The US Department of Energy has announced it will provide $30m to US universities, private industry and national laboratories for a range of research projects in fusion energy.

In a statement the DOE said the funding will go to 10 US multi-institutional research teams to support fusion energy research at international facilities.

The main focus of the fusion energy research is sustaining high-temperature plasmas for long durations within superconducting tokamak facilities – donut-shaped devices that confine the plasma by means of powerful magnetic fields.

The DOE said the long-term goal is to help lay the foundation for fusion as a clean, abundant energy source for the world.

A total of $20.2m will fund the creation of new centres and facilities supporting research on low-temperature plasmas.

The biggest fusion project is the €15bn International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) under construction in the south of France. It is designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power.

Europe is contributing almost half of the costs of its construction. The other six members of the venture – China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US – are contributing equally to the rest.