General Fusion, a pioneering company in the world of fusion power, made a groundbreaking announcement on Tuesday. They revealed the successful creation of plasma, the superheated fourth state of matter crucial for fusion reactions, within their latest prototype reactor. This achievement marks the commencement of a 93-week journey to validate their innovative steampunk approach to fusion energy.
The reactor, christened Lawson Machine 26 (LM26), represents General Fusion’s most recent advancement in a series of devices that have explored different aspects of their unique methodology. Remarkably, the company managed to assemble LM26 in just 16 months, showcasing their dedication and agility in pursuing the dream of fusion energy. With ambitious goals set ahead, General Fusion aims to reach a pivotal milestone known as “breakeven” sometime in 2026.
Established in 2002, General Fusion stands as one of the oldest fusion companies still in operation today. Having raised an impressive $440 million in funding, the company has weathered the storms of competition and industry challenges over the years. Despite facing setbacks common in the fusion realm, including unmet breakeven promises from the past, General Fusion remains resilient in its pursuit of sustainable fusion power.
Understanding Breakeven in Fusion Power
In the realm of fusion power, the concept of breakeven holds critical importance. There are two primary points at which a fusion reaction is deemed to have reached breakeven. The first, known as commercial breakeven, occurs when a fusion reaction generates more power than the facility consumes, enabling the plant to supply electricity to the grid. To date, no entity has achieved this significant milestone.
The second type of breakeven, scientific breakeven, requires the fusion reaction to produce as much power as was delivered to the fuel directly. While it focuses solely on the experimental system without considering the broader facility, scientific breakeven remains a crucial benchmark for any fusion endeavor. Currently, only the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Ignition Facility has successfully attained this milestone, showcasing the complexity and rarity of such achievements in fusion research.
The Unique Approach of General Fusion
General Fusion’s fusion power methodology, known as magnetized target fusion (MTF), sets it apart from other fusion startups. Drawing parallels to inertial confinement, a technique demonstrated by the National Ignition Facility in 2022, MTF employs steam-driven pistons in its reactor design. Unlike the laser-based compression used by the National Ignition Facility, General Fusion’s approach involves zapping deuterium-tritium fuel with electricity to create a magnetic field that contains the plasma. Subsequently, the pistons compress a liquid lithium wall onto the plasma, initiating fusion reactions.
The roots of MTF trace back to the 1970s at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where concepts for compact fusion reactors were explored. General Fusion attributes past failures in this area to imprecise control of the pistons compressing the liquid liner, a challenge modern computing technology now addresses. Despite significant progress, such as conducting over 1,000 tests on a liquid wall prototype, integrating all components remains a formidable engineering task for the company.
As General Fusion unveils LM26 and takes a pivotal step forward, the road ahead remains filled with challenges and opportunities. The company’s perseverance and commitment to delivering a viable fusion power plant amid fierce competition and technological complexities underscore their dedication to advancing the frontiers of clean energy.
Tim De Chant, a seasoned climate reporter at TechCrunch, aptly summarized the significance of General Fusion’s latest achievement. With a wealth of experience and expertise in the field, De Chant’s insights shed light on the broader implications of fusion research and the transformative potential it holds for the future of energy production.
