SPIDER facility: a key milestone toward the future of fusion energy
Fusion energy represents one of the most promising frontiers for clean, safe, and sustainable power. As a nuclear reaction that naturally occurs in the sun and stars, fusion has the potential to provide virtually limitless energy without carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste.
Unlike conventional nuclear fission, fusion uses hydrogen isotopes as fuel—abundant elements found in nature—and does not generate greenhouse gases, making it a viable long-term solution to the global energy challenge.
The ITER project (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), currently under construction in Cadarache, France, is the largest nuclear fusion facility in the world. Its mission is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free energy source.
A crucial component of ITER is the Neutral Beam Injector (NBI) system, designed to heat plasma to the extreme temperatures necessary for fusion reactions—up to 150 million degrees Celsius.
To develop and test this advanced technology, the SPIDER facility at Consorzio RFX in Padua, Italy plays a central role in preparing the NBI systems for ITER.
At the heart of the SPIDER project is a high-performance vacuum system, essential for the success of the NBI technology.
SAES contributes to this challenge by supplying a mega ZAO NEG pumps (Non-Evaporable Getter), which will be installed in SPIDER to ensure optimal vacuum conditions and stabilize the injector operations.
With a total pumping speed of 340,000 liters per second for hydrogen isotopes, this system will be one of the largest vacuum pumping solutions ever developed for fusion-related applications.
On March 24th, 2025, the SPIDER facility reached a major milestone: the beginning of a year-long assembly phase to integrate the full ZAO NEG pumping system. This step will bring SPIDER even closer to achieving the working conditions of ITER, reinforcing its strategic role in the global development of fusion energy.
We are proud to support the transition toward universal, clean, and powerful energy, through custom design and innovation in high vacuum technologies.
With our commitment to materials science and our long-standing collaboration with international fusion projects, SAES continues to be at the forefront of this scientific revolution.
Learn more about our contribution to future energy technologies in our Fusion Energy videos.
