Gauss Fusion receives nine million euros in funding from the German government

Funding for clean energy: Gauss Fusion receives nine million euros from the BMBF to advance the development of magnetic coils for fusion energy

Munich, April 3, 2024 - The Munich-based fusion company Gauss Fusion has received nine million euros in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). This sum accounts for around 25 percent of the total 35 million euros released. The money is earmarked for advancing the production and development of magnetic coils, which are required for fusion energy with magnetic confinement.

Commercializing and scaling up fusion energy

Gauss Fusion, a merger of companies in the fusion industry, aims to commercialize and scale up fusion energy on an industrial scale. The company plans to build Europe's first fusion power plant by the early 2040s. The main goal now is to develop demountable superconducting magnetic coils to facilitate the construction, repair and maintenance of all components within the "first wall" of a power plant. This development is crucial for the advancement of fusion technology and has potential applications in other industries such as medical imaging and industrial processes.

ITEP and KIT benefit

Milena Roveda, CEO of Gauss Fusion, expressed her satisfaction with the confidence in their work and thanked the German government and Federal Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger and her team at the BMBF for their support. This funding makes it possible to further advance the technology for a new form of clean energy generation.

Gauss Fusion is working closely with the Institute of Technical Physics (ITEP) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), which is receiving part of the BMBF funding. Together with KIT, concepts, prototypes and a full-scale demonstrator are being developed. Special tests are also being carried out at other European institutes, including the Sultan facility at EPFL-PSI.

Frédérick Bordry, CTO of Gauss Fusion, emphasized the importance of the collaboration with the Institute of Technical Physics and highlighted the vision for a sustainable energy future. Mathias Noe, Director at the Institute of Technical Physics at KIT, was delighted with the project, which will utilize the latest superconducting materials to advance fusion technology.

Gauss Fusion aims to drive the industrialization of fusion energy and make it a reality in Europe. Founded in 2022 by private industrial companies from Germany, France, Italy and Spain, the company brings together a combination of scientific research and industrial expertise. It works closely with research institutes in Europe to promote sustainable and independent energy supply.