Fusion Energy Tracker

ITER is the world's largest tokamak, under construction in France with 35-nation collaboration. Targeting Q=10 (ten times energy input). Revised timeline targets first plasma 2033 with full D-T operation by 2039. Budget overruns delayed original 2025 target.

Helion's unique D-He3 FRC approach uses magnetic reconnection for direct electricity conversion — no steam turbines. Microsoft contracted for power delivery by 2028. Polaris achieved fusion temperatures; net electricity demonstration pending.

CFS is building SPARC, a compact high-field tokamak using revolutionary HTS magnets. Its 20T magnet demo validated the physics basis. ARC power plant targeting first plasma 2025, commercial power by early 2030s. Backed by $1.8B from institutional investors.

General Fusion uses mechanical pistons to compress a magnetized plasma — a simpler, lower-cost approach. UK demonstration plant planned at Culham. Amazon's Jeff Bezos is an investor. Targets commercial power by 2030.

NIF achieved a historic milestone in December 2022 — the first fusion experiment to produce more energy than the laser energy delivered to the target (Q>1). Subsequent shots have repeated ignition. Commercial development requires laser efficiency improvements from ~1% to >20%.

TAE Technologies pursues p-B11 (proton-boron) aneutronic fusion via FRC plasmas. Their Copernicus machine hit 75M°C, well above ignition temperature for their fuel cycle. Commercial target 2030, requiring further plasma density improvements.

Zap Energy's shear-flow Z-pinch approach eliminates the need for expensive magnets or lasers — a potentially transformative cost reduction. Spinning plasma flows stabilize the pinch. FuZE-Q demonstrated fusion-relevant plasma; commercialization target 2031.

Renaissance Fusion is building a high-temperature superconducting stellarator — inherently steady-state unlike tokamaks. Early stage but technically differentiated approach. EU-based with French government support.