Nuclear fusion can create economic opportunity for Singapore: Tan See Leng

SINGAPORE – Tapping the process of nuclear fusion for energy generation may still be some years away, but there are economic opportunities in this area that Singapore is well placed to capture, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng said on Oct 1.

Speaking at the opening of a nuclear fusion conference, FusionX:APAC, held at Biopolis, he highlighted how the fusion ecosystem is forecast to reach US$419.84 billion (S$538 billion) by the end of this decade.

The three-day conference, organised by SGInnovate, a government-backed venture builder, brings together global fusion firms, researchers and investors to take stock of the opportunities and challenges of the emerging field.

“Even for countries like Singapore without our own fusion reactor, we can leverage our talent, R&D and industrial capabilities to support the broader fusion economy,” Tan said.

Currently, commercial nuclear energy plants use fission, in which the nucleus of a uranium atom is split, to generate electricity. Nuclear fusion refers to reactions that produce energy when hydrogen particles are forced – or fused – together.

Tan said he was encouraged by advancements made in recent years, citing the fusion reactor that produced a net energy gain under experimental conditions.

In 2022, the National Ignition Facility in California used 2.05 megajoules of energy to deliver a fusion reaction that produced 3.15 megajoules of energy.

“Such technical progress in fusion has been met with growing commercial interest, with sizeable investment flows going into fusion energy companies,” he said.

Fusion is the process that happens on the Sun. It is challenging to replicate it on Earth because the reaction must be done at temperatures of 100 million deg C or more.

But it is an attractive option in the energy sector as it has less risk of a runaway chain reaction or meltdown than nuclear fission, while releasing no planet-warming carbon emissions.

As research continues on this front, there are other uses for fusion technology, such as in space.

During the event, Tan highlighted plasma scientist Mark Lim, who now heads space-tech firm Aliena, which develops plasma-based engines for spacecraft.

Fusion reactions take place inside a tokamak, a futuristic doughnut-shaped chamber that contains plasma, which is like a superheated soup of ions.

Tan said Singapore has much to offer the global fusion economy.

For one thing, the Republic has nurtured expertise and talent in areas relevant to fusion, such as precision engineering, advanced manufacturing and measuring the properties and behaviour of plasma.

Moreover, Singapore’s research and engineering efforts have helped overcome technical challenges in fusion.

He noted how A*STAR has worked with US fusion company Realta Fusion since 2025 and successfully delivered a tool to measure the speed and direction of plasma.

Tan also cited A*STAR’s partnership signed in May with the world’s largest nuclear fusion firm, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which focuses on developing technologies for commercial fusion power plants.

A*STAR and ST Engineering also entered into an agreement with Commonwealth to produce components for the US company’s fusion demo reactor, building on Singapore’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.

The Republic’s vibrant tech ecosystem, which brings together research, industry, talent and capital, is also vital for emerging technologies like fusion, Tan said.

“Turning scientific breakthroughs into commercial opportunities requires not just technical expertise, but patient capital and strong industry partnerships,” he added.

SGInnovate is also taking stock of Singapore’s fusion sector and its niche areas in a study with global consulting firm Helixos.

Early findings show that Singapore can focus on areas such as materials and coatings, plasma-facing components and software. These build on Singapore’s existing strengths, which include semiconductors and robotics, said SGInnovate on Oct 1.

“Importantly, the study finds that Singapore may have more fusion-ready talent than is immediately apparent,” it added.

Beyond plasma scientists, software engineers, robotics specialists, semiconductor engineers, precision manufacturers and materials scientists are also relevant to the fusion sector if they choose to pivot.

On the potential of nuclear fusion energy for Singapore, Tan said that global developments have given Singapore new impetus to leave “no option unexplored in (its) energy transition”.

The country is diligently studying and building capabilities in more nascent energy pathways such as hydrogen.

“Fusion energy is one potential pathway we are following closely,” he said.

Tan noted that his ministry was renamed the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry on Oct 1. It was previously known as the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

He said the renaming reflects the growing recognition of energy as an enabler for economic growth, climate goals and resilience.

Singapore has not decided whether it will tap nuclear energy, but it is making strides in studying nuclear fission.

It will undergo an assessment by the UN atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, in 2027 to determine the Republic’s ability to make an informed decision on nuclear energy deployment.