Fusion companies partner for "more shots on goal"
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Two prominent fusion companies — Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Realta Fusion — said Thursday they're teaming up to give the frantic push toward commercial fusion even better odds.
Why it matters: Executives said the successful development of fusion — the energy powering the sun — has become even more urgent at a time when the Iran war has shown a pressing need to diversify energy supplies.
- The war "really does open the world's eyes to what could be a solution that doesn't rely on those geopolitically fraught supply chains," said Rick Needham, Commonwealth's chief commercial officer.
- The companies also want fusion to power AI data centers' massive electricity needs.
Driving the news: Commonwealth and Realta are partnering to design and manufacture high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets that Realta will use to speed up the commercialization of its fusion system.
- Commonwealth will develop the magnets for Realta's demonstration prototypes as well as its commercial fusion power plants. Realta aims to launch those plants by the mid-2030s.
- The terms weren't disclosed, but the companies said the deal has the potential to reach a multibillion-dollar value.
Zoom in: "We are a strong believer in the broader fusion industry, and are excited to enable more shots on goal with smart teams pursuing promising alternative approaches," Needham told reporters.
- Realta CEO and co-founder Kieran Furlong said the arrangement will enable his company to build more quickly and cheaply.
- It will reduce the risk around gaining access to high-temperature superconducting materials and magnets, Furlong said.
How it works: Fusion promises near-limitless electricity without the safety concerns of conventional nuclear power, and with none of the emissions of its main round-the-clock rival, natural gas.
- CFS and Realta both use electromagnets to achieve fusion, but take varying approaches.
- CFS is building a donut-shaped machine called a tokamak that uses strong magnetic fields to hold hydrogen fuel at temperatures hotter than the sun.
- Realta's "magnetic mirror" approach involves a linear fusion machine that confines plasma within a long cylinder between sets of powerful magnets on either end.
Reality check: Fusion has been plagued by decades of failed commercialization efforts and high costs.
- But scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced a major breakthrough in 2022 when fusion produced more energy than the laser energy used to drive it.
Context: Commonwealth's initial site west of Boston — intended to show fusion is commercially viable — is roughly 70% finished.
- The company also is building what could be the world's first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant in Virginia's Chesterfield County. Google already has signed a power purchase deal.
- Commonwealth hopes it can start operating in the early 2030s.
Follow the money: The Trump administration has been extremely bullish on fusion's potential, and Congress in 2024 increased spending on fusion research to record levels — roughly $1.5 billion.
- But fusion companies still want additional billions to keep pace with China and other countries.
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