DIII-D FPP Technology Strategic Planning Meeting

The U.S. fusion energy program is embarking on a program to resolve the design of a low capital cost fusion pilot plant (FPP), with a goal to start engineering design and possibly construction in the next decade. The FPP will demonstrate electricity production and execute a nuclear testing mission. This requires a much greater focus on FPP technology, and a key aspect of this development lies in assessing that technology in the plasma environment, where plasma interaction can be a key constraint or is a key point of that technology. 

To meet this challenge, DIII-D is launching a new FPP Technology Program. This incorporates existing technology research lines, and expansion to new challenges. The mission is to directly identify technologies viable for an FPP and resolve critical issues for their implementation. This program aims to engage with a much broader segment of the community than DIII-D has done historically, tying in and supporting private sector partners as well as expanded public programs and new DOE funded centers on reactor technology.

To kick off this effort, we are hosting a community-wide Strategic Planning Meeting on September 13-14, 2023. The charge for this meeting is to identify how DIII-D can best support technology research and development needs on the path towards FPP and fusion energy. We are soliciting input from key stakeholders in the FPP community, and in particular representatives from fusion industry, to share thoughts on how DIII-D can best contribute to closing technology gaps on their respective pathways to a Fusion Pilot Plant.

For more information, please contact Tyler Abrams and Andrew Dvorak.