In view of the discussions about the future energy supply, fusion research has increasingly become the focus of public attention again. For example, a recent report that a US research institute had achieved a breakthrough in so-called inertial confinement fusion attracted a great deal of attention. In addition, private companies are becoming increasingly involved, promising functional fusion power plants in a relatively short space of time. However, the road from an experimental facility to a power plant that reliably supplies electricity is a long one.
Despite the success stories from the United States, confining the plasma using strong magnetic fields seems to be a faster way to achieve the goal. Here, the key technological steps for building a power plant are already part of the development right from the start. In particular, the so-called Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Greifswald promises more favorable power plant properties. Either way, the construction of a power plant requires the expertise of industry. The German Physical Society (DPG) therefore very much welcomes the involvement of private companies. They give fusion research a new dynamic. "This can only be good for achieving almost climate-neutral power generation," DPG President Joachim Ullrich is convinced. A fact sheet from the German Physical Society therefore highlights the progress made in fusion research (Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft e. V.)
