The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $134 million in funding aimed at advancing fusion energy research and strengthening connections between the private sector, national laboratories, and universities.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, DOE is unleashing the next frontier of American energy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “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.”
The largest portion of the funding—$128 million—will go to seven teams participating in the Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) collaboratives. These teams are tasked with building an innovation ecosystem that bridges basic science research within DOE’s Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program and efforts by private industry to develop fusion technologies.
An additional $6.1 million is allocated for 20 projects under the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) program. This initiative seeks to accelerate private-sector development by facilitating collaborations among businesses, national labs, and universities. Projects will focus on areas such as materials science, laser technology development, high temperature superconducting magnets, artificial intelligence applications in fusion modeling and simulation, and other enabling technologies needed for cost-effective fusion energy.
Fusion energy aims to replicate the process that powers stars to provide abundant and reliable electricity on Earth. The DOE’s recent investments build on provisions from the Energy Act of 2020 that encourage commercial viability through industry partnerships like INFUSE and FIRE.
These new awards are part of ongoing federal efforts to maintain U.S. leadership in fusion technology while also supporting domestic manufacturing capabilities vital for both national security and economic growth. The announcement aligns with President Trump’s executive order focused on expanding domestic energy production through advanced technologies.
A complete list of selected projects is available on the Fusion Energy Sciences program homepage.
For INFUSE grants, projects were chosen after a competitive peer review led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Awards range from $100,000 to $500,000 per project over one year.
Regarding FIRE funding expectations, DOE plans up to $220 million in total investment over four years—with $31 million committed for Fiscal Year 2025—but continued support depends on congressional appropriations. Selection for award negotiations does not guarantee final funding; each project must complete a negotiation process before funds are disbursed.
