The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a plan to provide USD 30M for new research on fusion energy.
This funding will provide USD 17M for research focused specifically on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) approaches for prediction of key plasma phenomena, management of facility operations, and accelerated discovery through data science, among other topics.
An additional USD 13M under a separate funding opportunity will be devoted to fundamental fusion theory research, including computer modeling and simulation, focused on factors affecting the behavior of hot plasmas confined by magnetic fields in fusion reactors.
Applications for the AI/ML funding are open to national laboratories, universities, nonprofits, and private sector companies. Total funding planned for the program is USD 17M for projects of two to three years in duration, with USD 7M available in FY 2020 and out-year funding contingent on congressional appropriations.
Applications for the theory funding are open to universities, nonprofits, and private sector companies. Total planned funding will be up to USD 13M over three years, with up to USD 7M available in FY 2020 and out-year funding contingent on congressional appropriations.
