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Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –
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Fusion Energy in 2025: Six Global Trends Worth Watching
November 7, 2025
Emma Midgley, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication
Construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world's largest fusion device. (Photo: ITER)
Rapid changes are occurring in fields related to fusion energy. The development of fusion technologies, previously relegated solely to experimental research, is now increasingly viewed as a strategic national R&D priority. The publication "Thermonuclear Fusion in the World: The IAEA 2025 Review" Key achievements in the field of thermonuclear fusion in different countries of the world are presented.
1. The development of technologies for the use of thermonuclear energy is accelerating
The fusion industry is entering a new, decisive stage. The primary international project promoting scientific and technological progress in this field remains ITER— the world's largest experimental thermonuclear facilityA total of 33 countries and thousands of engineers and scientists are participating in the creation and operation of this magnetic plasma confinement thermonuclear device—the tokamak. ITER aims to prove the feasibility of using thermonuclear fusion technology to generate carbon-free energy on an industrial scale.
Meanwhile, governments, private sector representatives, and energy companies are pursuing complementary initiatives that are opening new horizons in the field of nuclear fusion. Cutting-edge facilities are being built, joint public-private initiatives are gaining momentum, and regulators are developing a specialized regulatory framework that reflects the latest trends. Other market participants, who are end users, are demonstrating growing confidence in this technology by concluding the first power purchase agreements.
2. The volume of private investment exceeds USD 10 billion
Globally, private investment in nuclear fusion technology has exceeded $10 billion, reflecting growing confidence in the industry. Funding comes from sovereign wealth funds, large corporations, and energy-consuming enterprises, all of whom are supporting a new generation of companies developing nuclear fusion technologies.
3. In the future, nuclear fusion will play an important role in the structure of electricity production
Fusion energy is projected to play a significant role in meeting the growing global demand for clean energy to provide baseload power. The publication "Global Fusion: The IAEA 2025 Outlook" presents for the first time the results of a global fusion power deployment model conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This study analyzes the potential contribution of fusion energy to the electricity generation mix based on various policy, cost, and technological assumptions.
According to a scenario in which minimum capital costs are $2,800 per kW in 2050, fusion energy's share of global energy production could reach 50 percent by 2100. Calculations show that even under a scenario assuming maximum capital costs of $11,300 per kW, fusion energy's share of global energy production would reach 10 percent by 2100.
Furthermore, the modeling results point to the economic value of fusion energy: as demand for clean electricity grows, the use of fusion technologies could contribute trillions of dollars to global GDP.
4. International cooperation opens up new opportunities
IAEA Global Fusion Energy Group (GTEG), established in 2024, promotes global dialogue and coordinated efforts. More than 160 fusion facilities are in operation, construction, or planning stages, and the scope of international cooperation is expanding through multilateral platforms. Currently, there is no globally agreed-upon definition of a fusion power plant, but many legal systems recognize the need for a clear framework for fusion devices intended to generate electricity or heat for commercial purposes.
5. Diversification of thermonuclear fusion technologies is taking place
Fusion technologies are developing in several parallel directions. Building on the achievements of large-scale international collaborative projects such as ITER, a wide range of concepts are being developed in the public and private sectors—tokamaks, stellarators, systems based on laser fusion and inertial confinement, magnetic-inertial compression, mirror traps, field-reversed configurations, various "pinch" effects, and much more. In the search for solutions for the industrial implementation of fusion technologies, this diversity is fostering innovative approaches and advancing the industry.
6. High-temperature superconducting magnets will allow for the creation of more compact thermonuclear devices
The publication "Global Fusion: The IAEA 2025 Review" places special emphasis on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, which have the potential to revolutionize the design of next-generation fusion devices. While design constraints and engineering tradeoffs still need to be addressed, HTS materials can be used to design more compact and efficient fusion devices.
HTS magnets are increasingly used in various fusion concepts, including tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror traps. Projects such as SPARC And WHAMHTS coils are being used to improve performance and reduce device size, cost, and development time. Furthermore, the possibility of using HTS technology as a core component in several other systems currently in the design phase is being explored.
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