Max-Planck-Institute for Plasmaphysics

The research conducted at Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (IPP) in Garching and Greifswald is concerned with investigating the physical basis of a fusion power plant. Like the sun, such a plant is to generate energy from fusion of atomic nuclei. This requires that the fuel, an ionised low-density hydrogen gas called plasma, has to be confined in a magnetic field cage and heated to ignition temperatures of over 100 million degrees. With its workforce of approx. 1,100 IPP is one of the largest fusion research centres in Europe.