China’s new Fusion Energy Inc to pool national resources in push to build ‘artificial sun’
- Along with the company, collaborative innovation consortium of 25 entities and led by CNNC will help overcome key challenges in nuclear fusion field
- China aims to build an industrial prototype fusion reactor by 2035 and have the technology in large-scale commercial use by 2050
China is setting up a new state-owned company to pool resources from across the country to bring a nuclear fusion reactor – known as an artificial sun – to life, according to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
The formation of China Fusion Energy Inc was announced on December 29 during its opening ceremony, and unites China’s fusion energy research and development, which had been scattered among research institutes and private firms.
Chen Rui, founder of Startorus Fusion, a hi-tech company focusing on the commercial application of fusion energy and research and development for related technologies, said nuclear fusion had become a national priority.
“The State Council made it clear in a recent meeting that ‘controlled nuclear fusion is the only direction for future energy’, and the field is now developing very rapidly in Europe and the United States,” said Chen, whose company is not part of the new venture.
“In this context, China’s central government is starting to pay more attention to the industry.”
02:37
Nuclear fusion ‘breakthrough’: US laboratory’s net energy gain paves way for clean power future
Along with the company, a collaborative innovation consortium comprising 25 entities and led by CNNC was established to work together to overcome some key challenges in the field of nuclear fusion.
