Can Europe Build the First Fusion Power Plant?

Europe has produced some of the world’s most advanced fusion research, especially here in Bavaria at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. But scientific excellence alone does not build power plants. Following a major funding round, Francesco Sciortino, CEO of Proxima Fusion, and his team are now working to turn frontier science into industrial reality — with plans to build a first fusion power plant in Bavaria. In this keynote, he explores what it takes to move from breakthrough research to large-scale infrastructure: building a company around one of the world’s most complex technologies, securing long-term financing and partners such as RWE and the Free State of Bavaria, while competing in a global race shaped by powerful international players. What role can Europe play in the future of fusion — and how close are we to commercial reality?

Speaker

Francesco Sciortino

CEO, Proxima Fusion

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