FES is considering new applications from private companies interested in joining the Milestone program, as well as applications from teams led by private companies that can provide “capability enhancements” relevant to existing or new Milestone participants. A total of $10 million is available for new Milestone awardees, and $15 million is available for capability enhancements. Applicants—and FES reviewers—must act fast before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
Why now? “From the original eight teams, we have seen them raise over $350 million since the initial DOE investment of $46 million,” Nehl said. “And since the program started, we have new entrants into the private fusion space that have expanded the envelope of fusion teams and concepts. So the program that originally represented a pretty good overview of what was going on in fusion is no longer as representative as we would like it to be. We also believe that additional milestone-based DOE investments may offer a strong return on investment for U.S. taxpayers.”
The eight companies named in 2023 represented different fusion confinement approaches:
New awards will be made as technology investment agreements, with 50 percent or more of the cost covered by recipients. Teams receive payments only upon milestone completion. The number of new Milestone teams and capability enhancement teams will “depend on availability of funds and the number of meritorious applications received.”
Capability enhancements: Applications to access the $15 million in FY 2025 funding for capability enhancements must be directly linked to a company participating in the Milestone program, but could potentially benefit multiple fusion companies or the larger U.S. fusion energy effort.
“The capability enhancements are not going to be a stand-alone activity,” Nehl explained. “They need to be something added on to a new or existing Milestone award.”
Topics open to capability enhancements include theory and simulation; artificial intelligence and machine learning for fusion and plasma science; fusion materials and internal components; inertial fusion energy; closing the fusion cycle/fusion nuclear science; and closing the fusion cycle/enabling research and development.
More details: Interested companies had until June 12 to submit two-page preapplication white papers, with full applications due June 27. FES plans to respond to the preapplication white papers by June 18.
“We have target submission dates to be considered for review and funding this fiscal year, which I want to acknowledge is going to be challenging,” Nehl said, adding, “We acknowledge this is extremely ambitious. But so is fusion energy.”
Milestone teams are open only to teams led by private fusion developers, which may team with other companies or with national labs or universities. In fact, Nehl encouraged labs to “please team up with your favorite private fusion company.” Commitments from potential team members—“such as letters of support”—are likely to strengthen final applications, Nehl said. Applicants are also asked to propose a few milestones in their final applications; those milestones would be subject to later negotiation.
Unlike the first round of Milestone awards, however, program parameters such as IP protections will not be negotiated: “Teams will be offered the M8 terms,” Nehl said.
