The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a bold new roadmap aimed at making the long-held dream of commercial fusion energy a reality within the next decade.
The Fusion Science and Technology (FS&T) Roadmap lays out a comprehensive national strategy to bring fusion power to the grid by the mid-2030s, setting out what officials are calling the most rapid and responsible timeline in history for developing this innovative energy source.
Commenting on the project, Dr. Dario Gil, Undersecretary for Science at the Department of Energy, said: “The FS&T Roadmap brings unprecedented alignment to America’s entire fusion enterprise.
“For the first time, the Department of Energy, industry, and national laboratories will be working together with a common goal of accelerating the path to commercial fusion power and strengthening America’s leadership in energy innovation.”
The importance of fusion energy
Fusion energy is the process that powers the sun and stars, created when two lighter atomic nuclei fuse to form a heavier one, releasing vast amounts of energy in the process.
Unlike traditional nuclear fission, fusion does not produce long-lived radioactive waste and poses no risk of meltdown.
If successfully harnessed, commercial fusion energy promises to revolutionize the world’s power system by providing virtually unlimited carbon-free electricity.
Its potential to complement renewable energy sources could redefine how countries meet growing energy demands while meeting climate goals.
A unified vision for America’s fusion future
The FS&T Roadmap, announced during the U.S. Fusion Energy Enterprise Event in Washington, is a milestone in aligning government strategy and private sector innovation.
The plan was shaped by insights from more than 600 scientists, engineers, and industry leaders, all of whom contributed to a unified vision for how the nation can lead in fusion energy technology.
The roadmap introduces DOE’s Build-Innovate-Grow strategy, an integrated framework designed to synchronize public investment and private ingenuity.
The plan highlights three core priorities:
Build: Establish critical infrastructure to bridge the materials and technology gap in fusion systems. Innovation: Leveraging artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and cutting-edge research to advance nuclear reactor design. Grow: Expand America’s convergence ecosystem through public-private partnerships, manufacturing hubs, and workforce training.
Close the gap and accelerate innovation
DOE’s roadmap identifies six core areas critical to the realization of a fusion pilot plant (FPP): structural materials, plasma-facing components, confinement systems, fuel cycle, blanketing, and plant engineering.
More than $9 billion has already been invested by private companies in prototype design and combustion plasma demonstrations, and DOE’s plan aims to fill the remaining gaps through collaborative efforts among nations.
By accelerating progress across labs, universities and industry, this roadmap will strengthen domestic supply chains, strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and lay the foundation for a resilient converged economy.
Policy support and economic promise
This initiative supports the administration’s broader energy policy framework to expand domestic energy production and strengthen America’s energy independence.
By promoting commercial fusion energy, DOE aims to restore America’s leadership in cutting-edge technology while promoting job creation in advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
While the roadmap itself does not commit to specific funding levels, the investments are contingent on Congressional spending and set the stage for future public-private partnerships.
DOE’s strategic direction ensures that the federal government is ready to support innovation and deployment as the private sector expands into the 2030s.
A new era of energy in America
The FS&T Roadmap puts the United States at the forefront of the global race to commercial fusion energy, a race that could define the next century of clean power.
As DOE, industry, and academia unite behind a common vision, America is laying the foundation for a future powered by the same energy that powers the stars: abundant, reliable, American-made energy.
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