Commonwealth Fusion Systems

How we regulate fusion machines is an important part of getting our clean fusion power onto the grid. Safety is at the center of everything we do when it comes to today's experimental machines and tomorrow's power plants, and regulations help the public know we’re meeting our commitments. That’s why we were keen this week to meet many of the people who’ll be regulating fusion machines across the United States. Commonwealth Fusion Systems attended the annual meeting of the Organization of Agreement States, a nonprofit scientific and professional society for radiation control program directors and staff from the 39 agreement states involved. The OAS is a forum for those states to cooperate on regulatory matters with each other and with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Corinne Mitchell, CSP, Director of Radiation Protection at CFS, joined the OAS members and peers from other fusion startups to exchange views on fusion regulatory matters. OAS members are familiar with similar technologies like particle accelerators or medical x-ray devices, and we appreciated the opportunity to expand the discussion to fusion technology.

Our advanced high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets are helping break records. Congrats to the University of Wisconsin-Madison team for applying the strongest steady magnetic field ever to contain plasma in a magnetic mirror device (WHAM).

Get a feel for fusion tech by joining CFS for a hands-on experience at Emerson Collective's #ClimateScienceFair, happening Sept. 21–23 in NYC on the High Line. The event is a chance to explore technology that can help tackle climate change. Bring your scientific curiosity and your kids to experience what we and other climate tech companies are up to. It’s free and open to the public. We'd love to see you on the High Line as we #EmbraceWonder. #FusionEnergy #ClimateChange

That picture on the wall is becoming a reality. SPARC harnesses the collective knowledge of global fusion energy programs, blending time-tested plasma physics with advanced simulations, data analysis, and insights from today’s cutting-edge machines. In the coming months, this room is about to get a whole lot busier as we begin to build our first tokamak. Walk through our SPARC facility here: https://bit.ly/3yMWjrY

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $4.6 million through the INFUSE program, which aims to advance fusion technologies through collaboration between the private sector, national labs, and universities. Among the awardees are a number of BEV portfolio companies, including: Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Xcimer Energy Corporation, Type One Energy Group. BE Fellows project Marathon Fusion was also listed as an awardee. This recognition underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in accelerating technological advancements and achieving our shared vision of a clean energy future. https://nt-z.ro/3X4sHPZ

High-temperature superconductors (HTS) are extraordinary, carrying electrical current with zero losses. This unique property makes HTS the ideal foundation for our ultra-powerful but relatively compact electromagnets in SPARC. We’re constructing three magnet types — full-size D-shaped toroidal field (TF) magnets from stacks of 16 "pancakes," ring-shaped poloidal field (PF) magnets, and cylindrical central solenoid (CS) magnets. Their magnetic fields confine and control plasma within SPARC to create fusion energy. Building these magnets demands meticulous design and excellent engineering. With 18 TF magnets in SPARC, we need 288 pancakes in total. Our dedicated manufacturing team is hard at work in our magnet factory, driving us closer every day to commercial fusion energy. This magnet technology is key not just for our own tokamak fusion machine, but also for other fusion devices such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison WHAM magnetic mirror system. #FusionEnergy #Technology

CFS won two DOE awards through the INFUSE program to spur fusion energy research, one for our SPARC tokamak to demonstrate net fusion energy and one for its successor, the ARC power plant. That brings our INFUSE award total to 23 — the most of any fusion energy company. DOE announced 17 INFUSE awards this year. They were established in 2019, but now they’re part of the department’s broader Fusion Energy Strategy 2024 to accelerate fusion energy through partnerships with the private sector. The CFS INFUSE work will take place at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and focuses on: - Using computer modeling to help inform how to operate SPARC’s exhaust system - Developing a laser-based method to measure the state of the molten salt “blanket” that breeds fuel and transfers heat energy in ARC The awards follow a June agreement worth $15 million in the first phase of DOE’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program to advance fusion energy. And both show the growing maturity of public-private partnerships to advance this form of clean, carbon-free energy. https://bit.ly/3SJFODN #FusionEnergy

The big trend in fusion this year is growth–from more public and private investment to more boots on the ground, our industry is on the right path to leave its mark on climate tech. The 2024 Fusion Industry Association Global Fusion Report highlights this remarkable growth and robust investor confidence in the fusion sector, which reflects the progress CFS is leading: ✔ More than $7 billion in total industry funding, with a 50% increase in public funding ✔ An increase in government funding, including a $15 million dollar grant for CFS through the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program as part of the Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy ✔ Timeline on track to bring commercial fusion by the 2030s CFS continues to commit to innovation and development as we sprint toward commercial fusion for global impact in the energy transition. Read the report: https://bit.ly/3WB4Lng #FusionEnergy #FusionInnovation #ClimateTech

Glad to join the Special Competitive Studies Project - SCSP’s Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy. My goal is to position the United States at the forefront of the fusion energy race, and we’ll need a strong U.S. government position to do so. Fusion is a key to the global energy transition. The U.S. has made progress convening industry, academia, and government to build the most dynamic fusion ecosystem. The signing of the ADVANCE Act this month is just one example of firmly establishing fusion commercialization as a goal. However, things are changing quickly and the U.S. risks falling behind if it doesn't better align all of these stakeholders. I anticipate that the Commission will spur a vibrant conversation among fusion leaders at private companies like myself, policymakers, and academics. All are perspectives we need to level up the U.S. fusion program and create a fusion industry that works for everyone. Thank you Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Jim Risch, and Ylli Bajraktari for your leadership as Chairs. https://lnkd.in/eTpQFtNr #FusionEnergy #EnergyTransition

Have you ever seen a mirror fusion device create plasma? University of Wisconsin-Madison hit first plasma in their WHAM device last week with the help of our high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and our CEO Bob Mumgaard was there to see it happen. How does it work? Hydrogen atoms are heated to millions of degrees to become plasma, a state of matter where the electrons and nucleus in each atom separate. The negatively charged electrons and positively charged nuclei in the plasma move along the path of the magnetic field. This keeps the plasma hot by making sure it doesn’t touch the colder walls of the fusion device. Mirrors are similar to tokamaks (like CFS is building) in some ways (both use magnets), but in mirrors the plasma particles bounce back and forth between the big magnets at the ends of the machine while in tokamaks they go all the way around the circle of the donut. You can watch the moment WHAM hits first plasma in the video below. #fusion #FusionEnergy #HTSMagnets #EnergyTransition