The University of Arizona is rapidly expanding its role in the push to commercialize fusion energy by securing federal partnerships, deepening industry collaborations and advancing plans for a new fusion energy engineering facility that would help bring clean, abundant power to the grid.

For nearly a year, the university has contributed to the development of the next-generation laser systems required for fusion reactions to occur; joined a national fusion commercialization project; launched collaborations with emerging fusion companies; and taken on statewide leadership in shaping future energy strategy. Together, these steps mark a strategic effort to position the U of A at the center of one of the world's most important energy transitions. 

An intensifying global race to advance fusion technologies underscores the importance of the university's accelerated efforts to U.S. economic and national security, said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, U of A senior vice president for research and partnerships.

"Whichever country succeeds in commercializing fusion energy will control much of the global energy market in the future," Díaz de la Rubia said. "The University of Arizona's coordinated push, from strategic federal partnerships and private sector collaborations to targeted research and infrastructure planning, is solidifying Arizona's place at the forefront of the commercial fusion energy landscape. With sustained effort, we can become a center of clean and abundant energy that supports economic growth and long-term energy security for the state and the nation."

Fusion energy is at a turning point. In 2022, after decades of research, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, or LLNL, achieved so-called scientific breakeven, the first fusion reaction that produced more energy than the laser energy used to trigger it. Since then, progress has shifted from scientific discovery to engineering solutions – developing cost-efficient laser and fuel systems, developing robust engineering power plant designs and building infrastructure. 

"We've taken a hard look at the technical hurdles, and the university is aligning its strengths in optical science and engineering, high-power lasers and target tracking, chemical and systems engineering, and materials research to accelerate fusion's transformation into a practical, scalable power source," said Horst Hahn, special advisor on fusion to Díaz de la Rubia. 

The accelerating pace of international fusion development

Governments around the world are rolling out plans and major funding initiatives for national programs in fusion energy, and more than a dozen countries are now home to fusion companies.

Total global investment has risen steadily since 2021 to more than $9.7 billion, including $2.6 billion in 2025 alone, fueled by expanding government-industry collaborations and rising investor confidence in fusion's near-term viability, according to the Fusion Industry Association. Industry consensus puts the timeline for achieving commercially viable pilot plants within the 2030s.

Approaches to achieving fusion energy include magnetic confinement, which uses powerful magnets to trap a plasma, and inertial confinement, which includes using lasers to compress fuel. With billions of dollars in government and private investment for both types of fusion facilities, and a number of fusion initiatives underway, China is emerging as the major international competitor to U.S. and European efforts. 

In an April 21 op-ed published in The Hill, U of A President Suresh Garimella and Díaz de la Rubia wrote that investment in fusion energy must be a national priority, as "nations like China and Russia are investing aggressively in fusion, with potentially crippling scenarios for U.S. economic and national security." They proposed a National Fusion Technology Center, with a 10-year mission and a $15 billion budget, to develop testing and evaluation facilities at national labs and universities, reducing private-sector investment risk and streamlining commercialization.

This creation of such a center aligns with the U.S. Department of Energy's Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap, released in October, to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale-up in the 2030s." 

Included in the roadmap are recommendations informed by prior National Academies and Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee guidance, as well as extensive input from industry and the fusion research community, emphasizing a strategic, coordinated federal approach to accelerate commercial fusion energy. Key components include expanding public-private partnerships and investing in research infrastructure to close remaining scientific and technological gaps and support private-sector deployment.

Meeting national and state needs

The commitment to fusion is driven by high stakes and high opportunities. U.S. electricity demand is projected to hit new highs in 2026, driven in part by the immense needs of data centers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data centers require substantial electricity for artificial intelligence, large dataset processing and critical information storage, as well as vast amounts of water for cooling.

Meeting this demand with gas power plants would increase greenhouse gases, while wind and solar lack the stability needed for continuous operations, Hahn said. Fusion, on the other hand, could supply reliable baseload power with no direct carbon emissions and without the long-lived radioactive waste associated with fission reactors, Hahn added.

Fusion also offers a national advantage by relying on widely available fuel, reducing reliance on foreign energy sources. For Arizona, fusion power plants would provide a competitive edge in attracting major tech investment, he said.

Forging national partnerships and industry connections

The U of A named fusion energy among its strategic research priorities last year, supported by the Arizona Board of Regents through the Technology and Research Initiative Fund. This backing is helping the university coordinate research, advance technology transfer and build partnerships that move fusion technologies closer to deployment. 

In November, Garimella was appointed to the Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce, a group convened by Gov. Katie Hobbs to prepare for the needs of large energy users and emerging energy technologies, including fusion. More recently he was appointed to the DOE Office of Science Advisory Committee, an advisory body that will provide independent advice on complex scientific and technical challenges.

With a focus on inertial confinement fusion, the laser-driven approach that achieved net energy gain in 2022, the university is tackling challenges that complement industry efforts. Specifically, U of A researchers are working to improve the reliability of laser diodes, the semiconductors that power and amplify the lasers used in inertial fusion. The plan is to patent and license technologies when companies are ready to build commercial fusion systems.

"Businesses will need these solutions later in their development," Hahn said. "We're working on them now so companies can focus on their most urgent priorities."

The university's regional engagement activities include hosting campus events such as Arizona–Livermore Days. On April 8, as part of the university's participation in AZ Tech Week, Hahn will moderate a panel discussion focused on fusion energy and the potential paths forward.

On a national level, the university joined the DOE-funded and LLNL-led STARFIRE Hub for inertial fusion energy. The move positions the U of A to collaborate closely with other hub members in advancing technology and developing the workforce required to bring inertial fusion energy to the market. Already, the U of A is partnering with fusion-energy startup Inertia Enterprises, which announced in February that it has raised $450 million in its Series A fundraising round toward commercialization.

To deepen ties with the private sector, the university became an inaugural member of the Fusion Industry Association Education and Research Partnership Program. The initiative brings the full ecosystem of research and industry together to accelerate the development of fusion energy, according to FIA's announcement. A collaboration with the California-based company Innoven Energy further expands opportunities for joint research and technology development. 

To support testing and investment, the U of A is advancing plans for a fusion energy engineering facility. The site would serve as an impartial proving ground for companies, national labs and university teams to test components and evaluate designs in preparation for future fusion power plants. 

The U of A is also planning new curricula and training programs to develop the workforce necessary for a national fusion economy. 

"Arizona will be among the first U.S. universities to offer these vital classes," Hahn said. "The planned test facility will further connect students to infrastructure and translational research."

A version of this article originally appeared on the Office of Research and Partnerships website.