CEA and CNRS launch €50mn programme for superconductors

CEA and CNRS deploy SupraFusion, a project funded by France 2030, to develop high-temperature superconductors for nuclear fusion and industrial applications.

Partagez:

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) have launched the SupraFusion programme to accelerate research into high-temperature superconductors. Funded with €50mn ($53.35mn) over seven years under the France 2030 plan, this programme aims to build a competitive national sector in the strategic field of nuclear fusion.

Structuring national research for magnetic fusion

SupraFusion brings together more than 200 scientists from around twenty research organisations and companies. The programme focuses on materials capable of operating at temperatures up to 80 kelvin (-193 °C), compared with around 4 kelvin (-269 °C) for conventional superconducting materials. This scale-up is essential to meet the requirements of magnetic fusion, which uses very powerful magnetic fields to confine plasma.

Three pillars for structured technological development

The work will be developed around three main pillars: developing the technological building blocks of high-temperature superconductors, demonstrating their large-scale industrial reliability through a demonstrator electromagnet, and exploring innovative applications such as compact power-generating fusion plants. SupraFusion will rely on a network of existing, enhanced or newly created technological platforms, including testing and validation capacities for industry.

France 2030, a lever for technological sovereignty

The initiative is part of the broader France 2030 strategy, which allocates €3bn ($3.2bn) for research through strategic programmes operated by the French National Research Agency (ANR). Two calls for projects will be launched to strengthen innovation: one focused on technology and infrastructure development, and the other on societal applications of high-temperature superconductors.

Industrial applications beyond nuclear

Beyond nuclear fusion, high-temperature superconductors have potential applications in offshore wind power generation, high-capacity electricity transmission and low-carbon heavy mobility. In healthcare, their use could enhance the performance and lower the operating costs of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. The CEA and CNRS also plan to strengthen scientific training to foster a new generation of researchers and engineers specialising in these technologies.

  • Populaires ​
Nepal Identifies Major Methane Reserve Estimated at 112 Billion m³
Tesla Signs $560 Million Contract for Electricity Storage in China
Europe Commits Major Investments to Electricity Grids and the Clean Industrial Deal
Iraq Suspends Oil Projects Amid Regional Conflict and Strained Logistics
Invenergy and Meta expand US portfolio with an additional 791 MW
France signs strategic contract to produce sustainable aviation fuels
The French government formalizes its industrial strategy to develop a competitive national sector for sustainable aviation fuels, aiming to meet domestic demand and strengthen France's export position by 2030.
Proxima Fusion secures €130 million to accelerate its stellarator project
German company Proxima Fusion, specialized in nuclear fusion, has announced a €130 million funding round aimed at building a stellarator, an alternative technology designed to achieve industrial-scale fusion energy.
Brussels launches call for input on its first fusion strategy
The European Commission opens a four-week consultation to define industrial and regulatory priorities for the EU’s first fusion energy strategy, expected by the end of 2025.
Israel launches strategic forum to structure its fusion energy industry
nT-Tao hosts the first Israel Fusion Forum to establish a national industrial ecosystem in a global sector valued in the trillions of dollars.
ITER to open its facilities to the public on 17 May in Saint-Paul-lès-Durance
The international ITER project is organising an open day at its nuclear fusion site in the Bouches-du-Rhône, with teams mobilised to showcase the progress of the experimental installation to the public.
TAE Technologies halves cost of fusion reactors with experimental breakthrough
US-based TAE Technologies claims it has reduced the size, complexity and cost of its fusion devices by validating a new plasma formation method in a next-generation machine.
Marvel Fusion secures additional €50 mn for its laser nuclear reactor programme
Marvel Fusion extends its Series B funding to €113 mn with backing from Siemens Energy, EQT Ventures and the European Innovation Council, aiming to build a laser fusion reactor prototype by 2032.
The UK STEP project promises regional economic impact of GBP489 mn per year
The West Burton site, selected for the prototype STEP fusion plant, is set to generate thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of pounds annually, according to a study commissioned by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Laser fusion power plant project at the Biblis site in Germany
A memorandum of understanding has been signed to develop a nuclear fusion power plant using laser technology in Biblis, Hesse, by 2035. The project brings together the regional government, industrial companies, and scientific institutions to structure a fusion energy sector.
UKAEA and Eni partner for a tritium fuel cycle facility in fusion energy
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Italian company Eni announce a partnership to build the world's largest tritium fuel cycle facility. This project, located in England, aims to optimise tritium management for future fusion power plants.
nT-Tao secures additional $5 million funding for compact nuclear fusion
Israeli nuclear fusion pioneer nT-Tao receives $5 million in funding from the Israel Innovation Authority to accelerate the development of its compact fusion demonstrator. This marks the fourth consecutive time the company has received such support.
The IEA CERT workshop explores the state and prospects of fusion energy
Industry, academic, and government experts gathered at the IEA CERT thematic workshop to discuss public-private collaboration and funding priorities for the development of fusion energy.
First Light Fusion modifies its strategy and abandons nuclear power plant plans
The British company First Light Fusion announces a major strategic shift: it will now focus on commercial partnerships for its amplification technologies, abandoning its nuclear fusion power plant project.
Fusion Energy: A Record Plasma Duration Set in France
French researchers have achieved a new milestone in fusion experiments by recording a world record for plasma confinement duration, a crucial step toward harnessing fusion energy.
Nuclear Fusion: First Plasma Generation in the SMART Tokamak
The SMART tokamak, a nuclear fusion experimental device, has generated its first plasma. This major breakthrough marks a turning point in the quest for a compact and efficient fusion reactor.
Record Investments in Fusion Energy: $7 Billion in 2024
Fusion energy reached $7 billion in investments in 2024, driven by businesses seeking efficient energy alternatives. Small Modular Reactors (SMR) have gained significant interest, particularly in industrial sectors.
A site in Virginia chosen to host the first commercial fusion power plant
The American company Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has selected Chesterfield County, Virginia, to build a fusion power plant, a global first that could revolutionize clean and reliable energy by the 2030s.
Tokamak Energy raises $125 million to accelerate fusion energy and HTS technological innovations
Tokamak Energy announces a $125 million funding round, marking a key step toward the commercialization of fusion energy and the development of high-temperature superconducting technologies. A strategic global collaboration to address energy challenges.
Progress of fusion reactors in Spain and New Zealand
Advances in fusion reactor technologies are underway in Spain with the SMART tokamak at the University of Seville, while the New Zealand startup OpenStar Technologies has made a key breakthrough with its floating magnetic component.
Zap Energy raises $130M and launches Century, its fusion platform
Zap Energy has raised 130 million dollars and launched Century, an innovative test platform for nuclear fusion, marking a significant advancement toward the commercialization of fusion energy.

LEGAL

FOSSILS

POLICY

RENEWABLE

PLUS

© XMARKET PUBLISHING

Welcome

Your subscription

Included in this subscription:

COMMUNICATE ON ENERGYNEWS