Welcome!

HiPER is a proposed European High Power laser Energy Research facility dedicated to demonstrating the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source. HiPER is being designed to enable a broad array of new science including extreme material studies, astrophysics in the laboratory, miniaturised particle accelerators and a wide range of fundamental physics research.

Fusion energy is an attractive, environmentally clean power source using sea water as its principal source of fuel. No greenhouse gases or long-lived radioactive waste materials are produced. Demonstration of the scientific proof of principle is expected between 2010 and 2012 as part of an ongoing international program. What is now needed is to move from the scientific proof of principle stage to a commercial reactor. HiPER provides the critical next step along this route.

The PETAL laser, located in the Aquitaine region of France, will be a fore-runner to the HiPER facility to address physics and technology issues of strategic relevance to HiPER.