The Department of Energy is investing $50M in fusion energy and plasma science projects conducted by industry firms, universities and national laboratories. The investment aims to allow for fusion energy’s use as a source of clean power, DOE said Wednesday.
The department used fiscal 2019 allotments for majority of the funds. Fusion energy researchers would work to sustain high-temperature plasmas in magnetic field confinements known as tokamak facilities.
“Research in the important fields of fusion energy and plasma science promises both short-term and long-term benefits to industry and society at large,†said Paul Dabbar, DOE undersecretary for science.
Sixty percent of the funds will support 10 U.S.-based multi-institutional teams to perform studies at facilities across the globe. DOE will use the remaining fraction of funds to establish new centers for low-temperature plasma research projects. The department conducted a competitive peer review to select projects.
