The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $134 million in funding for two programs aimed at advancing fusion energy research and maintaining the United States’ leadership in this sector. The funding supports the Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives and the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) awards, both of which are designed to strengthen connections between private industry, national laboratories, and universities.
According to DOE Secretary Chris Wright, “Under President Trump’s leadership, DOE is unleashing the next frontier of American energy. Fusion power holds the promise of limitless, reliable, American-made energy—and programs like INFUSE and FIRE ensure our innovators have the tools, talent, and partnerships to make it a reality.”
Of the total funds announced, $128 million will go toward seven FIRE Collaborative teams. These teams are tasked with building a virtual innovation ecosystem that bridges basic science research from DOE’s Fusion Energy Sciences program with growing industries focused on fusion technologies.
An additional $6.1 million is allocated to 20 projects under the INFUSE program. This initiative aims to accelerate private-sector development by lowering barriers between businesses and national labs or universities. The selected projects include work in materials science, laser technology development, high temperature superconducting magnet assessment, artificial intelligence for fusion modeling and simulation, as well as other enabling technologies necessary for commercializing fusion energy.
Fusion energy is seen as a potential source of abundant and reliable power by replicating processes found in stars such as the sun. Since passage of the Energy Act of 2020, DOE’s Fusion Energy Sciences division has increased efforts to speed up commercial viability through collaborations like INFUSE and FIRE.
These investments also align with recent federal policy directives intended to expand domestic energy production and support manufacturing supply chains critical for national security.
A full list of funded projects is available on the Fusion Energy Sciences program homepage.
The INFUSE awards were selected through a competitive peer review process managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Individual project awards range from $100,000 to $500,000 for one-year terms.
For FIRE Collaboratives, DOE anticipates investing up to $220 million over four years—$31 million in Fiscal Year 2025—with future funding dependent on congressional appropriations. Award negotiations must be completed before funds are disbursed; selections may be rescinded during this process if necessary.
