Powering nuclear fusion, the clean energy source of the future

Within the scope of the business areas I oversee at Thales, one that holds tremendous potential for the future is our gyrotron activity, a key contributor to what I regard as one of the most promising alternatives to satisfying the need in green electrical energy for the centuries to come: nuclear fusion.

To develop strong ambitions in such a segment is very much in keeping with the Group’s environmental commitments. These have been established around axes that cover our company-wide strategy for a low-carbon future; delivering the means to better understand climate phenomena; deploying approaches that promote enhanced resource management and biodiversity; and conceiving the innovative and eco-friendly products and services that will enable greater sustainability. This is where nuclear fusion comes in, offering a formidable pathway to tomorrow’s energy… while also representing a major business opportunity for a company like ours.

What fusion power achieves is to generate electricity by capitalizing on the heat generated when two atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, the energy released being harnessed by fusion reactors. This offers a secure, long-term and abundant supply of affordable energy through a process that does not produce greenhouse gas or long-lasting radioactive waste. We are talking technology that is clean, safe, and which is consequently at the heart of a number of substantial future projects.

Two main branches of fusion power are possible. These are inertial confinement fusion and magnetic confinement fusion. The latter is notably the most advanced in what are known as Tokamak or Stellarator systems, with three alternative systems being employed to heat the core plasma: Electron Cyclotron Resonant Heating (ECRH), Neutral-Beam Injection (NBI), and Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH). Thales teams master all three areas with the most mature domain being ECRH, for which we are the only European manufacturer of gyrotrons: high-power vacuum tubes used to heat plasma to a temperature 10 times hotter than the core of the sun!

We have been working on gyrotrons since the 1970s and delivered the first European unit in 1983. Our gyrotrons already equip many of the most prestigious laboratories in the world and are developed in collaboration with European partners* such as KIT, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Over the years, we have successfully increased the manufacturing capacity and performance of our gyrotrons. These currently achieve 1 MW of power as regards those to be installed at DTT (Divertor Tokamak Test) in Italy and at ITER (“The Way” in Latin), the international fusion reactor project in France. They reach up to 1.5 MW at W7-X (Wendelstein 7-X) in Germany. More than 40 Thales gyrotrons are in service and our order backlog of 30 units is a clear demonstration of high market success.

Fifty high-level skillsets and thousands of components

Today, we are proud to enjoy a strong position on the market with a global share of 60% of ongoing programs. This is particularly positive at a time when countries all around the world (throughout the European Union, UK, US, China, etc.) are exploring the potential of fusion power.

Thales is also an active member of the Fusion Industry Association (FIA), which represents the world’s private fusion energy companies, who are working closely together to make fusion power a reality. As such, beyond State-run initiatives we are also in an ideal position to support the move towards what is known as “New Fusion”, that is to say initiatives conducted by private players.

Our production legitimacy was recently demonstrated by our appointment on the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s ￡20-billion Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) program to conceive the development and manufacturing plan that will support in developing a path forward for STEP’s 300+ gyrotron system. This rubberstamps our ability to handle the precision and complexity at play: each gyrotron comprises several thousand highly technical components and just a handful of players worldwide boast the scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and industrial capabilities that are required – a Thales gyrotron calls on the input of no less than 50 high-level skillsets! Furthermore, we are continuing to invest heavily in our teams and facilities, from development and production to testing capabilities, within Thales and across our supply chain, to ensure our gyrotrons can be replicated ever more effectively and competitively, to meet the strong demands of the future.

The shift to cleaner, safer sources of energy is evidently one of the key challenges faced by humanity at large over the coming years. I am certainly a strong believer in the use of nuclear fusion to offer an essential way forward and am proud that our teams, with such a strong background and proven capabilities, are key in empowering this transition to a more sustainable future.

*EGYC’s members (European GYrotron Consortium) include EPFL (école Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne – Switzerland), NKUA (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Greece), KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – Germany), ISTP (Institute for Plasma Science and Technology and National Research Council – Italy) and European partners such as MPI (Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics – Germany) and Politecnico di Torino - Italy. European Gyrotrons benefit from the longstanding support of EUROfusion.

• Find out more: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/iter-and-heating-systems-tokamaks