Novatron Fusion Group generates interest at ITER gathering, Japan

Novatron Fusion Group witnessed strong interest in its unique fusion energy concept as one of a select group of commercial companies showcasing its technology at a recent ITER gathering in Japan.

Novatron Physicist Benjamin Verbeek joined the 13th ITER International School in Nagoya as the only Swedish representative. Around 200 fusion researchers from 21 countries gathered for the event to learn about magnetic fusion diagnostics and data science.

The conference included talks about advanced diagnostics methods, and a poster session with participants presenting ongoing work.

Mr Verbeek said it proved an excellent opportunity to probe the temperature of current fusion development around the world.

“The interest in Novatron Fusion Group’s concept was immense; out of 150 posters presented, this was the only commercial company sharing their process and concept this transparently,” he said. “At a conference where almost everyone was talking about the instabilities in tokamaks, it felt refreshing and a bit bold to be talking about a stable mirror concept. Most funding and research efforts are still being poured into the tokamak concept and progress which has been made over the years. Yet, other concepts remain comparatively under-explored and the potential of an alternative, simpler pathway to commercial fusion energy remains attractive.

Novatron Fusion Group has developed its first official test facility – the N1 – at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. With design work beginning in 2021, the assembly of custom made parts and subsystems followed in 2024 in efforts to deliver the ground-breaking ‘mirror-machine’ concept.

The approach uses large magnets to trap plasma fuel within a strong magnetic field, bouncing them back and forth like a ball in a mirror-lined room.

The unique design is regarded as the world’s first stable axisymmetric mirror machine concept with several appealing characteristics, including low cost, easy fuelling, and the ability to operate continuously. It also achieves a high “beta,” meaning it can produce high plasma pressure with relatively weak magnetic fields, which is more cost-effective.

After presenting the concept to senior ITER staff and the global cohort of PhD-level researchers, Mr Verbeek opened the floor to receive feedback and discuss areas for collaboration.

"People were very curious and once I explained more about our concept and way of working, even professors and senior researchers were overwhelmingly positive towards this relative newcomer of a concept and company,” added Mr Verbeek. “Discussions concluded around whether public or private initiatives would first succeed in achieving net fusion energy gain. While debate remained, it was clear that the sentiment had shifted significantly in favour of "private" compared to when the school started 12 years ago.”