Milena Roveda, Chair of the European Fusion Association (EFA), is clear-eyed about the challenges and opportunities facing Europe’s fusion sector. Her perspective offers a stark reminder that while Europe is a major player in fusion research and development, the path to commercialisation is fraught with hurdles that demand urgent attention and collaborative action.
The EFA, a Brussels-based non-profit association, is a testament to Europe’s recognition of the need for industry-wide collaboration. By bringing together leading European companies across the fusion value chain, the EFA is advocating for bold political decisions and innovative policies to turn scientific progress into commercial reality. Roveda emphasises that the challenge of making industrial-scale fusion power plants a reality is too big for one country or company to achieve alone. This sentiment underscores the EFA’s mission to kickstart a European industrial renaissance and solidify Europe’s role as a global fusion leader.
One of the EFA’s key focuses is ensuring that fusion and fission are not regulated the same. Roveda argues that tailored regulation for fusion is essential to prevent the sector from being overburdened, driving up costs, and stifling innovation. “What we need is regulation that’s fit for purpose,” she states, highlighting the EFA’s advocacy efforts in technology and supply chain areas. The EFA’s working groups, comprising representatives and specialists from across its membership, are taking a united message to policymakers across the continent, outlining what is needed to make fusion a reality.
However, Roveda acknowledges that Europe currently lacks a coherent Fusion Strategy. While the European Commission is planning to propose one, the industry must pave its own path forward in the meantime. This is where the EFA plays a crucial role, creating a platform for collaboration, advocacy, and action among leading European fusion companies.
The major challenges facing Europe’s fusion sector are manifold. Roveda points to the deindustrialisation of Europe’s economies over the last two decades, warning that without targeted interventions and an ambition to grow Europe’s fusion sector, essential fusion skills and expertise could move to other competing markets. She also highlights the need for capital to kickstart an industrial renaissance underpinned by fusion, noting that only 11% of the $7bn of private capital going into fusion is currently flowing into Europe.
To compete with the likes of the US and China in the global fusion race, Roveda believes Europe needs to increase its speed of innovation, regulation, and investment. She argues that the EU’s approach to innovation is often stifled by bureaucracy and red tape, and that Europe must accelerate its approach to compete with other world powers in the race to achieve fusion.
Roveda’s insights offer a sobering look at the state of Europe’s fusion sector. Her call for collaboration, tailored regulation, and increased investment serves as a rallying cry for the industry. As Europe navigates the complexities of fusion commercialisation, the EFA’s role in advocating for industry-wide collaboration and co-operation on science, finance, and policymaking will be crucial. The path to fusion commercialisation is not an easy one, but with concerted effort and strategic direction from policymakers, Europe can solidify its position as a global fusion leader.