Monitoring the tokamak from within

Fusion for Energy (F4E) has released the first Global Fusion Energy Trends report, which examines the fusion ecosystems of five key players: the European Union, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

The study reports a total of EUR 20.35 billion dedicated to fusion by the actors between 2022 and 2025, with public finance representing 78% of investments. Of the five, the US and China led spending but used different models—with the US leading in private investment and China heavily investing in state-controlled commercial entities.

The report cited 83 operating, under-construction, and planned fusion devices in the actors’ combined pipeline, 42 of which are active. Although no operating facility has yet reached plant-relevant plasma conditions, it names ITER, SPARC, BEST, and JT-60SA as opportunities to close the gap.

Also compared were the parties’ scientific outputs and research impacts. The paper indicates that the US and EU have the highest volume of fusion-relevant scientific publications and accumulated citations in the 1950-2026 period. However, China’s scientific output has accelerated in the past 20 years, and the country also holds over half of the 2,210 total fusion patents filed by the five parties.

Download the full report here.

Since 2007, the European Domestic Agency Fusion for Energy (F4E) has helped to build Europe’s fusion supply chain, working with more than 3,000 companies from 23 countries. To recognize the companies building Europe’s fusion future, F4E is launching its first Supply Chain Excellence Awards.

“In an environment as demanding as fusion, excellence becomes the standard,” says Kristel Tans, F4E’s Head of Project Control, Supply Chain, and Finance. “Through this recognition, we aim to boost the reputation of our suppliers, provide greater confidence to the European ecosystem, and inspire new entrants.”

The awards will comprise five categories: Excellence in Delivery, Innovation Pioneer, Sustainability Champion, SME Rising Star, and Collaborative Partnership. Applications are open to firms of any size that have worked for F4E (as a contractor, subcontractor, or technology/development partner).

All applications will be evaluated by a panel of primarily external experts against a published set of criteria before the awards ceremony at the Big Science Business Forum in Maastricht on 27-30 October 2026.

The application deadline is 15 September 2026. See further details about the awards and how to apply here.

The 2026 Global Fusion Industry Report from the Fusion Industry Association identifies an important new driver for fusion investment and development: the soaring energy demands of artificial intelligence.

“This is a business problem as well as a political problem, as energy consumers around the world are feeling the cost of rising energy prices every day,” writes Andrew Holland, the CEO of the Fusion Industry Association. “Fusion will be the solution. Its approach of turning abundant, energy dense fuel into power, without carbon emissions, make it the only source of energy that will be able to scale up to meet constantly growing demand. Even though it cannot deliver today, the demand from the market is bringing fusion forward.”

The report states that $4.5 billion was invested in private-sector fusion companies in 2026, bringing total industry funding to $14.25 billion. The fusion workforce now numbers more than 16,000 employees.

The report also notes that governments are embracing new fusion strategies, while public-private partnerships are providing valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing.

Download the full report here.

The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) released its 2026 Supply Chain Report. The annual report surveyed 25 private fusion companies and 67 suppliers to find a 24% spending increase among respondents, from USD 434 million in 2024 to USD 538 million in 2025. The FIA projects supply chain spending to grow by another 27% this year.

“We see signs of the ‘chicken and egg’ gridlock raised in previous reports easing, as supplier relationships improve and new and existing suppliers invest in scaling up capacity to meet the sector’s growing needs,” said FIA CEO Andrew Holland. 

Over the past year, 70% of surveyed suppliers increased their business with fusion companies and 75% made investments (in people, training, equipment, infrastructure, and manufacturing capability) ranging from USD 30,000 to USD 65 million to grow their capacity to support fusion. 

However, challenges remain. Only a quarter (26%) of the fusion company respondents found existing suppliers to be successfully scaling their capacity. Namely, nearly half of respondents currently face constraints related to heat management technologies (44%) and power systems and components (48%). Likewise, many cite first-wall materials (40%) and fuel cycle systems (48%) as future bottlenecks. 

“Building that capability and capacity will need a truly collaborative effort between policymakers, investors, the supply chain and fusion companies,” said Holland.

The report can be downloaded from the FIA website at this address.