fusion energy science and technology innovation ecosystem by forming virtual, centrally managed teams. The teams selected have a collective goal of bridging the DOE Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program’s basic science research programs and growing fusion industries.
DOE also announced $6.1 million in funding for the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) program. With this funding, DOE has selected 20 projects that accelerate private-sector fusion energy development by reducing barriers to collaboration between businesses and national laboratories or universities. The projects selected include research in materials science, laser technology development, high-temperature superconducting magnet assessment, artificial intelligence (AI) learning for fusion modeling and simulation, and enabling technologies to move toward achieving economical fusion energy.
INFUSE solicited proposals from the fusion industry and selected projects for one-year awards. The selected projects, ranging between $100,000 and $500,000 each, were selected through a competitive peer review process managed by the INFUSE leadership team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Following competitive peer-review, the Department of Energy selected the INFUSE teams for award.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!