Participatory design for fusion energy research and development: Methods, process, and initial outcomes*

The history of energy technology development and use is marked by little public consultation, uneven distribution of benefits and harms, and, in some cases, growing public opposition to scale-up of the technology. 

With fusion energy being in an early stage of development, public engagement and participation can inform fusion research and design such that the resulting technologies can account for public concerns and aspirations. This process may make for more robust and enduring research and design processes and outcomes as we transition to our carbon-neutral future. To that end, we have been developing and testing a participatory design process model for fusion energy technology development with our students and community members from Southeast Michigan. In this talk, we describe the design and execution of virtual and in-person fusion energy participatory design workshops, initial analysis of our findings, and implications for fusion energy research and development. We also offer recommendations on how this participatory design process model can be scaled up to inform ongoing public and private fusion technology commercialization efforts around the world.