The transition of controlled nuclear fusion from laboratory research to engineering and commercialization is at a critical juncture, with fusion energy development facing a historic shift from "science" to "energy." The prospect of "the first light bulb powered by nuclear fusion" is anticipated to become a reality around 2030, as discussed at the 2026 Nuclear Fusion Energy Technology and Industry Conference. Controlled nuclear fusion aims to replicate the sun's fusion reactions on Earth, creating a safe and manageable "artificial sun" that could potentially provide a near-limitless, clean, and secure "ultimate energy source." A consensus reached by multiple experts at the conference is that the core challenge for commercializing fusion lies in identifying a technical pathway that is both feasible and economically viable. China's fusion sector has developed a unique landscape characterized by "national team leadership, private enterprise supplementation, and multi-party collaboration." Leading the scientific frontier are advanced tokamak devices such as the "Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak" (EAST) at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the "China Circulation-3" at the China National Nuclear Corporation in Chengdu. The ongoing construction of the major national scientific infrastructure—the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Reactor Host Key Systems—is dedicated to the research, development, and validation of critical fusion technologies, providing essential support for engineering implementation. The Hefei Compact Fusion Energy Experimental Device (BEST) serves as an engineering validation platform for the next-generation "artificial sun," striving to achieve a power generation demonstration by 2030. Concurrently, private enterprises in China are emerging as a vital new force exploring diverse technical pathways within the fusion field. Star Torus Energy is committed to challenging fusion engineering validation using spherical tokamaks and an innovative "multi-stroke" approach; Xingneng Xuanguang is targeting power supply for specific scenarios like AI data centers; and ENN Group is actively advancing research on safer and cleaner fusion fuels. According to Xu Qiang, Chief Analyst of Electric Power Equipment, New Energy, and Environmental Protection Industries at Guotai Junan Securities, China's advantages in advancing fusion commercialization lie in its comprehensive coverage of technical routes, rapid pace of engineering progress, and the flexible mechanism of coordinated effort between state-owned and private enterprises, which effectively enhances technological iteration efficiency. Driven by major facilities like EAST, BEST, and the HL series, China's fusion industry chain is evolving from sporadic R&D to systematic construction, with numerous companies collaborating to tackle challenges and propel the overall upgrade of the country's high-end manufacturing sector. Huali Fusion Energy is undertaking the production of components such as the vacuum chamber for the BEST project; Western Superconducting provides 69% of the relevant low-temperature superconducting wires for the ITER project; and Xuguang Electronics' electron tubes can achieve a maximum output power of 1 megawatt. Li Zhe, Chief Analyst of the Machinery Industry at Minsheng Securities, stated that the series of significant advancements in large-scale scientific facilities have directly stimulated demand in upstream industries, including superconducting materials, vacuum equipment, and specialized power supplies. Hefei and Lanzhou LS Group are tackling the technology for extremely low-temperature compact heat exchange, while China First Heavy Industries has successfully overcome challenges related to ultra-high-temperature radiation-resistant materials. Huang Suzhen, General Manager of Fusion Neoenergy (Anhui) Co., Ltd., mentioned that through collaborative models like jointly established laboratories, various parties are effectively breaking through technical bottlenecks in the supply chain. "This cross-entity, cross-disciplinary collaborative model effectively integrates scientific research resources with industrial needs, significantly boosting the efficiency of engineering advancement," said Yan Jianwen, Executive Dean of the Energy Research Institute at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center. He added that the localization rate of most core components for fusion devices has seen a marked increase, laying a solid foundation for a self-reliant and controllable industrial chain. National and local governments are协同推进 the cultivation of fusion as a future industry, with cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hefei leveraging their industrial ecosystems to accelerate the formation of agglomeration effects. Industry organizations are promoting协同 development of the industrial chain by strengthening standard alignment and resource sharing... a series of measures are safeguarding the commercialization process of fusion. The pathways for talent cultivation in the fusion industry are becoming increasingly diversified. At this conference, the School of Fusion Science and Engineering was inaugurated at Hefei University of Technology. Other universities, including Lanzhou University, have also established relevant schools to cultivate interdisciplinary professionals. Companies like Hefei Metalforming Intelligent Manufacturing, Guoguang Electric, and Shanghai Superconductor are enhancing the practical engineering capabilities of talent through involvement in major projects. The Xiyuan Fusion Innovation Fund, jointly established by the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) and Fusion Neoenergy (Anhui) Co., Ltd., provides a platform for young scientific researchers to tackle core technological challenges. The empowerment from the financial sector is continuously intensifying, injecting vital capital into the development of the fusion industry. At the conference's opening ceremony, the Fusion Financial Institutions Alliance was established, and the Future Fusion Energy Venture Capital Fund, initiated by the Hefei Industrial Investment Group, was announced, aiming to guide precise alignment of financial services with industrial needs. Jiang Xin, Chairman of the Hefei Industrial Investment Group, emphasized the need to establish an investment evaluation system tailored to the characteristics of the fusion industry, utilizing patient capital to help cultivate new growth poles. Song Yuntao, Deputy Director of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, stated that fusion energy, starting from basic research in the laboratory, is progressively advancing towards future large-scale application. This endeavor represents not only a frontier exploration of the "ultimate energy" but also a vivid practice of driving manufacturing upgrades and cultivating new quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation.
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