Fusion News The Fusion Industry Association

April 17, 2024

Fusion News

Leigh Ann Kesler, fusion consultant specializing in science communications, gives today’s Fusion News update. Watch for a summary of the latest in fusion energy worldwide. Links to the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Korea’s Artificial Sun Just Shattered a Fusion Record
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a60359873/kstar-fusion-reactor-plasma/

2. Everett’s Helion eyes Central WA for groundbreaking energy venture
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/everetts-helion-eyes-central-wa-for-groundbreaking-energy-venture/

3. US, Japan announce partnership to accelerate nuclear fusion
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-japan-announce-joint-partnership-accelerate-nuclear-fusion-sources-2024-04-10/

4. Americans Supportive but Misinformed About Fusion Energy's Promise
https://ou.edu/news/articles/2024/april/americans-supportive-but-misinformed-about-fusion-energys-promise#:~:text=This%20first%2Dof%2Dits%2D,fusion%20energy%20in%20the%20U.S.

5. Max Planck spinout nets €20M to build ‘stellarator’ fusion machine
https://thenextweb.com/news/german-startup-max-planck-proxima-fusion-stellarator

Bonuses
Supercomputer:
https://interestingengineering.com/ie-originals/ie-explainer/season-10/can-dawn-supercomputer-deliver-green-fusion-energy

Gates/Bezos:
https://emagazine.com/bill-gates-jeff-bezos-excited-about-promise-of-nuclear-fusion/

Forbes on Fusion: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2024/04/08/nuclear-fusion-is-not-a-moonshot-but-an-attainable-goal/?sh=16484497494f

EuroNews ITER:
https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/03/26/inside-the-worlds-first-reactor-that-will-power-earth-using-the-same-nuclear-reaction-as-t

Fusion-enhanced pulsed plasma propulsion drive: https://thedebrief.org/rocketstar-successfully-demonstrates-firestar-nuclear-fusion-enhanced-pulsed-plasma-propulsion-drive/

NPR podcast:
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/15/1198909506/commercial-nuclear-fusion-clean-energy-helion-investment

FIA 2024 Conference:
https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-hosts-2024-annual-policy-conference/

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuclear-fusion-backers-meet-us-capital-competition-with-china-looms-2024-03-20/

March 20, 2024

Fusion News



Dr. Leigh Ann Kesler, engineer and fusion consultant specializing in science communication, gives an update on the global development of fusion energy. Links to all the stories mentioned are given below.

1. Inverting Fusion Plasmas Improves Performance
https://phys.org/news/2024-03-inverting-fusion-plasmas.html

2. Tests show high-temperature superconducting magnets are ready for fusion
https://news.mit.edu/2024/tests-show-high-temperature-superconducting-magnets-fusion-ready-0304

3. First Light Fusion hails success of initial test in Z Machine
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/First-Light-Fusion-hails-success-of-initial-test-i#:~:text=The%20UK's%20First%20Light%20Fusion,new%20pressure%20record%20for%20quartz.

4. Japan laser fusion startup seeks more partners
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Japan-laser-fusion-startup-seeks-more-partners

5. Longview Fusion selects Fluor to design laser fusion plant
https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newslongview-fusion-selects-fluor-to-design-laser-fusion-plant-11594517

Bonuses:
Fusion Focus at Congressional Hearing on “ARPA-E’s role in Developing Breakthrough Technologies”
https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-focus-at-congressional-hearing-on-arpa-es-role-in-developing-breakthrough-technologies/

New European Union Report Outlines New European Public-Private Partnerships for Fusion Energy
https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/new-european-union-report-outlines-new-european-public-private-partnerships-for-fusion-energy/

Congress Increases U.S. Funding for Fusion Energy Sciences Research
https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/congress-increases-u-s-funding-for-fusion-energy-sciences-research/

Fusion News: January 10, 2024

Jasmine Mund, a graduate mechanical engineer, gives the first fusion news update of 2024. Links to all the stories mentioned are included below.

FIA 2024 Policy Conference - March 20-21, Washington DC:
https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-conference-2024/

China Seeks Nuclear Fusion Leap Through New R&D Company: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-02/china-seeks-nuclear-fusion-leap-through-new-r-d-company

2. Sustained 'Artificial Sun' Promised by 2026 in Fusion Energy Upgrade: https://www.newsweek.com/sustained-artificial-sun-fusion-energy-1857042

3. Opening the Magnetic Bottle of a Tokamak Causes Particles to Rush Inward: https://www.energy.gov/science/fes/articles/opening-magnetic-bottle-tokamak-causes-particles-rush-inward#:~:text=Opening%20the%20Magnetic%20Bottle%20of%20a%20Tokamak%20Causes%20Particles%20to%20Rush%20Inward,-January%202%2C%202024&text=The%20evolution%20over%20time%20of,reduce%2C%20and%20the%20density%20increases.

4. JET to be repurposed after delivering final plasma: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsjet-to-be-repurposed-after-delivering-final-plasma-11405916

5. US fusion energy dreams edge closer to reality, Congress permitting: https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/02/fusions_future_is_looking_bright/

Bonuses:
1. EU and Japan celebrate start of operations of the JT-60SA fusion reactor and reaffirm close cooperation on fusion energy: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-and-japan-celebrate-start-operations-jt-60sa-fusion-reactor-and-reaffirm-close-cooperation-fusion-2023-12-01_en#:~:text=General%20for%20Energy-,EU%20and%20Japan%20celebrate%20start%20of%20operations%20of%20the%20JT,close%20cooperation%20on%20fusion%20energy&text=The%20EU%20and%20Japan%20have,located%20in%20Ibaraki%20Prefecture%2C%20Japan.

2. UKAEA awards £7.4m to develop lithium technologies for fusion: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukaea-awards-74m-to-develop-lithium-technologies-for-fusion#:~:text=UKAEA%20has%20awarded%20%C2%A37.4,sustainable%20fusion%20energy%20fuel%20cycle.&text=Lithium%20technologies%20are%20being%20developed,a%20fusion%20energy%20fuel%20cycle.

3. Inside the world's first reactor that will power Earth using the same nuclear reaction as the Sun: https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/12/26/inside-the-worlds-first-reactor-that-will-power-earth-using-the-same-nuclear-reaction-as-t

4. The need for fusion - with the UK Atomic Energy Authority: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XZ-nh_Be4

5. Is nuclear fusion the future of clean energy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuOBR7t1mG8

Fusion News: November 29, 2023



Jasmine Mund, a graduate mechanical engineer, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all the stories mentioned are included below.

1. US to announce global nuclear fusion strategy at COP28: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/us-announce-nuclear-fusion-strategy-cop28-2023-11-20/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20Nov%2020%20(Reuters),familiar%20with%20the%20announcement%20said.

2. Chantilly startup NearStar Fusion is developing a new form of energy tech: https://technical.ly/startups/nearstar-energy-tech/

3. NTT adapts AI network analysis tool to detect faults in nuclear fusion reactors: https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/23/ntt_ai_nuclear_fusion_control/

4. EU Parliament includes nuclear in Net-Zero Industry Act: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newseu-parliament-includes-nuclear-in-net-zero-industry-act-11322086

Bonuses:
1. Mapping Europe’s nuclear fusion: industryhttps://sifted.eu/articles/mapping-europes-nuclear-fusion-industry

2. Supermagnets changing the rules of nuclear fusion: https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/supermagnets-changing-the-rules-of-nuclear-fusion/

3. What’s coming next for fusion research: https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/11/16/1083491/whats-coming-next-for-fusion-research/#:~:text=The%20dream%20of%20fusion%20power%20isn't%20going%20away%2C%20as,online%20as%20soon%20as%202028.

4. Oxfordshire Advanced Skills centre completes expansion, launching new opportunities for apprentices: https://ccfe.ukaea.uk/oxfordshire-advanced-skills-centre-completes-expansion-launching-new-opportunities-for-apprentices/

5. Fusion industry has ambitious plans for 2035, rounding out this year’s Nobel prizes: https://physicsworld.com/a/fusion-industry-has-ambitious-plans-for-2035-rounding-out-this-years-nobel-prizes/#:~:text=Today%2C%20there%20is%20also%20a,to%20the%20grid%20by%202035.

Fusion News: November 15, 2023

Dr. Leigh Ann Kesler, a nuclear engineer and fusion consultant specializing in science communication, gives an update on the global development of fusion energy. Links to all the stories mentioned are given below.

1. First plasma fired up at world’s largest fusion reactor: https://www.science.org/content/article/first-plasma-fired-world-s-largest-fusion-reactor

2. Fusion Diary: the spherical tokamak story: https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/fusion-diary-the-spherical-tokamak-story/

3. Focused Energy Partners with LLNL on a Target Design for Inertial Fusion Energy: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231107594701/en/Focused-Energy-Partners-with-LLNL-on-a-Target-Design-for-Inertial-Fusion-Energy

4. Petition calls on UK to save JET fusion experiment from closure: https://physicsworld.com/a/petition-calls-on-uk-to-save-jet-fusion-experiment-from-closure/#:~:text=More%20than%20750%20people%20have,fusion%20reactor%20in%20early%202024.

5. Joint Statement Between DOE and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Concerning a Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Fusion: https://www.energy.gov/articles/joint-statement-between-doe-and-uk-department-energy-security-and-net-zero-concerning#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Energy,and%20commercialization%20of%20fusion%20energy.

Bonuses:
1. Nuclear fusion, new drugs, better batteries: how AI will transform science: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2023/nov/02/nuclear-fusion-new-drugs-better-batteries-how-ai-will-transform-science-podcast

2. Pursuing fusion power: https://knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2023/the-challenge-of-fusion-power

3. China completes ITER magnet support components: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-completes-ITER-magnet-support-components

Fusion News: November 1, 2023

Jasmine Mund, a graduate mechanical engineer, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all the stories mentioned are included below.

1. CEO appointed to deliver UK prototype fusion energy plant:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ceo-appointed-to-deliver-uk-prototype-fusion-energy-plant#:~:text=Minister%20for%20Nuclear%20and%20Networks%2C%20Andrew%20Bowie%20MP%2C%20has%20announced,built%20at%20West%20Burton%2C%20Nottinghamshire.

2. New IAEA Initiative to Enhance Fusion Energy Collaboration: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/new-iaea-initiative-to-enhance-fusion-energy-collaboration

3. Helical Fusion selected for Japanese grant: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newshelical-fusion-selected-for-japanese-grant-11234386

4. New Fusion Futures Programme gets £650m injection: https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/new-fusion-futures-programme-gets-650m-injection/#:~:text=A%20major%20new%20funding%20package,new%20fuel%20cycle%20testing%20facility.&text=The%20%C2%A3650m%20Fusion%20Futures,by%20Nuclear%20Minister%20Andrew%20Bowie.

5. General Fusion and TRIUMF sign MOU to develop key technologies for new LM26 fusion machine: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/general-fusion-triumf-sign-mou-130000220.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACggZj94ruLXWOCx-otAqqToeIXdq0PnL1H1YaV1GROOFP9hZN_nMJyucpmnHFcXmb5zM-Uvw79omwF_m_xT3IWN2gUErstpFL7WFnzJRQ-Wi-qJ62526ew_g2CpmdckXe4KNDu3BYW1jxvzGSN5u0zjueM50-j4lbP4cEAtoAA6

Bonuses:

1. California recognises fusion energy as distinct from nuclear fission: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newscalifornia-recognises-fusion-energy-as-distinct-from-nuclear-fission-11228490#:~:text=California%20recognises%20fusion%20energy%20as%20distinct%20from%20nuclear%20fission,-18%20October%202023&text=California%20Governor%20Gavin%20Newsom%20has,technology%20from%20traditional%20nuclear%20fission.

2. Construction of new fusion facility begins in Spain: https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsconstruction-of-new-fusion-facility-begins-in-spain-11213452#:~:text=Construction%20has%20started%20on%20the,in%20future%20fusion%20power%20reactors.

3. UK, Japan, and Canada Publish Fusion Regulatory Framework Recommendations: https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/uk-japan-and-canada-publish-fusion-regulatory-framework-recommendations/

4. Five New Fusion Prospects, Minus the Neutrons: https://spectrum.ieee.org/aneutronic-fusion?utm_campaign=climatetechsub