The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fosters the exchange of scientific and technical results in fusion energy research, development, and demonstration through its series of Fusion Energy Conferences.
The 31st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2027) aims to provide a global forum for the exchange of scientific and technical results in fusion energy research and development on a range of themes, including experiments and theory for magnetic, inertial, and innovative confinement concepts, fusion technology and materials, and potential pathways to fusion energy.
According to the IAEA’s Fusion Facility Database1, as of 2027 more than 150 experimental and test facilities are operating, under construction or being planned, alongside nearly 30 fusion plant designs under development, including demonstration units, prototypes, and prospective commercial power plants. Major international projects such as ITER continue to advance the scientific and technological foundations for fusion energy, while recent breakthroughs across public and private initiatives have further accelerated progress in the field. Combined with the emergence of a dynamic industry and growing global concerns related to energy security and sustainability, momentum around fusion has expanded significantly. Attention is now increasingly focused on addressing the remaining scientific, technological, regulatory, and economic challenges required to demonstrate fusion power as a safe, reliable, and commercially viable long-term energy source.
The scope of FEC 2027 is, therefore, intended to reflect the priorities of this new era in fusion energy research, development, demonstration, and preparation for deployment. The conference aims to provide a global platform for sharing the latest results and progress from both the public and private sectors, shaped by these emerging priorities and rapidly changing landscape. It will highlight worldwide advances in fusion experiments, theory and modelling, technology, engineering, materials, advanced concepts, safety, socioeconomics, and commercialization pathways. In doing so, FEC 2027 will contribute to identifying key challenges, fostering international collaboration, and helping define the way forward for the realization of fusion energy.
With the participation of international organizations, representatives from more than 50 countries, and a broad range of research institutions, academia, and private companies, the conference is expected, as in previous editions of the series, to serve as an important platform for identifying opportunities and mechanisms for sustained and effective international collaboration in fusion research and development.