Sec. 206. Fusion energy
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The Director shall carry out a fusion energy sciences research program to expand the understanding of plasmas and matter at very high temperatures and densities and build the science and engineering foundation needed to develop a fusion energy source. In carrying out the program authorized in subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, make available fusion energy science infrastructure to industry partners in order to achieve faster and cost-effective development of fusion energy technologies toward commercial readiness.
In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall make available— experimental capabilities and testing facilities; computational capabilities, modeling and simulation tools; access to existing datasets and data validation tools; and land use and site information for demonstration facilities. The Secretary shall select industry partners for awards on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. In selecting industry stakeholders under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider— the information disclosed by the Department under this subsection; and any existing facilities the Department will provide for public-private partnership activities.
An award made to an industry partner under this section shall be for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations, after which the award may be renewed, subject to a rigorous merit review. The Secretary shall carry out a program to conduct and support collaborative research, development, and demonstration of fusion energy technologies, through high-performance computation modeling and simulation techniques, in order to— support basic science research in plasmas and matter at very high temperatures and densities; inform the development of a broad range of fusion energy systems; and facilitate the translation of basic research results in fusion energy science to industry.
In carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate with relevant Federal agencies, and prioritize the following objectives: Using expertise from the private sector, institutions of higher education, and the National Laboratories to develop computational software and capabilities that prospective users may accelerate research and development of fusion energy systems. Developing computational tools to simulate and predict fusion energy science phenomena that may be validated through physical experimentation.
Increasing the utility of the research infrastructure of the Department by coordinating with the Advanced Scientific Computing Research program within the Office of Science. Leveraging experience from existing modeling and simulation entities sponsored by the Department. Ensuring that new experimental and computational tools are accessible to relevant research communities, including private sector entities engaged in fusion energy technology development. The Secretary shall ensure the coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the activities of this program with the activities of— other research entities of the Department, including the National Laboratories, the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, the Advanced Scientific Computing Research program; and industry.
In carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish and operate a national High-Performance Computing for Fusion Innovation Hub (referred to in this section as the “Hub”), which shall focus on the early stage research and development activities described under paragraph (1). The Secretary shall select the Hub under this subsection on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. The Secretary shall consider applications from National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, multi-institutional collaborations, and other appropriate entities.
The Hub established under this subsection shall receive support for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations. Upon the expiration of any period of support of the Hub, the Secretary may renew support for the Hub, on a merit-reviewed basis, for a period of not more than 5 years. Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Secretary may terminate the Hub for cause during the performance period. Section 307(b) of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18645(b) ) is amended to read as follows:
The Director shall support research and development activities and facility operations to optimize the tokamak approach to fusion energy. There is authorized United States participation in the construction and operations of the ITER project, as agreed to under the April 25, 2007 Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project . The Secretary shall ensure that the mission-oriented user facility will enable the study of a burning plasma, and shall be built to have the following characteristics in its full configuration:
A tokamak device with a plasma radius of 6.2 meters and a magnetic field of 5.3 T. Capable of creating and sustaining a 15-million-Ampere plasma current for greater than 300 seconds. From within funds authorized to be appropriated under section 209 of the Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act of 2020 for Fusion Energy Sciences, there are authorized to carry out this paragraph— $242,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; $290,400,000 for fiscal year 2021; $338,800,000 for fiscal year 2022; $387,200,000 for fiscal year 2023; $435,600,000 for fiscal year 2024; $484,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; $435,600,000 for fiscal year 2026; $387,200,000 for fiscal year 2027; $338,800,000 for fiscal year 2028; and $290,400,000 for fiscal year 2029. .
Section 307(c) of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18645(c) ) is amended to read as follows: The Director shall carry out a program of research and technology development in inertial fusion for energy applications, including ion beam, laser, and pulsed power fusion systems. The Director shall establish a high intensity laser research program consistent with the recommendations of the National Academy of Science Report, Opportunities in Intense Ultrafast Lasers:
Reaching for the Brightest Light and the Brightest Light Initiative workshop report. This program shall include research to develop petawatt-scale laser technologies necessary to facilitate discovery science and to advance energy technologies, and to restore U.S. leadership in high intensity laser facilities. . Section 307(d) of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18645(d) ) is amended as follows: As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Director shall support research and development activities and facility operations at United States universities, national laboratories, and private facilities for a portfolio of alternative and enabling fusion energy concepts that may provide solutions to significant challenges to the establishment of a commercial magnetic fusion power plant, prioritized based on the ability of the United States to play a leadership role in the international fusion research community.
Fusion energy concepts and activities explored under this paragraph may include— high magnetic field approaches facilitated by high temperature superconductors; advanced stellarator concepts; non-tokamak confinement configurations operating at low magnetic fields; magnetized target fusion energy concepts; liquid metals to address issues associated with fusion plasma interactions with the inner wall of the encasing device; immersion blankets for heat management and fuel breeding; advanced scientific computing activities; and other promising fusion energy concepts identified by the Director. .
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