Energy: ENEA and Gauss Fusion partner up for fusion energy

The European company Gauss Fusion and ENEA have signed a partnership to develop technologies related to fusion energy in the following key areas: blanket, fuel cycle, superconductivity and neutronics.

Through this partnership Gauss Fusion, a start-up based in Germany, is strengthening its collaboration with Italian research and fusion energy industry.

Gauss Fusion's strategic mission is to combine industrial experience with scientific excellence to accelerate the development and implementation of technologies to bring fusion energy "from laboratory to grid " in Europe. ENEA, based in Rome, aims to promote Italy's competitiveness in the energy, new technologies and environment sectors, supporting research and technological development.

Gauss, which already counts among its investors and technological partners Hofima, the holding company of the Malacalza family, also a shareholder of the ASG Superconductors, thanks to this agreement strengthens the ties with the Italian research and industry scenario; ENEA is in fact the first Italian research body to collaborate with Gauss Fusion, which aims to build the first fusion power plant by the early 2040s to secure Europe's energy autonomy.

 “As a young company operating in the fusion sector, Gauss Fusion is at the forefront in Europe for its unique industrial approach,” said Alessandro Dodaro, head of the ENEA Nuclear Department. “Gauss Fusion is a strategic partner to support and implement projects for fusion technologies development. The current energy situation requires efficient solutions to generate large amount of energy while protecting the environment. Together we will make a big step forward in this direction."

 “The collaboration with ENEA is another important step to bring fusion energy from laboratory to grid in Europe,” explained Milena Roveda, CEO of Gauss Fusion. “As an Italian, I am particularly pleased with this collaboration with a prestigious partner like ENEA to further develop the technologies and materials necessary for fusion; in the future we plan to involve other partners in Italy".

ENEA and Gauss Fusion are pooling their expertise in the field of research and industry to significantly accelerate those technological developments key to the construction of a fusion power plant.

About Gauss Fusion

Gauss Fusion was established in 2022 by private industrial companies from Germany, France, Italy and Spain with the goal of advancing fusion energy industrialization, make it scalable and turn it into a reality in Europe. The company therefore plays a decisive role in creating a sustainable and independent energy supply in Europe, with stable prices and availability.

Its founding companies are leading European companies in the fusion sector. As a result, they have long-standing experience, expertise and an extensive track record in manufacturing industry components and technologies.

Furthermore, Gauss Fusion combines its entrepreneurial and technological experience with leading European research institutes of excellence. The company has strong links with the academic world and collaborates with major research institutes which include CERN in Switzerland, the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), ENEA in Italy and TU in Eindhoven.

About ENEA

ENEA is the National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, a public research institution specialized in the transfer of innovative technologies and services to businesses, citizens and the PA. Its 13 Research Centers and large laboratories are equipped with experimental facilities, technological halls and state-of-the-art tools, where 2300 highly qualified personnel are dedicated to implementing projects, studies, tests, evaluations and analyses for product and process innovation for the development and competitiveness of the country.

 Among its key field of activities, applied research in the sectors of nuclear power, the circular economy, cultural heritage, seismic protection, food safety, biotechnology, strategic raw materials, climate change, energy technologies, renewable sources, accumulation, sustainable mobility, hydrogen, smart cities, energy communities, enabling and digitalisation technologies, energy efficiency, in which it works as National Agency.

In the nuclear sector, ENEA conducts activities for fusion and fission at a national and international level and is building the DDT, Divertor Tokamak Test plant, in its Frascati research center, to delve deeper into some of the unresolved issues on the path to fusion energy.