Позначка: fusion energy

Zap Energy Achieves Record Pressure in Fusion Device, Paving the Way for Limitless Clean Power

Zap Energy has announced a significant breakthrough in its fusion research, successfully generating a pressure roughly 10,000 times that of atmospheric pressure at sea level – equivalent to the extreme conditions found at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. This achievement, accomplished by their FuZE-3 device, represents a key validation of their approach to harnessing fusion energy.

‘This is a proof of principle that was designed to hit a particular set of milestones and to validate the principle, and it did that with flying colors,’ said Ben Levitt, Zap’s head of R&D. The company, based in Everett, Washington, is racing to replicate the reactions that power the sun, aiming to create a sustainable and abundant source of clean energy.

Zap’s technology utilizes a high-current plasma, creating a magnetic field – a Z-pinch – to contain and compress the matter, reaching the record-breaking 1.6 gigapascal pressure. The success was achieved by splitting one of the electrodes in the fusion generator, providing the machine with a new mechanism to increase plasma compression. While this milestone represents ‘great progress,’ Levitt emphasized that substantial further development is required to achieve sustained energy production.

‘We’re not waving our flag and resting on our laurels,’ Levitt stated. Scientific breakeven – producing more energy from the fusion reaction than is put in – is a potential goal by the end of the decade, though the progress is expected to be punctuated by significant leaps forward.

Zap’s advancements come as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, for which the company received $330 million in investment and is ranked among the top startups in the Pacific Northwest. The company plans to continue its research and development efforts, aiming to unlock the potential of fusion energy for a future powered by clean, limitless resources.

Helion Energy’s Bold Move: Scaling Up Fusion Power Manufacturing

Everett, Wash. – Helion Energy is pursuing a multifaceted strategy, aiming not just to achieve fusion power, but to manufacture it on a commercial scale. The company is simultaneously developing its seventh-generation fusion prototype while constructing a large-scale manufacturing facility – dubbed Omega – near its headquarters in Central Washington.

Helion’s approach centers around building an assembly line to produce the thousands of capacitors needed to deliver massive electrical surges to its fusion generator. This production will fuel the Orion power plant, a 50-megawatt facility in Malaga, Wash. The facility will utilize both human workers and robotics, incorporating both off-the-shelf and custom technology to accelerate the manufacturing process.

‘Helion is a manufacturing company,’ said Sofia Gizzi, Helion’s senior manager of production. ‘It’s not an R&D company. It’s not a science experiment. It’s very much a manufacturing company.’

The Omega facility is crucial to Helion’s strategy, aiming to mitigate supply chain disruptions and quickly adapt to evolving design needs. This approach aligns with a broader effort to restore American production capacity, supported by the bipartisan Fusion Advanced Manufacturing Parity Act, spearheaded by Washington state congressional leaders. The company recently secured $425 million in investment from prominent firms including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nucor.

Helion’s plan involves initially producing approximately 2,500 capacitor units for the Orion plant, with production slated to begin in late 2026. The scale-up is designed to support the construction of subsequent fusion generators, with the facility capable of operating at 50% of its design capacity or less while producing Orion units. Looking ahead to 2030, Helion anticipates a significant expansion in its manufacturing capabilities.