Proxima Fusion's Revolutionary Design Aims to Transform Energy Industry
Germany, Thursday, 27 February 2025.
Proxima Fusion, a German startup, unveils its groundbreaking ‘Stellaris’ fusion reactor concept, potentially reshaping global energy landscapes by providing reliable, continuous clean energy by 2031.
Groundbreaking Fusion Technology
In a significant development announced on February 25, 2025, Proxima Fusion, a two-year-old German startup, has published the world’s first peer-reviewed blueprint for a commercial fusion power plant [1][2]. The ‘Stellaris’ design represents a remarkable breakthrough in fusion technology, utilizing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and computational optimization to create a high-field stellarator design that promises reliable and continuous operation [2].
Substantial Financial Backing
The project has garnered substantial financial support, with Proxima Fusion securing €65 million in funding, split between €30 million from venture capitalists and €35 million in public funding [3]. The technology builds upon the Wendelstein 7-X research experiment, which received over €1.3 billion in funding from the German Federal Government and the European Union [2]. This positions the company competitively in a global fusion landscape where U.S. companies have dominated private funding, exemplified by Pacific Fusion’s €900 million raise in October 2024 [3].
Technical Innovation and Timeline
The Stellaris concept addresses one of fusion energy’s most challenging aspects - the requirement to heat hydrogen isotopes to temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius while safely containing the plasma [3]. Proxima Fusion has established a clear development roadmap, with plans to demonstrate their HTS technology through the Stellarator Model Coil by 2027 [2]. The company aims to achieve net fusion energy with their demonstration stellarator Alpha by 2031, though industry expert Thomas Klinger cautions that practical grid implementation might not occur before the 2050s [3].
Economic and Market Impact
The economic implications of this technology are substantial, with estimated construction costs for a fusion reactor ranging between €5-10 billion [3]. Dr. Francesco Sciortino, Proxima Fusion’s CEO, emphasizes that their approach integrates physics, engineering, and economics, marking a transition from pure research to practical implementation [1]. The company’s computational advancements have dramatically reduced design analysis time from weeks to just 20 minutes, potentially accelerating development timelines significantly [3].