DOE advisory committee releases report in fusion energy

The Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee (FESAC) has released a report that calls for the United States to move more aggressively toward nuclear fusion deployment.

The report — Powering the Future: Fusion & Plasmas — recommends investments in technology and equipment to support Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) and lay the groundwork for the development of inertial fusion energy (IFE).

That report is aligned with a recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) that calls for aggressive action to build a U.S. pilot fusion power plant as soon as 2035.

Both the FESAC and NASEM reports focus on the development of magnetic fusion energy (MFE) technology. However, they also acknowledge the need for simultaneous pursuit of other government and private fusion technologies, including IFE. In addition, both reports call for partnerships with federal, international, and private investors and outline opportunities for growth in fusion and plasma research.

“FES historically has funded the MFE research in the U.S., previously funded IFE, and supported the academic high energy density physics research in the U.S.,” physicist Tammy Ma, a member of FESAC, said. “While the total funds LLNL receives each year from FES is small compared to what we receive from NNSA (the National Nuclear Security Administration), the path that FES charts has always had a significant influence on the trajectory of fusion and plasma research at the Lab. This report now establishes a strong and coordinated plan for fusion energy and plasma science for the next 10 years in the U.S., and LLNL has an important role to play.”

The FESAC report includes recommendations to FES and prioritizations for a research and technology development portfolio.

“Even under the constant budget scenario, provisions are made to ensure that these activities are supported somehow. New facilities cannot be built, but it is recommended to pursue preconceptual design activities and technology development,” Ma said.