Proxima Fusion, Lower Saxony plan Europe’s first large-scale HTS tape plant

Proxima Fusion and the State of Lower Saxony signed an MoU to prepare Europe’s first large-scale fusion-grade HTS tape facility in Germany. The project is designed to support future stellarator reactors, strengthen European fusion supply chains and create industrial jobs, with about €140 million planned through 2029.

Why it matters: - The planned facility would close a major gap in Europe’s fusion supply chain by making fusion-grade high-temperature superconducting tape in Germany rather than relying mainly on Asia. - The project is meant to support Proxima Fusion’s Alpha demonstrator and planned Stellaris power plant, both of which depend on large volumes of HTS tape. - The plant is expected to add industrial value, highly skilled jobs and manufacturing capability that could also serve grids, medical imaging, propulsion and other high-field magnet markets.

What happened: - Proxima Fusion and the State of Lower Saxony signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Hanover on Sept. 9, 2026. - The MoU lays the groundwork for large-scale industrial production of HTS tape in Lower Saxony. - The first two project phases are planned to run through the end of 2029, with about €140 million in investment targeted. - Lower Saxony would contribute €21 million, just under 30% of the proposed public funding share.

The details: - HTS tape is a specialized metallic tape that becomes superconducting at relatively high temperatures. - In superconducting form, the tape carries electrical current with virtually no resistive losses. - The tape enables compact, powerful electromagnets that are essential for stellarators. - Those magnets generate the magnetic fields that confine and control the plasma inside a fusion machine. - The planned site would be the first of its kind in Germany and Europe. - Proxima says Alpha will require about 20,000 kilometers of HTS tape, and Stellaris will need another 40,000 kilometers. - Long-term purchase volumes are seen as important to scaling production, retaining manufacturing expertise and lowering cost per meter. - Proxima plans to finance the total investment equally with private capital and public funding. - The company is in talks with several international technology partners about bringing HTS manufacturing expertise to Lower Saxony. - Through the Alpha Alliance, more than 50 companies across Europe are already working on an industrial supply chain for fusion energy. - The MoU covers site assessment in Lower Saxony, milestone-based support and funding, permitting support and partnership development with companies, municipalities and research institutions. - More information: Proxima Fusion

Between the lines: - The deal is about more than one factory. It is a bid to anchor a strategic manufacturing layer in Europe before fusion moves from research to deployment. - Lower Saxony is positioning itself as a hub for a technology stack that combines research, materials engineering, production and quality control. - The plan also reflects a broader industrial policy move: turn public support and early demand into a domestic capability that can serve multiple sectors.

What’s next: - Proxima Fusion and Lower Saxony will evaluate potential sites across the state. - The parties will work on a milestone-based support structure and permitting path. - The project will depend on securing partners, funding and enough committed demand to justify scale-up. - If the plan advances, the facility would become part of the manufacturing base needed for Alpha, Stellaris and future stellarator production at scale.

The bottom line: - Lower Saxony and Proxima Fusion are trying to turn fusion research demand into a European industrial advantage, starting with a critical component that the sector cannot easily scale without.