The Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory has broken ground at the site of a new office and laboratory building to accommodate PPPL’s research efforts in microelectronics, quantum sensors and devices and sustainability sciences.
The laboratory said Monday it will invest $109.7 million in the construction of the 68,000-square-foot Princeton Plasma Innovation Center that will replace the Theory Wing and Administration Wing.
Steve Cowley, director of PPPL, said the new facility will contribute research to support the Biden administration’s goal to develop a decadal vision to achieve commercial fusion energy by 2035 or 2040.
“We’re strengthening our commitment to deliver fusion energy,” Cowley said. “We’re also using our expertise to help other parts of the economy, particularly in microelectronics and sustainable manufacturing. We’re going to need the labs and offices in PPIC in order to drive that vision forward.”
PPIC will have a virtual reality cube and a remote collaboration space to enable PPPL scientists to communicate with research and experimentation partners worldwide.