Germany Joins EU Important Project of Common European Interest in Support of Fusion

On May 18, Germany announced its participation in a new Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) focused on “Innovative Core Technologies” in support of fusion. The initiative marks another significant step in European efforts to accelerate commercial fusion deployment.

IPCEIs are strategic European funding initiatives designed to strengthen the competitiveness of EU industries by enabling Member States to collaborate on large-scale, cross-border projects. The “Innovative Core Technologies” IPCEI will support the development of fusion technologies by bringing together stakeholders across Europe to support fusion projects spanning the full innovation cycle – from laboratory to industrial applications. Notably, the government stated that its IPCEI participation is focused exclusively on fusion and does not extend to fission.

As part of the program, the German Federal Government will work alongside participating EU Member States to identify suitable projects and partners through a national expression of interest process. Following project evaluation, Germany will select suitable national projects for funding and project lines will be developed, with the aim of starting the projects in 2027.

“The world’s first fusion power plant in Germany is a declared goal of the Federal Government. With the High-Tech Agenda Germany and the Fusion Action Plan, we are setting the course for building a fusion ecosystem, which is essential for developing fusion as an energy source. However, we will only reach this goal quickly through cooperation at the European level. Germany’s participation in the IPCEI is driving European collaboration between science and industry in the field of fusion. It also gives us the necessary flexibility to tailor our fusion funding precisely and effectively. In this way, we are paving the way for German fusion companies to build the first fusion power plant.”

Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space Dorothee Bär

Germany’s participation in the IPCEI reflects the country’s growing ambition to become a global leader in fusion. It comes in addition to their Fusion Action Plan, the commitment of more than 2 billion euros for fusion through 2029, and the goal of building the world’s first commercial fusion plant in the country.