Novatron Fusion Group joined EU leaders and key fusion energy stakeholders in Strasbourg this week to help direct “The EU Blueprint for Fusion Energy”.
The event at Le Palais de la Musique et des Congrès was hosted by the European Commission General Directorate for Energy, with Commissioner Kadri Simson and vice President Maroš Šefčovič in attendance.
Attendees included fusion organisations, nuclear safety regulators and fusion start-ups from the EU, US and UK. The International Atomic Energy Agency also contributed and for the first time, the European Investment Bank participated in a fusion conference – providing a clear reflection of the shift from research to business underway.
Novatron Fusion Group CEO Peter Roos joined the panel discussion “Developing the Fusion Ecosystem Industry and Workforce” covering a series of critical topics from funding and regulatory frameworks to skills development and public/ private sector collaboration.
Discussions will now inform concrete actions and recommendations for the Commission and EU countries to develop joint winning strategies and build a thriving European ecosystem.
“We need to ensure fusion is a pan-European pursuit,” said Mr Roos. “For most representatives in Strasbourg, fusion is already on their agenda – they have strategies and programmes to support this rapidly emerging sector. However, many countries in Europe do not share this awareness. Fusion must be built into the energy strategy across all EU countries, with a regulatory framework and a clear idea of how to contribute towards or adopt fusion technology, and this mega industry comes to pass. We would like the EU to urge all members states to take action now and prepare for the fusion era. This will be crucial for the future competitiveness of Europe.”
With recent technological breakthroughs and increased private investments the fusion sector is gaining momentum – and Europe is maintaining a position at the forefront in fusion research and technology. To develop an EU path towards fusion commercialisation and build industrial capability, it is vital for the EU to capitalise on experience gained from the Joint European Torus (JET) and other fusion activities including the EUROfusion – Realising Fusion Energy, ITER – the way to new energy and BROADER APPROACH programmes.
Commissioner Kadri Simson said: “Fusion has never been as relevant as it is now. Climate change continues to weigh in with record temperatures, storms, flooding and drought. With the legal framework now in place to reach 2030 targets, we must turn our minds to next steps. This is why we recently recommended reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 90% by 2040. This is one step before climate neutrality by 2050 and it means decarbonising and electrifying our energy system to a large extent. It’s ambitious, but feasible if we use all zero and low carbon energy solutions and explore the most promising emerging technologies. Fusion energy is one of them. It is a new, carbon-free energy source, with potential to become a powerful part of the future energy mix.”
Fellow panellists included Marc Lachaise (Director of Fusion for Energy) Renatas Mažeika (Head of Unit DG ENER, European Commission) Gianfranco Federici (Representative of the ITER Organization) Belén Del Cerro (Deputy Chair ILOs Network) and Milena Roveda (CEO Gauss Fusion). The session was moderated by Czech journalist Michala Hergetova.
