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Plasma glows inside the experimental facilities. And it is hotter than the center of the sun. It is enclosed by enormous magnetic fields. The goal: to bring the energy of the stars to earth. And this is being researched and worked on in the middle of Bavaria, near Munich. At the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching, researchers are creating the basis for future fusion power plants. And the dynamics here have changed massively in recent months. This was evident at the most recent FusionX: Global 2026 in February. Research is turning into industry: collaborations are emerging, investors are investing and the first reactors are already planned for the 2030s. For this new era to succeed, we need speed, clarity and people with a pioneering spirit.
An interview with Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter, Scientific Director of the IPP.
The Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching operates the ASDEX Upgrade experimental facility, one of the most important tokamak facilities in Europe. The experiments prepare the operation of the next generation of fusion facilities such as ITER in southern France. The IPP is also developing key foundations for future fusion power plants: from materials research to theoretical models. At the same time, the greater Munich area is developing into a hotspot for the fusion industry. Three of the four German fusion companies are based here.
Prof. Dr. Günter, what role does the IPP play today in the exchange with start-ups and industrial companies that are developing commercial fusion plants?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: The IPP is a sought-after partner of the fusion industry. We work closely with leading companies on joint projects - in Germany, for example, with Proxima Fusion and Gauss Fusion, and in the USA with Commonwealth Fusion Systems, among others.
In your opinion, what does it take to successfully make the step from research to industrial practice?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: In addition to cooperation between public research and companies, we need the right framework conditions. Firstly, more money needs to be invested over the next two decades to increase the pace. Secondly, we need to create a legal framework that allows fusion power plants to be built quickly. The strict rules for nuclear fission power plants are not suitable because the risks are considerably greater there. And thirdly, we need to train more specialized physicists and engineers at universities.
Is Bavaria or Germany already one of the leading locations for fusion, both in terms of science and industrial implementation?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: Germany is one of the leading nations when it comes to magnetic fusion, which we are pursuing at our institute. With our Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, we are even the sole frontrunner. Industrial implementation is currently picking up massively, as German fusion companies are now using this expertise.
What technological milestones need to be reached in the coming years for commercial facilities to become realistic?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: For the stellarator path that we are pursuing in Germany, the aim is to scale up the very good results from Wendelstein 7-X to reactor-relevant parameters. To this end, we are pursuing the construction of a next-generation stellarator facility. One proposal is the construction of the "Alpha" facility together with the start-up Proxima Fusion near our institute in Garching. While Wendelstein 7-X in Greifswald has the task of demonstrating the suitability of stellarators for continuous operation, Alpha is intended to enable scaling towards a power plant.
And what physical objectives must be met?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: The most important overarching physical goals are, on the one hand, the demonstration of a "burning plasma" that heats itself after ignition. This will probably be done first in tokamaks such as SPARC (USA), BEST (China) and ITER. On the other hand, the aim is to demonstrate tritium self-sufficiency: The power plant must be able to generate the fuel continuously from lithium during operation.
What should politicians and industry do now to further accelerate the technology transfer?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: The German government must consistently implement its Fusion Action Plan and provide milestone-based funding. This also means starting to plan Alpha immediately so as not to lose the technological edge over China and the USA. Such a step would quickly bring the industry on board and create technological knowledge for a future power plant.
Looking ahead: Why are you convinced that fusion can make its way into application?
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Günter: Fusion research has been around for around 70 years, but the momentum of the last five years is unprecedented. The latest scientific successes - such as the energy records at the joint European JET facility and the eight-minute operation at Wendelstein 7-X - prove that our theoretical models are correct. At the same time, the founding of more than 40 fusion start-ups shows that there is now also an incredible acceleration in terms of technology development.
Decades of research have laid the foundations - and will continue to do so for future projects. Because the path to the power plant is more tangible than ever, but reliable research as a scientific driver is essential. After all, it will only be possible to bring the energy of the stars to Earth together if research, industry, capital and politics work in harmony - and if there is a strong transfer of knowledge.
