Most countries in the world depend on external energy sources. European Union energy policy is mainly based on its limited endogenous natural resources. Energy priorities have been focused on the reinforcing of a more stable framework with the Russian Federation and OPEC countries, and the establishing of a pragmatic cooperation with some Central Asian republics and Caspian Littoral States.

EU demand of fossil fuel energies (consumption minus national production) is presently 55%, twice the US demand. This implies an energy problem that must be solved as soon as possible. With this approach, several R&D programs have been launched to develop alternative energy sources, considering the present fission energy and, in a future, fusion energy. High temperature solar energy has an important future perspective in the efficient production of electrical power and new photovoltaic cells are under R&D.

The encouraging way opened after the NIF success, together with the forthcoming MJL, will bring closer the future of nuclear fusion. Our Institute of Nuclear Fusion (DENIM) has been working during 25 years in the development of simulation codes for pellet design and fast ignition (ARWIN), atomic physics (ABACO), materials (MDCASK) and activation analysis (ACAB).