- Government ministers and senior officials from dozens of countries convened at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome for the inaugural ministerial meeting of the World Fusion Energy Group (WFEG) this week, underscoring the growing interest and progress in developing fusion technology to provide a clean, safe and limitless source of energy.
During the WFEG ministerial discussions, co-organized by the IAEA and Italy, participants widely agreed that cross-border collaboration is essential to accelerate the transition from fusion research to commercialization. Speakers highlighted the need to work together to establish international supply chains and develop the required specialised workforce.
The meeting – the first of its kind – showed how recent developments and technical breakthroughs in the fusion sector have generated new momentum, making the deployment of fusion plants in the near future increasingly plausible.
In a further sign of increased interest, the IAEA launched two fusion publications – the World Fusion Outlook 2024 and Fusion Key Elements – on the occasion of the gathering.
“The fusion sector is experiencing an unprecedented transformation, driven by scientific breakthroughs, combined with a surge in private sector investment,” said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who presented the two publications at the WFEG.
Discussions at the WFEG meeting were focused on three main topics: the status of fusion energy; global collaboration and public-private partnerships; and sustaining resources and exploring alternative business opportunities.
Inside the Joint European Torus (JET) device to release a record 59 megajoules of sustained fusion energy. Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei, usually deuterium and tritium, combine to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles. The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifested as either the release or absorption of energy.
Image credit: EUROfusion
“The strong attendance at today’s meeting clearly demonstrates the growing optimism about the immense potential of fusion energy as a long-term clean energy solution,” IAEA Director General Grossi said. “Until recently, fusion energy had been a distant dream, but now with burgeoning private sector involvement and major technical breakthroughs, it seems fusion’s realization is now within reach.”
“The atom can be a safe, effective and clean source for the future. It is a concrete prospect, in which we can and must believe. Today we want to start an ambitious path of sharing and discussion that will concern not only the current situation of fusion energy, but also the path to follow in order to reach this momentous goal,” Undersecretary Mantovano stated. “The Group encourages each of us to look beyond our own borders and to lay the foundations of a new energy and environmental diplomacy that multiplies the opportunities for cooperation between the North and the South of the world.”
“The IAEA remains steadfast in its support of fusion energy development, championing initiatives that bring us closer to realizing the dream of limitless, clean energy,” Director General Grossi said. “Together, let us embrace the promise of fusion energy, forging a path towards a brighter, more sustainable future for all.”
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
