Imagine a twisted metal structure, so complex it looks like something out of a science fiction film. Yes, at first glance, you’d swear it was an alien spacecraft ready for takeoff. But no, in fact, this machine, even though it looks like a UFO, is firmly anchored to Earth, in a European laboratory, and has a purpose far more ambitious than space exploration: redefining the future of energy. And if nothing else, this creation could transform not only science but also economics and even geopolitics.
From splitting atoms to star power: Why fusion could change everything
Before we talk about what’s behind this “UFO,” it’s worth recapping the context. We need to remember that humanity has already mastered nuclear fission, the process of splitting atoms to generate energy, but now we’re pursuing something much greater: nuclear fusion, the process that has made the Sun shine for billions of years.
This matters so much because we’ll have abundant fuel (hydrogen), zero greenhouse gas emissions, no risk of accidents like Chernobyl or Fukushima, and virtually unlimited energy generation potential. However, there’s still a challenge ahead: we need to learn how to contain plasma at over 100 million degrees Celsius, the temperature at which hydrogen atoms fuse and release enormous amounts of energy.
Stellaris: Turning star physics into clean power
Now, yes, this UFO-like machine is Stellaris (unlike that UFO-like object in California). Proxima Fusion, a spin-off of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, created it. Its design follows the concept of a quasi-isodynamic (QI) stellarator with high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. Here are some features that make Stellaris stand out in the energy world:
- Continuous stability: Unlike tokamaks, it doesn’t require an internal electrical current to maintain plasma stability.
- Energy efficiency: It uses less energy to operate and can operate continuously.
- AI design: Simulations that used to take weeks can now be completed in 20 minutes.
- Materials readily available: It can be built using the current supply chain.
It’s worth noting that this project is inspired by the Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s largest stellarator, but with improvements to generate more energy per volume and be faster and cheaper to build. According to Francesco Sciortino, CEO of Proxima Fusion: “Stellaris is designed to operate in continuous mode and be intrinsically stable. No other fusion power plant design has yet been demonstrated to be capable of that.”
From UFO to power plant: Europe’s bet on the Stellaris fusion revolution
It’s important to emphasize that Proxima Fusion doesn’t want to be stuck in decades of testing. They plan to build a demonstrator called Alpha in just six years, the first stellarator to produce continuous-state net energy. If successful, it will be the first step toward a 1-gigawatt commercial reactor in the 2030s. The path they’ll take to get there:
- 2027: Development of special magnets (project turning point)
- 2030s: Launch of commercial reactor
- 2050s: Optimistic forecast for nuclear fusion powering the global power grid
However, there are still some obstacles to overcome, such as the high estimated cost of €5 to €10 billion to build a reactor, the reliance on technologies still in the development phase, and the need to raise billions in investment. Stellaris is more than just an impressive piece of engineering; it’s a symbol of a paradigm shift. In other words, if it delivers on its promises, it could put Europe at the center of the race for nuclear fusion. The vision here is clear: a world where energy is clean, abundant, and virtually infinite. And perhaps, when we look back, we’ll see that this laboratory “UFO” was the first step in transforming science fiction into energy reality. Just as Dubai did when it covered its desert with a photovoltaic UFO.
