Germany sees an opportunity in nuclear fusion, but funding for research remains uncertain.
BERLIN (AP) — The German government unveiled draft plans on Thursday to enhance domestic research in the field of nuclear fusion, a technology that holds promise for generating abundant and clean energy in the future. However, the announcement did not specify the funding mechanism for these endeavours.
Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the Science Minister, stated that the proposal aims to support all promising fusion technologies currently under development, including laser-based methods that recently achieved breakthroughs in the United States but have not been extensively researched in Europe.
Germany has already shown significant support for another fusion method that utilizes powerful magnets. This backing is evident in its contributions to the Wendelstein 7-X research reactor located in the northern town of Greifswald, as well as its involvement in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in southern France.
"We intend to focus on both magnet and laser fusion," remarked Stark-Watzinger during a press conference in Berlin. She further mentioned that the plan involves a substantial increase in Germany's current annual funding of 149 million euros ($163 million) for fusion research. However, she did not provide specific details regarding the extent of the increase.
According to Stark-Watzinger, the success of a particular power plant concept in the field of nuclear fusion is still uncertain. She emphasized that it will ultimately be the responsibility of scientists and industry to determine which fusion power plant is constructed.
While declining to comment on potential funding reductions for ITER, which has faced delays and cost overruns, Stark-Watzinger assured that Germany would honour its contractual obligations. The project is also facing pressure due to Russia's involvement, as it represents one of the few areas of ongoing cooperation between Moscow and the West following the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Sibylle Günter, the scientific director of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, acknowledged that a commercial fusion reactor may not become operational in Germany until the latter half of the century. However, she insisted that the investment would be worthwhile for future generations.
Germany has set a goal to phase out the use of fossil fuels by 2045 and shut down its last three conventional fission-based nuclear power plants in April, following years of lobbying by environmentalists.
Stark-Watzinger made it clear that she does not support a return to traditional nuclear reactors, despite some calls for such a move from within her libertarian Free Democratic Party.
"I would not advocate the construction of any reactor that employs this technology again," she stated, emphasizing that nuclear fusion, which involves merging atoms to release energy, does not pose the same risks of uncontrolled meltdowns and long-lasting radioactive waste associated with nuclear fission.
"The advantages of nuclear fusion are evident, and we have favourable conditions for its development here," she added.