Germany has recently launched a multimillion-dollar fusion research hub, which will explore the extreme states of matter that exist deep inside stars and planets.
The new High Energy Density Initiative (HEDI) was unveiled by the University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) on June 18. It will reportedly investigate the matter under extreme conditions similar to those found in stars and giant planets.
The event was attended by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Minister-President Manuela Schwesig and Saxony Minister-President Michael Kretschmer. It also drew other participants from politics, academia, and industry.
Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space, emphasized the importance of the initiative. “HEDI will investigate what happens to the fuel under the extreme conditions of laser fusion,” Bär highlighted. “To achieve this, outstanding experimental and theoretical expertise must be brought together across state borders and in cooperation with the federal government.”
Fusion energy is regarded as one of the most promising long-term solutions for producing large amounts of climate-neutral electricity. Yet, many of the physical processes that occur during fusion reactions remain poorly understood.
To tackle the issue, HEDI will focus on studying how matter behaves at extremely high temperatures and pressures. As part of the program, HZDR also established the new Institute of High Energy Density Physics. It was founded in early June and is funded jointly by the German federal government and the state of Saxony.
The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is investing USD 23 million (EUR 20 million) to support the construction of a novel research facility that is expected to be completed by 2030.
Michael Kretschmer, Minister-President of the Free State of Saxony, said that the investment is set to create an internationally visible center of excellence that will attract leading scientists and secure additional funding for the region.
“Saxony is a strong center for science and research, with excellent universities and research institutions,” Kretschmer explained. “Fusion research offers tremendous opportunities for a secure, climate-neutral, and long-term energy supply.”
One of the hub’s basic goals is to refine the understanding of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This fusion approach relies on powerful laser pulses to compress and ignite fusion fuel. In addition, researchers will also investigate warm dense matter and hot dense matter. These exotic states naturally exist inside stars and planets.
As per the team, studying how materials react under such conditions is crucial for fusion energy technologies. The first big projects will involve analyzing mixtures of light elements at megabar pressures and the dynamic properties of hot dense matter at gigabar pressures.
HEDI will collaborate closely with the European XFEL, as well as a broad network of national and international partners. It will also participate in Germany’s Fusion 2040 funding program. What’s more, it has already established a partnership with Marvel Fusion, a Munich-based firm developing laser-based fusion technologies.
“The major challenges of fusion research can only be overcome through a deep understanding of the properties of matter under extreme conditions,” Ronald Redmer, PhD, HEDI’s founding director, said in a press release. “HEDI creates the scientific foundation needed to answer these questions.”
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