German Startup Secures Funding to Build World's First Laser Fusion Power Plant

German fusion startup Focused Energy has recently secured $240 million (approximately NT$7.2 billion) in funding to be used for research and development of laser fusion technology. The goal is to build the world's first laser fusion power plant in Biblis, Germany, with the aim of being operational by 2035. Headquartered in the German state of Hesse, Focused Energy was founded by a research team from the Technical University of Darmstadt. They are currently developing the equipment needed for fusion power generation, hoping to achieve net energy gain in the future. According to a press release from the state of Hesse, this round of funding came from investors including German energy company RWE, the German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), European and Hessian state funds, and US venture capital firm Prime Movers Lab. Nuclear fusion is considered a next-generation energy technology, simulating the reactions inside the sun by fusing hydrogen nuclei into helium to release massive amounts of energy. Because it emits almost no carbon dioxide and produces less nuclear waste than traditional nuclear power, it is seen as a future energy solution with potential for both climate and energy security. Currently, global fusion technology is divided into two main paths: one uses laser technology to compress fuel with high-energy lasers to trigger fusion reactions; the other uses strong magnetic fields to form a 'magnetic cage' to control high-temperature plasma for fusion. There are four major startups currently involved in fusion development in Germany, including Focused Energy, Marvel Fusion, Proxima Fusion, and Gauss Fusion, each adopting different technical routes. Focused Energy and Bavarian startup Marvel Fusion focus on laser fusion, while Proxima Fusion and Gauss Fusion use magnetic fusion technology. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and electric vehicles, global electricity demand continues to rise, and countries are accelerating the race for fusion technology. The German government proposed a 'Fusion Action Plan' last October, not only positioning fusion as part of its energy policy but also hoping to drive the development of future-oriented industries.