On November 24, the Chinese Academy of Sciences officially launched the "Burning Plasma" International Science Program and, for the first time, introduced the BEST (Compact Fusion Energy Experimental Facility) research plan to the global fusion community. Experts believe that the development of controlled nuclear fusion devices, often referred to as "artificial suns," has entered a new phase of multi-path parallel development and rapid iteration, with commercial applications accelerating.
This year, China's "artificial sun"—the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)—achieved a major breakthrough by "successfully sustaining a 1066-second steady-state long-pulse high-confinement plasma operation at 100 million degrees Celsius, setting a new world record." Xu Guosheng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated, "China's 'artificial sun' incorporates over 200 independently innovated core technologies." While optimizing steady-state control for thousand-second pulses, the institute has also collaborated with multiple organizations to establish joint laboratories, yielding industrial applications such as proton therapy and superconducting technology.
As China's next-generation "artificial sun," the BEST facility is tasked with achieving plasma "burning." According to the research plan, once completed, the facility will conduct deuterium-tritium burning plasma experiments, verify long-pulse steady-state operation capabilities, and aim for fusion power output between 20 and 200 megawatts—demonstrating net energy gain and fusion-based electricity generation.
"We are entering a new phase of burning plasma," explained Song Yuntao, Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics and Vice President of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science. This marks a critical step in fusion engineering, where the reaction sustains itself like a "flame," laying the foundation for continuous power generation.
The BEST facility adopts a compact high-field approach, using stronger magnetic fields to confine and compress plasma more efficiently in a smaller space, enabling higher fusion power with reduced size. This shift signifies China's focus on engineering feasibility and economic viability, a crucial step toward commercial fusion power.
"Scientific innovation and industrial application are converging," said Yan Jianwen, Chairman of Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd., the primary constructor of the BEST facility. He noted that the BEST project itself represents a massive commercial application, involving millions of components. "We’ve prioritized domestic supply chain capabilities, bridging the gap from fundamental research to commercialization, and incubated multiple fusion-related companies—some already listed."
Statistics show that Hefei has gathered nearly 60 fusion energy companies. From upstream superconducting wire producer KF Superconductor to midstream equipment manufacturers like Xihé Superconductor and JUNENG Electric Physics, and downstream design-operators such as Fusion New Energy, the Fusion Industry Association now links over 200 member companies across ten sectors, including superconducting materials and magnet systems, forming a comprehensive industrial ecosystem.
Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd., established under Anhui Province’s coordination, has created an innovation consortium integrating research institutes and enterprises. This model leverages the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science’s technical expertise while combining corporate market mechanisms and funding advantages, breaking traditional paradigms for large scientific facilities. By attracting global engineering talent and integrating supply chains, the initiative has significantly enhanced domestic R&D capabilities for critical fusion components, fostering deep integration of technological breakthroughs and industrial cultivation.
The 15th Five-Year Plan period will be pivotal for China’s fusion energy development, marking the transition from experimental reactors to demonstration reactors and from scientific validation to engineering realization. Song Yuntao outlined a clear timeline: after completion, the BEST facility will conduct burning plasma experiments to demonstrate fusion power generation, aiming to "light the first fusion-powered lamp."
To accelerate the realization of the "artificial sun" vision, China is advancing policy guidance, international collaboration, and institutional innovation to build an ecosystem supporting fusion energy’s engineering and industrialization. Regional policies are already in place: Hefei is leveraging EAST to create a fusion energy industrial cluster, attracting upstream and downstream enterprises to form a billion-yuan-scale industry, while Sichuan’s Fusion Science City is establishing a global hub for controlled fusion R&D and industry.
Fusion technology’s spillover effects are already impacting daily life. In healthcare, superconducting proton therapy systems derived from fusion tech enable precise tumor targeting. Public spaces like Hefei subway stations employ terahertz security scanners based on "artificial sun" monitoring technology.
"Terahertz technology will further expand into brain-computer interfaces and biomedicine," said Wang Hongbei, General Manager of Anhui Zhongke Terahertz Technology Co., Ltd. "We’re confident in driving fusion energy as a new economic growth driver."
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