10

MW/m2 heat flux produced 

by MPEX—similar to what 

spacecraft experience 

reentering Earth’s 

atmosphere 

9

global fusion facilities 

have installed ORNLdeveloped pellet

technology

>30

public–private

partnerships through

INFUSE to advance 

fusion energy 

development

“Fusion is effectively trying to replicate the sun in 

a bottle. It’s one of those world-changing things 

where everybody wins if we get it to work.”

David Green,

Plasma Theory and Modeling Group Leader

79%

Increase in the global 

use of electricity by 

2050

World-leading Capabilities

To generate electricity from fusion, three main challenges must be addressed: (1) creating 

and sustaining a fusion power source, (2) developing materials that can survive in a fusion 

environment, and (3) developing fusion fuel self-sufficiency with efficient technologies for 

harnessing fusion power. ORNL has world-leading expertise in multiple areas crucial for 

fusion energy development and, with access to diverse tools and experts, has established 

Building the Path

to Fusion Energy

The ultimate goal of fusion energy is to deliver a nearly inexhaustible, carbon dioxide– 

free electricity source for future generations. The urgency to advance fusion energy is 

amplified by the projected need to reduce greenhouse emissions to zero before the 

middle of this century. Recent National Academies and US Department of Energy Fusion 

Energy Sciences reports have emphasized the need for growth in fusion technology 

development to prepare for a fusion pilot plant (FPP).

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) 

is committed to building the path to 

fusion energy by providing the technical 

basis for burning-plasma physics, nextgeneration materials, and fusion nuclear 

technology. In parallel, ORNL leads the 

US ITER project, providing 12 essential 

systems to support the operations and 

research of the 500 MW ITER tokamak. 

ORNL is also the future home of the 

MPEX, the Materials Plasma Exposure 

eXperiment, a device that will enable 

testing of materials designed for post-ITER 

reactors.

The 50 tonne lower cylinder of the cryostat thermal 

shield is lowered into the ITER tokamak pit. 

Source: ITER Organization
CONTACT:

Lynne Degitz

Communications Lead,

Fusion and Fission Energy and 

Science Directorate

degitzk@ornl.gov,

865-466-6383

One Bethel Valley Road, 

Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy January 2021

The ORNL-led Innovation Network for 

Fusion Energy program, or INFUSE, is 

focused on accelerating fusion energy 

development through research 

collaborations between industry and 

national laboratories.

infuse.ornl.gov

www.ornl.gov

• Burning plasma—Scientists target a wide range of required technical thrusts 

needed to develop the burning-plasma physics basis for ITER research, an 

FPP, and beyond. 

• Materials—Scientists are creating novel materials, through traditional and advanced 

manufacturing techniques, for potential use in the extreme environments of future 

fusion reactors.

• Computing—Researchers are developing new codes for whole-device modeling 

and utilizing the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility.

• Blanket technology—ORNL is establishing a program to lead first wall blanket 

development for fusion fuel and to close the fuel cycle.

• Plasma measurement and control—Researchers are pursuing new tools and 

techniques to control and measure plasmas, which areessential for optimization of 

fusion performance.

Impact and Collaboration

ORNL fusion delivers science and technology to enable the success of fusion devices around the world. In addition to participation in 

the seven-member international ITER project, ORNL engages in active collaborations with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (JET), Korea 

Institute of Fusion Energy (KSTAR), Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Wendelstein 7-X), and the French Alternative Energies and 

Atomic Energy Commission (WEST). ORNL is the world leader in pellet technology used for fusion fueling and mitigation of undesired 

plasma modes or disruptions. In recent years, fusion devices in seven countries have installed ORNL-developed technology to improve 

plasma performance and control.

ORNL is also an active collaborator with the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), universities, and 

the fusion industry. The INFUSE cost-sharing program, managed by ORNL with PPPL, brings together industry with national laboratory 

experts to resolve fusion technology challenges. ORNL also participates in the ARPA-E GAMOW program to further the R&D of highpriority fusion technologies and systems.

Uniquely ORNL

With a long history in both fusion and fission research, ORNL brings together expertise from across nuclear systems and technologies. 

Fusion at ORNL benefits from experts in radiation transport and neutronics, modeling and simulation, and practical licensing and 

technology deployment experience. The exceptional combination of resources at ORNL, from advanced 

manufacturing to neutron scattering to high-performance computing, enables innovative collaborations

and solutions for fusion challenges.

an integrated approach to advance science and technology needed to resolve the 

scientific challenges associated with developing fusion energy.