Nuclear fusion is considered one of the most promising technologies of the future in the energy sector. The German government has just announced its commitment to fusion research in its High-Tech Agenda: Germany is to become a leading location for fusion research, attracting skilled workers, scientists, investors, and innovative companies. The accompanying action plan is intended to pave the way for the world's first commercially viable fusion reactor to be built in Germany.

This was reason enough for Essen-based energy company RWE to become a strategic partner in laser fusion company Focused Energy, investing €10 million in a first step. The Darmstadt-based company is considered one of the leading and most promising start-ups in laser fusion. Depending on how the project progresses, RWE can envisage expanding its involvement in the future. With this investment, RWE is supporting both the fusion research being promoted by the German government and the development of the Biblis site into Germany's leading laser fusion campus. The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (SPRIND) is also providing Focused Energy with financial support for the development of a fusion roadmap at the former Biblis power plant site. SPRIND promotes groundbreaking technologies in Germany in order to bring innovations from research to application more quickly.

Thanks to Focused Energy and TU Darmstadt, the state of Hesse has everything it needs to become a beacon for fusion research. The former Biblis power plant is a unique location that can be quickly developed into Europe's leading fusion campus. The infrastructure already in place in Biblis offers time and economic advantages for the realization of a leading location for fusion energy.

Since July 2024, RWE and Focused Energy have been bound by a cooperation agreement to carry out a pilot project in the field of imaging laser technologies, known as laser-driven radiation sources (LDRS). LDRS represent an important technical precursor for potential laser fusion power plants and could potentially be used in nuclear decommissioning in the future.

Steffen Kanitz, Managing Director of RWE Nuclear GmbH: “As an electricity producer, our company is a technology user, not a developer. Nevertheless, we want to help enable cutting-edge German research into laser fusion technology. That is why we support the federal and state governments' visions for nuclear fusion to develop the first fusion reactor in Germany.”

Rafael Laguna, Director of the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations SPRIND: "Startups are dynamic, innovative, and flexible. But a mission as big as nuclear fusion requires more: a strong ecosystem and a scalable, innovative supply chain. Close cooperation with established industry players—as exemplified here by Focused Energy and RWE—can cover the entire spectrum of these requirements. This ecosystem needs to grow much stronger in Germany as an industrial location."

Thomas Forner, CEO Focused Energy: “Together with RWE and other strong partners, we are creating the industrial basis to make fusion energy a reality in Germany. With its existing infrastructure and central location, Biblis offers the ideal foundation for implementing our roadmap in a globally unique laser fusion campus.”