Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Fusion News

Dr. Cyd Cowley and Caroline Anderson discuss high temperature superconductors (HTS) - explaining how the technology works and why it matters for commercial fusion energy. Plus, a behind the scenes look at Tokamak Energy’s DEMO-4 machine with Product Development Manager, Nadia Gjerdingen.

About Tech Now: Tech Now is a new podcast series from the Fusion Industry Association. Each month, Caroline Anderson, Director of External Affairs, Fusion Industry Association, and Dr. Cyd Cowley, Fusion Principal, digiLab will take a closer look at a game-changing technology accelerating commercial fusion energy.

Adrian Carrillo, Master's Student at the University of Washington focusing on computational plasma physics, gives today's global Fusion News update. As usual, links to the stories discussed are below.

1. CFS places a major superconducting tape order for ARC

https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-places-largest-single-/

2. ITER receives its final vacuum vessel sector

https://fusionforenergy.europa.eu/news/europes-final-iter-vacuum-vessel-sector-delivered/

3. A bipartisan bill proposes ten billion dollars for fusion

https://trahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3850

4. Daedal raises funding for fusion plasma diagnostics

https://www.daedalsystems.com/funding-announcement

Bonus:

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/30/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-accelerate-californias-fusion-industry-announces-major-investment-for-quantum-research/

https://www.pppl.gov/news/2026/openstar-technologies-and-pppl-are-building-partnership-advance-fusion-energy

https://www.pppl.gov/news/2026/novel-path-fusion-ignition-heat-first-then-add-fuel

To kick off the People in Fusion series, Fusion Industry Association CEO Andrew Holland sits down with Dr. Tim Bestwick, outgoing CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

They talk about the UK's long history of fusion leadership and its evolving role as industry moves toward deployment, lessons Tim gained from his career bringing tech to market in other early industries, and his vision for the "quest" to commercialization.

People in Fusion is a new podcast series from the Fusion Industry Association, featuring conversations with the people behind fusion energy's acceleration.

Carli Smith, Fusion Researcher at Kyoto Fusioneering, gives this week's global Fusion News update. Links to the stories are included below.

1. First Light Fusion achieves major fuel compression milestone

https://www.niauk.org/first-light-fusion-achieves-major-step-forward-for-flare/

2. Fusion leaders meet in London for the UK Fusion Forum and Global Policy Summit

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-leaders-convene-in-london-for-global-policy-summit-and-fia-uk-fusion-forum/

3. Compact fusion company nT-Tao gets a step closer to pushing core plasma temperature limits

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-fusion-gets-50-mw-pulse-upgrade?mc_cid=a9d6340062

4. Proxima Fusion plans Europe’s first high temperature superconducting tape factory

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/germany-plans-europes-first-hts-factory/

Bonus:

https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/opportunities-for-architects-in-fusion-energy/

https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2026/research/transatlantic-partnership-fusion/

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives this week’s global Fusion News update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. The $14 Billion Bet to Bring Fusion Out of the Lab

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-09-09/fusion-gets-14-billion-bet-energy-source-can-be-commercialized

2. Tokamak Energy completes 13.7T fusion magnet tests

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/tokamak-energy-completes-137t-fusion-magnet-tests

3. Helical selected for Japanese fusion demonstration project

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/helical-selected-for-japanese-fusion-demonstration-project

4. Tennessee issues licence for fusion plant

https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/tennessee-issues-licence-for-fusion-plant 

Bonus story:

FIA white paper guides Agreement States on fusion regulation:

https://www.ans.org/news/article-8374/fia-white-paper-guides-agreement-states-on-fusion-regulation/

Dave Thomas, editor of Fusion News and fusion filmmaker covering the industry for over a decade, gives this week’s global Fusion News update.  Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Pacific Fusion’s next fusion machine could clear a key hurdle to commercial power

https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/25/pacific-fusion-next-fusion-machine-could-clear-key-hurdle-to-commercial-power/

2. Kyoto Fusioneering raises $162 million

https://kyotofusioneering.com/en/news/2026/08/24/4350

3. Marathon Fusion tackles one of fusion’s biggest fuel problems

https://heatmap.news/climate-tech/marathon-fusion-lithium-tritium

4. Inertia Enterprises cuts fusion fuel production from days to hours

https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/20/inertia-enterprises-finds-a-way-to-make-its-fusion-fuel-fast/

Bonus stories:

STEP passes 50 fusion patent applications

https://stepfusion.com/uk-fusion-energy-hits-major-ip-milestone/

Eni sees fusion as its “next refinery”

https://www.ft.com/content/e6a069b6-69f8-4a21-9873-3cc0736d27e2?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Jasmine Mund, mechanical design engineer with a key interest in the fusion industry, gives today’s global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Kyoto Fusioneering to Relocate U.S. HQ to Tennessee and Deliver UNITY-3 with ORNL, a First-of-Its-Kind Facility to De-Risk Fusion Technology

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260811349799/en/Kyoto-Fusioneering-to-Relocate-U.S.-HQ-to-Tennessee-and-Deliver-UNITY-3-with-ORNL-a-First-of-Its-Kind-Facility-to-De-Risk-Fusion-Technology

2. Fusion energy developer TAE signs helium-3 future fuel supply option agreement

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/fusion-energy-developer-tae-signs-helium-3-future-fuel-supply-option-agreement-2026-08-05/

3. MIT scientists’ new framework could make fusion power a commercial reality

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/mit-scientists-economic-framework-fusion-power-reality

4. Fusion fuel tech makes commercial leap

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/fusion-fuel-tech-makes-commercial-leap/

5. Latest MAST Upgrade experiments achieve milestones

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/latest-mast-upgrade-experiments-achieve-milestones

6. Fuse Touts ‘Highest’ Neutron Yield by Any Fusion Company

https://www.powermag.com/fuse-touts-highest-neutron-yield-by-any-fusion-company/

Bonus stories:

Fusion machines benefit from first-ever silver crystal tritium separation

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-fusion-reactors-get-first-silver-tritium

Fusion energy expert Prof Dennis Whyte appointed next UKAEA CEO

https://www.niauk.org/fusion-energy-expert-prof-dennis-whyte-appointed-next-ukaea-ceo/

Adrian Carrillo, Master's Student at the University of Washington focusing on computational plasma physics, gives today’s global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $1 billion in equity funding

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-fusion-energy-company-commonwealth-raises-1-billion-equity-funding-2026-07-30/

2. Thea Energy lands a $20 million federal award to build its fusion magnet production line

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/27/thea-energy-lands-20m-federal-grant-to-build-its-magnets-for-fusion-reactors/

3. Europe delivers a new fuel source for JT-60SA

https://fusionforenergy.europa.eu/news/jt60sa-fuel-source-centrifuge-accelerator-f4e-sener/

4. DOE announces the first Genesis Mission awards supporting AI-driven fusion research

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/doe-announces-first-genesis-mission-awards-supporting-ai-driven-fusion-research/

5. UKAEA supports fusion inclusion into postgraduate education

https://www.ukaea.org/news/supporting-fusion-inclusion-into-postgraduate-education/

Bonus stories:

ITER upper launcher design ready for manufacturing

https://fusionforenergy.europa.eu/news/iter-upper-launcher-design-ready-for-manufacturing/

The Energy Gang: Is fusion power here at last?

https://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/energy-gang/can-fusion-finally-deliver/

Carli Smith, fusion researcher at Kyoto Fusioneering, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Fusion industry funding hits an annual record

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/global-fusion-energy-annual-investments-hit-record-nearly-45-billion-2026-07-13/

2. General fusion makes history in the stock market

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/13/investors-send-general-fusion-soaring-in-debut-as-first-publicly-traded-fusion-company/

3.Quantum computers make headway in solving fusion’s fuel problem

https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-fusion-fuel-material-configurations.html

4. Inertia opens world’s first fusion factory to commercialize inertial confinement fusion

https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2026/07/13/inertia-fusion-facility-livermore

Bonus stories:

General Atomics Secures California Tax Credit for San Diego Fusion Blanket Test Facility

https://newatlas.com/energy/general-atomics-test-key-fusion-reactor-component/

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. US fusion startup makes history by converting plasma energy directly into electricity

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/us-nuclear-fusion-makes-history

2. UKAEA and Eni launch RH3OVA to advance fusion industry

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukaea-and-eni-launch-rh3ova-to-advance-fusion-industry

3. General Fusion targets Italy

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/general-fusion-targets-italy/

Bonus stories:

2026 Fusion Industry Association supply chain report

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-launches-2026-fusion-industry-supply-chain-report/

Adrian Carrillo, Master's Student at the University of Washington focusing on computational plasma physics, gives today’s global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. UK and Japan deepen fusion cooperation with new agreement

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-japan-fusion-partnership-strengthened-by-ukaea-and-qst

2. Helion clears key regulatory milestone for Orion power plant

https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-clears-key-regulatory-milestone-on-the-path-to-building-and-operating-the-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant

3. First Light Fusion recreates orbital impact velocities in Texas tests

https://firstlightfusion.com/media/first-light-fusion-successfully-recreates-orbital-impact-velocities-at-texas-am-engineering-experiment-station/

4. Energy Department Releases Finalized Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap to Accelerate Commercial Fusion Power

https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-releases-finalized-fusion-science-and-technology-roadmap-accelerate

Bonus:

How fusion is powering UK prosperity – Episode 5: First Light Fusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLNTcdlQoAo

Interview with SHINE: A Revenue-Backed Roadmap on the Path to Fusion (FusionX:Americas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGISpdJDwTM

Jasmine Mund, mechanical design engineer with a key interest in the fusion industry, gives this week’s global Fusion News update. As always, links to the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Record funding for European fusion

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/record-funding-for-european-fusion/

2. The world’s largest privately owned laser just turned on

https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/the-worlds-largest-privately-owned-laser-just-turned-on/

3. Thea Energy Raises $100 Million in New Funding to Advance Fusion Technology

https://www.powermag.com/thea-energy-raises-100-million-in-new-funding-to-advance-fusion-technology/

4. Commonwealth Fusion Systems says papers validate its quest to generate power

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/commonwealth-fusion-says-papers-validate-its-quest-generate-power-2026-06-04/

5. Helion hits $15.5B valuation with $465M in new cash as it aims to commercialize fusion this decade

https://www.geekwire.com/2026/helion-hits-15-5b-valuation-with-465m-in-new-cash-to-commercialize-fusion-this-decade/#:~:text=Helion%20Energy%2C%20a%20startup%20racing,now%20valued%20at%20%2415.5%20billion.

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTH0kJ6dSaE

https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/pacific-fusions-latest-prototype-packs-440-gigawatts-into-an-80-nanosecond-burst/

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-fusion-durability-breakthrough-scan

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/iter-magnet-test-facility-begins-operation

https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/world-first-floating-fusion-reactor-powered-vessel

Adrian Carrillo, Master's Student at the University of Washington focusing on computational plasma physics, gives today’s global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. CFS announces an agreement with Singapore's A*STAR to develop technologies for commercial fusion devices

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/worlds-largest-nuclear-fusion-firm-partners-astar-to-develop-commercial-power-plant-tech

2. Thea Energy Announces Successful Operation of Full-Scale Planar Shaping Coils

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/13/3293984/0/en/Thea-Energy-Announces-Successful-Operation-of-Full-Scale-Planar-Shaping-Coils.html

3. NIF researchers project over 10x increase in fusion yields after planned laser energy upgrade

https://www.aip.org/scilights/a-look-back-at-over-a-decade-of-inertial-confinement-fusion-experiments

https://pubs.aip.org/aip/pop/article/33/5/050503/3391665/Key-metrics-of-progress-in-the-NIF-ignition

4. Xcimer Energy Builds Leadership Team for Industrial Fusion and National Security Applications

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512727044/en/Xcimer-Energy-Builds-Leadership-Team-for-Industrial-Fusion-and-National-Security-Applications

Bonus stories:

https://www.axios.com/2026/05/22/fusion-energy-simpler-federal-review?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosgenerate&stream=top

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-submits-response-to-nrcs-proposed-rulemaking-and-draft-guidance-for-us-fusion-regulations/

https://www.avalanchefusion.com/machines/lando

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/05/20/nuclear-fusion-without-massive-land-use-huge-fuel-costs.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSmSVYm0eT4

https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-joins-eu-s-nuclear-fusion-push-europe-looks-energy-security

Carli Smith, fusion researcher at Kyoto Fusioneering, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. British-US consortium aims to build UK fusion plant

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/british-us-consortium-aims-to-build-uk-fusion-plant

2. Grid connection requested for US fusion power plant

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/grid-connection-requested-for-us-fusion-power-plant 

3. European Fusion and Industrial CEOs Call for a EU Fusion Strategy That Ensures Energy Security

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/european-fusion-and-industrial-ceos-call-for-a-eu-fusion-strategy-that-ensures-energy-security/

4. ITER Magnet Milestone Tests Fusion’s Construction Supply Chain

https://www.enr.com/articles/62975-iter-magnet-milestone-tests-fusions-construction-supply-chain 

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOF-D5Lyvw

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. The ‘dumb machine’ promising a clean energy breakthrough https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yvm11xrn6o

2. UKAEA backs First Light Fusion in £25m funding round https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/first-light-fusion-raises-25m-for-commercial-fusion-push

3. US firm to scale laser-based fusion ‘breakthrough’ with new partnership https://interestingengineering.com/energy/laser-nuclear-fusion-moves-to-private-sector

4. $95M Tokamak Energy deal moves UK closer to building a fusion power plant https://interestingengineering.com/energy/uk-fusion-tokamak-energy-magnet-contract

Bonus:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69e87bd8d36883a64473b7ec/ukaea-strategy-2026-2030.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3AK_yi-Hww

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College, London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. ARPA-E Announces Record $135M Investment in Fusion Energy

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/arpa-e-announces-record-135m-investment-in-fusion-energy/

2. The Genesis Mission: How AI Supercomputing Is About to Reshape American Science and Energy

https://www.powermag.com/the-genesis-mission-how-ai-supercomputing-is-about-to-reshape-american-science-and-energy/

3. Realta Fusion secures HTS magnet supply

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-04-06/article-7910/realta-fusion-secures-hts-magnet-supply/

4. How nuclear batteries could speed the race to fusion power

https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/08/how-nuclear-batteries-could-speed-the-race-to-fusion-power/

5. World’s First Fully HTS Tokamak Sets Fusion Duration Record in Shanghai

https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/worlds-first-fully-hts-tokamak-in-shanghai-holds-steady-operations-for-1337-seconds

6. The materials that make fusion possible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgHB0NLfj4c

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. UK fusion strategy revealed

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/uk-fusion-strategy-revealed/ 

2. OpenAI in Talks with Helion to Secure Fusion Energy

https://www.powermag.com/openai-in-talks-with-helion-to-secure-fusion-energy/ 

3. EU to invest €330 million to accelerate fusion energy and support nuclear technologies and skills

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_651

4. Novatron advances Nordic fusion plans

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/novatron-advances-nordic-fusion-plans/#:~:text=Novatron%20Fusion%20Group%20has%20partnered,commercial%20fusion%20deployment%20around%202040. 

Bonus:

https://www.the-independent.com/tech/nuclear-fusion-rocket-plasma-pulsar-b2945974.html 

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-hosts-2026-annual-policy-conference/

Adrian Carrillo, master’s student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below:

1. Advancing fusion energy: Innovative breeding blanket designs at KIT

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/advancing-fusion-energy-innovative-breeding-blanket-designs-at-kit/67336/

2. First Light validates tritium breeding

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/first-light-validates-tritium-breeding/

3. US takes step to solidify rules on fusion energy

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-takes-step-solidify-rules-nuclear-fusion-energy-2026-02-26/

4. The Hidden Technology That Could Finally Make Fusion Power Work

https://scitechdaily.com/the-hidden-technology-that-could-finally-make-fusion-power-work/

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWhbrRVwS-M

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-conference-2026/

Carli Smith, fusion researcher at Kyoto Fusioneering, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Fusion Startup Claims Major Advance in New Zealand Trial

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-17/nuclear-fusion-startup-claims-major-advance-in-new-zealand-trial 

2. China has just broken a barrier that physicists believed to be unbreakable for decades, and its 150 million-degree artificial sun could bring us closer than ever to the energy of the stars

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/china-has-just-broken-a-barrier-that-physicists-believed-to-be-unbreakable-for-decades-and-its-150-million-degree-artificial-sun-could-bring-us-closer-than-ever-to-the-energy-of-the-stars/27313/

3. Japan fusion startup completes ‘one-of-a-kind’ coil manufacturing machine

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/japan-fusion-startup-completes-coil-manufacturing 

4. Proxima Fusion seeks €2 Billion to build a nuclear fusion test facility

https://thenextweb.com/news/proxima-fusion-seeks-e2-billion-to-build-a-nuclear-fusion-test-facility 

Bonus:

https://biztimes.com/new-wisconsin-consortium-will-grow-states-fusion-energy-ecosystem/ 

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/ukaea-backs-fusion-tech/

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Fusion Startup Raises $450 Million in Bid to Make Power Using World’s Biggest Lasers 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-11/nuclear-fusion-startup-raises-450-million-to-make-power-with-lasers

2. Who Will Be First To Unlock Nuclear Fusion?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/drewbernstein/2026/02/12/who-will-be-first-to-unlock-nuclear-fusion/

3. Pacific Fusion finds a cheaper way to make its fusion reactor work

https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/05/pacific-fusion-finds-a-cheaper-way-to-make-its-fusion-reactor-work/

4. Fusion startup Helion hits blistering temps as it races toward 2028 deadline 

https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/13/fusion-startup-helion-hits-blistering-temps-as-it-races-toward-2028-deadline/

Bonus:

https://stepfusion.com/step-fusion-milestone-remountable-magnet-technology-passes-major-tests/

https://bluedotliving.com/can-fusion-energy-really-power-the-future-with-alex-creely-commonwealth-fusion-systems/

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College, London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. General Fusion to go public in US via $1 billion SPAC deal

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/general-fusion-go-public-us-via-1-billion-spac-deal-2026-01-22/

2. EU lawmakers back declaration urging the bloc to lead in commercial fusion energy

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/01/27/eu-lawmakers-back-declaration-urging-the-bloc-to-lead-in-commercial-fusion-energy

3. UKAEA spinout to develop ‘high-power’ microwaves for fusion

https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/ukaea-spinout-to-develop-high-power-microwaves-for-fusion/

4. UT To Partner with ORNL, Type One Energy on World-Class Facility to Validate Next-Gen Fusion 

https://research.utk.edu/oried/2026/01/21/ut-to-partner-with-ornl-type-one-energy-on-world-class-facility-to-validate-next-gen-fusion/ 

5. Drone test flights prove possibilities for use in fusion

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/drone-test-flights-prove-possibilities-for-use-in-fusion

Bonus:

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-conference-2026/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDh59_PK_oc

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. EAST breaks fusion density limit  https://www.neimagazine.com/news/east-breaks-fusion-density-limit/

1. US energy company installs first fusion magnet, nears clean power breakthrough https://interestingengineering.com/ces-2026/us-firm-first-nuclear-fusion-magnet 

1. AI speeds UK fusion tokamak design by 100,000 times https://channellife.co.uk/story/ai-speeds-uk-fusion-tokamak-design-by-100-000-times 

1. Thea Energy’s fusion pilot plant preconceptual design certified by U.S. Dept. of Energy https://www.roi-nj.com/2026/01/13/industry/energy-utilities/thea-energys-fusion-pilot-plant-preconceptual-design-certified-by-u-s-dept-of-energy/ 

1. Why is Truth Social owner Trump Media merging with a fusion energy firm? https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/19/trump-media-tae-technologies-energy-merger 

Bonus:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3x7pz28mo 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inDGDyz3MNE

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-conference-2026/

A compilation of the top Fusion News stories from 2025, plus an overview of the year's major industry and policy advances by FIA CEO Andrew Holland. Thanks for tuning in with us all year! We look forward to covering more milestones in 2026.As always, links to the stories covered are included below.Late-breaking news: TAE Technologies merges with TMTGhttps://tae.com/trump-media-and-technology-group-to-merge-with-tae-technologies/Top stories of 2025:Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power outputhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/05/17/laser-powered-fusion-experiment-more-than-doubles-its-power-output/(Covered by Jeff on May 28)Google buys fusion powerhttps://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/google-buys-fusion-power/(Jasmine, July 23)Helion Energy starts construction on nuclear fusion plant to power Microsoft data centershttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/helion-energy-starts-construction-nuclear-fusion-plant-power-microsoft-data-2025-07-30/(Cyd, August 6)Commonwealth Fusion Systems Raises $863 Million Series B2 Round to Accelerate the Commercialization of Fusion Energyhttps://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-raises-863-million-series-b2-round-to-accelerate-the-commercialization-of-fusion-energy(Abdus, September 3)Germany bets billions on nuclear fusion for energy futurehttps://www.dw.com/en/nuclear-fusion-germany-bets-billions-on-technology-for-energy-future/a-74522109(Abdus, November 12)

December 10, 2025

Adrian Carrillo, master’s student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below:

1. TAE Technologies and UKAEA partner to commercialise fusion tech

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tae-technologies-and-ukaea-partner-to-commercialise-fusion-tech

2. Completion of Conceptual Design for the Fusion Energy Demonstration Project "FAST"

https://kyotofusioneering.com/en/news/2025/11/27/3586

3. World's biggest fusion device adds over 1,200-ton module in major progress

https://interestingengineering.com/photo-story/worlds-biggest-fusion-reactor-new-module

4. US lab reveals how fusion fuel capsules perform under sun-like heat

https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2025-11-26-ideal-fusion-fuel-target-doesnt-exist-yet-researchers-slac-are-trying-change

Bonus:

Kyoto Fusioneering and Shimadzu Corporation Jointly Develop a Prototype of a Turbomolecular Pump Designed for Operation in Tritium Environments

https://kyotofusioneering.com/en/news/2025/12/03/3598

Ten years of Wendelstein 7-X - ten years of world-leading fusion research

https://nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/12/01/ten-years-of-wendelstein-7-x-ten-years-of-world-leading-fusion-research

FIA Launches Education and Research Partnership program

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-launches-education-and-research-partnership-program/

STEP Fusion celebrates community engagement and announces the timeline for development consent at the West Burton site

https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/community/step-fusion-celebrates-community-engagement-and-announces-the-timeline-for-development-consent-at-the-west-burton-site-5422025

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/ycIEr8KX-cc

November 26, 2025

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Zap Energy ramps up the pressure in its latest fusion device

https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/zap-energy-ramps-up-the-pressure-in-its-latest-fusion-device/2. Tokamak Energy announces magnet breakthrough

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/tokamak-energy-announces-magnet-breakthrough/3. Are we finally about to crack fusion energy?

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/are-we-finally-about-to-crack-fusion-energy/Bonus:

Fusion at United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP30

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-at-united-nations-climate-change-conference-cop30/New contract model launched for nuclear fusion schemes

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/new-contract-model-launched-for-nuclear-fusion-schemes-21-11-2025/

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/jCP0VNrKeJs

November 12, 2025

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College, London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Germany announces major national investment plan for fusion energy

https://www.dw.com/en/nuclear-fusion-germany-bets-billions-on-technology-for-energy-future/a-74522109

2. A U.S. think tank calls for a ten billion dollar government push to maintain American leadership in fusion

https://www.nucnet.org/news/stakes-have-increased-as-us-risks-falling-behind-china-in-race-for-nuclear-fusion-11-3-2025

3. Japan moves closer to commercial fusion with a successful new test

https://inspenet.com/en/noticias/japan-moves-toward-commercial-fusion-power-with-successful-test/

4. Why the Al Industry Is Betting on a Fusion Energy Breakthrough

https://time.com/7328213/nuclear-fusion-energy-ai/

Bonus:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16137063

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxs0Z8hmMZU

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/tTVfBhsUn-Q

October 29, 2025

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.1. Energy Department Announces Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap to Accelerate Commercial Fusion Powerhttps://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-fusion-science-and-technology-roadmap-accelerate-commercial2. CFS leverages DeepMind Al for SPARChttps://www.neimagazine.com/news/cfs-leverages-deepmind-ai-for-sparc/3. Nordic study on siting of fusion pilot planthttps://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/nordic-study-on-siting-of-fusion-pilot-plant4. World-first use of 3D magnetic coils to stabilise fusion plasmahttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-first-use-of-3d-magnetic-coils-to-stabilise-fusion-plasmaBonus:https://www.iter.org/node/20687/iters-stefan-jachmich-wins-nuclear-fusion-journal-prizehttps://tokamakenergy.com/2025/10/15/seeing-plasma-in-colour-new-imaging-from-st40/https://www.neimagazine.com/news/german-start-up-unveils-fusion-blueprint/

Watch our podcast on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/WUUajZ5Cu4E

October 15, 2025

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.
1. Nuclear fusion, the 'holy grail' of power, was always 30 years away
-now it's a matter of when, not if, fusion comes online to power Al
https://fortune.com/2025/10/02/nuclear-fusion-online-commercial-ai-power/
2. Eni strikes more than $1 billion power deal with US fusion firm Commonwealth
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eni-strikes-more-than-1-billion-power-deal-with-us-fusion-firm-commonwealth-2025-09-22/
3. New prediction model could improve the reliability of fusion power plants
https://news.mit.edu/2025/new-prediction-model-could-improve-reliability-fusion-power-plants-1007
Bonus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG3TxB-plT8
https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/cern-and-f4e-join-forces-to-advance-fusion-energy-development/61794/
Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/iNOg0Fv8bRI

Watch our podcast on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/iNOg0Fv8bRI

September 17, 2025

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. General Atomics marks completion of ITER’s superconducting fusion magnet

https://www.ans.org/news/2025-09-04/article-7345/general-atomics-marks-completion-of-iters-superconducting-fusion-magnet/

2. Energy Department Announces $134 Million to Advance U.S. Fusion Leadership

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/doe-invests-134-million-to-advance-u-s-leadership-in-fusion-energy-innovation/198167/ 

3. Durham scientists advance ITER reactor with landmark superconductor study

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/durham-scientists-advance-iter-reactor-with-superconductor-study/61668/

4. Super-X' design shows major advantages in handling hot exhaust of fusion energy

https://phys.org/news/2025-09-super-major-advantages-hot-exhaust.html

5. Livermore Approves Billion-Dollar Nuclear Fusion Research Facility Proposal

https://patch.com/california/livermore/livermore-approves-billion-dollar-nuclear-fusion-research-facility-proposal#

Bonus:

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/09/10/how-to-build-table-top-fusion-reactors

https://global.kyocera.com/newsroom/news/2025/001124.html

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/rzc9hed_C2c

September 3rd, 2025

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College in London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $863 Million

https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-raises-863-million-series-b2-round-to-accelerate-the-commercialization-of-fusion-energy

2. Inertia Enterprises Launches with DOE and LLNL support

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250826432256/en/Inertia-Enterprises-Launches-to-Commercialize-Fusion-Energy-Founded-by-Proven-Leaders-in-Business-and-Science

3. Fusion funding and power purchase agreements ramp up

https://www.theverge.com/news/766269/nuclear-fusion-project-map

4. General Fusion raises $22 million

https://generalfusion.com/post/a-new-day-general-fusion-closes-oversubscribed-us22-million-financing-welcomes-new-board-members

Bonus:

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/over-2-5-billion-invested-in-fusion-industry-in-past-year/

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a65595434/china-super-steel/#

Watch the episode on FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/GdPNiZ6NBHk

August 20, 2025

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Marathon Fusion claims it can turn mercury into gold while creating clean energy

https://phys.org/news/2025-07-marathon-fusion-mercury-gold-energy.html 

2. Finding the shadows in a fusion system faster with AI

https://phys.org/news/2025-08-shadows-fusion-faster-ai.html 

Bonus:

https://news.arizona.edu/news/u-industry-partners-poised-advance-fusion-innovation 

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/boron-powder-boosts-fusion-plasma-control/?cf-view

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/ET5jhBMxnBE

Fusion News: August 6, 2025

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Helion Energy starts construction on nuclear fusion plant to power Microsoft data centers

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/helion-energy-starts-construction-nuclear-fusion-plant-power-microsoft-data-2025-07-30/ 

2. Germany advances plans for world's first fusion power plant in “High-Tech Agenda”

https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-advances-plans-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant-high-tech-agenda#:~:text=The%20German%20government%20has%20fleshed,fuels%2C%20and%20industrial%20carbon%20capture. 

3. Avalanche Energy hits key milestone on the road to a desktop fusion reactor

https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/23/avalanche-energy-hits-key-milestone-on-the-road-to-a-desktop-fusion-reactor/ 

Bonus:

FIA 2025 Global Fusion Industry report launch makes headlines

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/in-the-news-the-global-fusion-industry-in-2025/

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/over-2-5-billion-invested-in-fusion-industry-in-past-year/

Overview of "BEST" tokamak in China

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/china-fusion-energy-best-reactor/

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's global fusion news update, summarizing behind all of the major headlines. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.1. EU provides funding for fusion materials testing facilityhttps://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/eu-provides-funding-for-fusion-materials-testing-facility2. FIA Launches Position Papers on EU Public-Private Partnerships, Regulations, and Fundinghttps://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-launches-position-papers-on-eu-public-private-partnerships-regulations-and-funding/3. Google buys fusion powerhttps://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/google-buys-fusion-power/4. Westinghouse and ITER sign a $180M Contract to Advance Nuclear Fusionhttps://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/westinghouse-and-iter-sign-a-180m-contract-to-advance-nuclear-fusion5. World's first steady-state net power nuclear fusion plant gets funding boosthttps://interestingengineering.com/energy/japan-firm-funding-nuclear-fusion-plantBonus: FIA Launches The Global Fusion Industry in 2025: https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/news/from-the-fia/#industry-reportshttps://phys.org/news/2025-07-fusion-proxima-centauri-potentially-habitable.htmlhttps://time.com/7302543/nuclear-energy-commonwealth-fusion/https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/interview-type-one-energy-on-developing-commercially-viable-nuclear-fusion-16-07-2025/

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Major funding milestone for world-first protype fusion plant

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/25-billion-for-world-first-prototype-fusion-energy-plant

2. Europe's fastest-growing nuclear fusion company raises $148 million in record funding round https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/nuclear-fusion-proxima-raises-148-million-in-record-funding-round.html

3. Nuclear fusion's plasma code cracked by US researchers' elusive 'voids' breakthrough https://interestingengineering.com/energy/fusion-plasma-code-cracked-us-researchers

Bonus: 

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/concept-borrowed-from-video-games-leads-to-fusion-energy-breakthrough/1100-6531863/

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2025/06/20/nj-hax-plasma-forge-new-strategic-innovation-center-coming-princeton-area

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's global fusion news update, summarizing behind all of the major headlines. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. TAE Technologies raises $150m in funding for fusion energy development

https://www.power-technology.com/news/tae-technologies-fusion-energy-development/

2. Fusion Supply Chain spending almost doubles in 2024, according to Fusion Industry Assocation

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-supply-chain-spending-almost-doubles-in-2024-according-to-fusion-industry-association/

3. Wendelstein 7-X sets new performance records in nuclear fusion research

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/wendelstein-7-x-sets-fusion-record-boosting-hopes-for-future-stellarators/58820/

4. ‘We’re definitely on the back foot’: U.S. risks losing fusion energy race to China, industry leaders warn

https://www.geekwire.com/2025/were-definitely-on-the-back-foot-u-s-risks-losing-fusion-energy-race-to-china-industry-leaders-warn/

5. Kyoto, Fujikura advance fusion magnet tech

https://www.geekwire.com/2025/were-definitely-on-the-back-foot-u-s-risks-losing-fusion-energy-race-to-china-industry-leaders-warn/

Bonus:

https://phys.org/news/2025-06-qa-exploring-ultra-high-temperature.html

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/uks-advancements-in-plasma-physics-fusion-energy/58711/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XC6nYCu3UY

A summary of recent fusion energy news stories presented by Jeff Peachman, a graduate student of plasma physics at the University of Washington. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power output.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/17/laser-powered-fusion-experiment-more-than-doubles-its-power-output/

2. US fires world's most powerful laser ever, 100 times brighter than global power.

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/us-fires-worlds-most-powerful-laser-ever

3. Realta Fusion, raises $36M, targeting mid-2030s for commercial fusion energy.

https://www.wisbusiness.com/2025/realta-fusion-raises-36m-targeting-mid-2030s-for-commercial-fusion-energy/

Bonus:

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/france-fusion-energy-suprafusion-program/

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/technology/20250520-255367/

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. US firm unveils world’s largest 350MW stellarator fusion power design basishttps://interestingengineering.com/energy/us-stellarator-fusion-power-design-basis?group=test_b

2. Bill Gates-backed Commonwealth Fusion Systems hits key reactor construction milestone

https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/25/bill-gates-backed-commonwealth-fusion-systems-hits-key-reactor-construction-milestone/

3.Marvel Fusion secures €113 million in Series B funding

https://technews180.com/funding-news/marvel-fusion-secures-e113-million-in-series-b-funding/

4. Germany plans 1 gigawatt nuclear fusion facility at famous Biblis reactor sitehttps://interestingengineering.com/energy/germany-1gw-nuclear-fusion-power-plant?group=test_b

5.Thea Energy Hits Milestone in Quest to Simplify Fusion

https://heatmap.news/climate-tech/thea-energy-fusion-stellarator-magnets

Bonus:

https://www.sustainability-times.com/low-carbon-energy/three-times-the-size-of-the-pentagon-this-giant-fusion-research-center-rising-in-china-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-energy/

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-industry-association-ceo-andrew-holland-highlights-key-reports-at-iaea-fusion-webinar/

Kyra Jorgensen, working at FIA member Helion, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1.UKAEA and Eni Unite to Construct the World's Largest Fusion Fuel Facility

https://www.sustainabletimes.co.uk/post/ukaea-and-eni-unite-to-construct-the-world-s-largest-fusion-fuel-facility

2. US to test crucial nuclear ‘fusion blanket’ to produce sun-like power on Earth

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/us-inl-nuclear-fusion-blanket 

3. General Fusion’s Made-in-Canada Technology Achieves First Plasma in Cutting Edge Fusion Demonstration Machine

https://generalfusion.com/post/general-fusions-made-in-canada-technology-achieves-first-plasma-in-cutting-edge-fusion-demonstration-machine/

4. Virginia governor say US must develop fusion or fall behind China on energy

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ceraweek-virginia-governor-say-us-must-develop-fusion-or-fall-behind-china-2025-03-12/ 

Bonus: 

https://youtu.be/kf4NyRbvkmM?si=jE8zjjdirF5xnUTI

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-sends-letter-to-congress-on-expanding-45x-tax-credit-eligibility/ 

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.1. German Startup Publishes Open-Source Plans for Fusion Power Planthttps://www.wsj.com/articles/german-startup-publishes-open-source-plans-for-nuclear-fusion-power-plant-7b2b62412. Fusion: WEST Machine beats the world record for plasma durationhttps://phys.org/news/2025-02-nuclear-fusion-west-machine-world.html3. The quest for better fusion reactors is putting a new generation of superconductors to the test https://physicsworld.com/a/the-quest-for-better-fusion-reactors-is-putting-a-new-generation-of-superconductors-to-the-test/#:~:text=Feature-,The%20quest%20for%20better%20fusion%20reactors%20is%20putting%20a,of%20superconductors%20to%20the%20test&text=Fusion%20%E2%80%93%20the%20process%20that%20powers,unlimited%20amounts%20of%20clean%20energy.4. Doctoral training to develop the next generation of fusion energy expertshttps://ccfe.ukaea.uk/doctoral-training-to-develop-the-next-generation-of-fusion-energy-experts/Bonus: https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-holds-fourth-annual-policy-conference/https://x.com/TokamakEnergy/status/1892851016938508349 https://youtu.be/RhABLT7N1bs?si=a_tFFYy52CpqHyiK

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's global fusion news update, summarizing behind all of the major headlines. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. A retired coal plant to become a 350MW stellarator fusion power facilityhttps://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/tva-signs-up-for-type-one-energy-fusion-plant

2. Neutron isotropy measurements validate shared-flow-stabilized z pinches for stable thermal fusionhttps://phys.org/news/2025-02-neutron-isotropy-validate-stabilized-stable.html

3. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories expands clean energy siting invitation to include fusion, hydrogen, and battery storagehttps://fuelcellsworks.com/2025/02/05/clean-energy/canadian-nuclear-laboratories-expands-clean-energy-siting-invitation-to-include-fusion-hydrogen-and-battery-storage

Bonus:

Modi and Macron visit ITER site in southern France

https://apnews.com/video/modi-and-macron-visit-iter-site-in-southern-france-3246594f36774e55b38d2708d4b49d6a

European Parliament Hosts First-of-a-Kind Fusion Public Hearing

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/european-parliament-hosts-first-of-a-kind-fusion-public-hearing/

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives today's Fusion News update - summarizing the major recent headlines in fusion energy. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Helion raises $425M to help build a fusion reactor for Microsoft

https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/28/helion-raises-425m-to-help-build-a-fusion-reactor-for-microsoft/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACCHSANyin08I0FOcqSOfIR23FAoJh1rpHCxk-5f309sZIVfh3VYtpCEzicMBZFkEJ8J585dolFgu5sJrDyMefIClG23AXCb88_FqwreC_ta2lJwHsMycK-xW94q9B6uwnodJL_m8hUysYvtPtZK7Tot8T_3LVCUQSO1DscFQljr 

2. Deploying Advanced Energy Tech Faster

https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/deploying-advanced-energy-tech-faster/ 

3. UKAEA to invest £200m to advance fusion fuel development

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/ukaea-to-invest-200m-to-advance-fusion-fuel-development/ 

4. SMART: One step closer to nuclear fusion with its first plasma

https://phys.org/news/2025-01-smart-closer-nuclear-fusion-plasma.html 

Bonus:

Exclusive: Images show China building huge fusion research facility, analysts say

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/images-show-china-building-huge-fusion-research-facility-analysts-say-2025-01-28/

Private companies aim to demonstrate working fusion reactors in 2025

https://www.science.org/content/article/private-companies-aim-demonstrate-working-fusion-reactors-2025 

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below.

1. Fusion Start-Up Plans to Build Its First Power Plant in Virginia 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/17/climate/commonwealth-fusion-power-plant.html 

2. Ministers pledge record €410m to support UK nuclear fusion energy 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/ministers-pledge-record-410m-to-support-uk-nuclear-fusion-energy

3. Is the world ready for the transformational power of fusion? 

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/fusion-energy-future/ 

4. Fusion-grade steel produced at scale in UK-first

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fusion-grade-steel-produced-at-scale-in-uk-first 

Bonus: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan-government-response/ai-opportunities-action-plan-government-response 

In this special edition of Fusion News, Fusion Industry Association CEO Andrew Holland summarizes fusion's progress in 2024 and introduces some of the major headlines from the year. Links to news stories are included below. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy 2025!

1. Nuclear Startup Pacific Fusion Nabs $900 Million in Funding

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-25/nuclear-startup-pacific-fusion-raises-900-million-in-funding

2. Thales and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics set a world record in the field of nuclear fusion

https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/group/press_release/thales-and-max-planck-institute-plasma-physics-set-world-record-field

3. The nuclear fusion industry is having a growth spurt

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/17/nuclear-fusion-companies-funding

4. Record electron temperatures for a small-scale, sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch fusion device achieved

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-electron-temperatures-small-scale-stabilized.html

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.155101

5. G7 Puts Fusion Forward at the Climate Energy and Environment Ministers Meeting

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/g7-puts-fusion-forward-at-the-climate-energy-and-environment-ministers-meeting/

6. Helion secures license for Polaris fusion

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/helion-secures-licence-to-advance-polaris-fusion-facility/

December 11, 2024

Mechanical engineer Jasmine Mund gives today's Fusion News episode, summarizing the major fusion news headlines from the past two weeks. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. General Fusion confirms significant fusion neutron yield and plasma stability during MTF compression experiment series with new peer-reviewed publication https://generalfusion.com/post/general-fusion-confirms-significant-fusion-neutron-yield-and-plasma-stability-during-mtf-compression-experiment-series-with-new-peer-reviewed-publication/ 2. China ships vital ITER modules for assembly of world’s largest fusion reactor https://interestingengineering.com/energy/china-made-components-iter-fusion-reactor 3. Researchers reveal the mechanism of runaway electron generation in tokamak fusion reactors https://phys.org/news/2024-12-reveal-mechanism-runaway-electron-generation.html 4. Tokamak Energy partners with U.S. DOE and UK’s DESNZ to accelerate fusion development through $52m ST40 upgrade https://tokamakenergy.com/2024/12/05/tokamak-energy-partners-with-u-s-doe-and-uks-desnz-to-accelerate-fusion-development-through-52m-st40-upgrade/ 5. Nuclear Data InterAgency Working Group Funding Opportunity https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOEOS/bulletins/3c3e19c Bonuses: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-worlds-first-fusion-energy-cafe-opens-to-fuel-hungry-minds https://physicsworld.com/a/optimization-algorithm-gives-laser-fusion-a-boost/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/iter-organization_fusionenergy-iter-virtualtour-activity-7267601893353250819-GPI3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

November 27, 2024

Fusion News

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. Nuclear Startup Pacific Fusion Nabs $900 Million in Funding https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-25/nuclear-startup-pacific-fusion-raises-900-million-in-funding 2. Japan launches FAST fusion power project https://www.neimagazine.com/news/japan-launches-fast-fusion-power-project/ 3. The Quest to Build a Star on Earth https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/15/climate/fusion-energy.html?smid=url-share 4. Limitless fusion power: Tokamak Energy heats up with $125M from investors including British Patient Capital https://techfundingnews.com/tokamak-energy-8m-investment-fusion-limitless-fusion-power/ 5. Nuclear fusion start-up claims milestone with unconventional reactor https://www.ft.com/content/69ac41e6-36ad-41b7-92f3-25198a338c0f Bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq68cV7HAIg

You can watch this episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/rFiUiqClflM

October 30, 2024

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's global fusion news update, summarizing behind all of the major headlines. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. Tokamak Energy gives details of pilot fusion energy plant design https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/tokamak-energy-gives-details-of-pilot-fusion-energy-plant-design 2. Thales and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics set a world record in the field of nuclear fusion https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/group/press_release/thales-and-max-planck-institute-plasma-physics-set-world-record-field 3. For Heating Plasma in Fusion Devices, Researchers Unravel How Electrons Respond to Neutral Beam Injection https://www.energy.gov/science/fes/articles/heating-plasma-fusion-devices-researchers-unravel-how-electrons-respond 4. Nuclear fusion push: General Atomics releases FUSE to speed up reactor development https://interestingengineering.com/energy/general-atomics-fuse-nuclear-fusion-energy 5. U.S. Department of Energy Announces Nearly $30 Million for 13 Projects to Enable Commercial Fusion Energy https://arpa-e.energy.gov/news-and-media/press-releases/us-department-energy-announces-nearly-30-million-13-projects-enable Bonus: https://energynews.pro/en/progress-of-fusion-reactors-in-spain-and-new-zealand/ https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/fusion-as-the-future-of-baseload-energy-powering-a-decarbonised-world/52112/ https://physics.aps.org/articles/v17/s127 https://interestingengineering.com/energy/mast-upgrade-1600-fusion-plasma-pulses https://interestingengineering.com/science/plasma-thrusters-nuclear-fusion-boost

Fusion News: October 16, 2024

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives today's global fusion news update. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. Zap Energy shows off its new fusion power prototype, Century https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/09/zap-energy-shows-off-its-new-fusion-power-prototype-century/ 2. Fusion, the Web and electric planes: how spin-offs from big science are transforming the world https://physicsworld.com/a/fusion-the-web-and-electric-planes-how-spin-offs-from-big-science-are-transforming-the-world/ 3. Stopping off-the-wall behavior in fusion reactors https://phys.org/news/2024-10-wall-behavior-fusion-reactors.html 4. Japan’s tokamak sets world record, achieves plasma volume of 160 cubic meters https://interestingengineering.com/energy/world-largest-tokamak-jt-60sa-plasma Bonuses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az4J5H2FXkE&list=PLy5tg85zU5CCWzhG0yrg9NK_0HCtirp_n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDi4uf25hfo

Fusion News: October 2, 2024

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives today's Fusion News update - summarizing the major recent headlines in fusion energy. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. Marvel Fusion lands $70M for laser-powered fusion bet https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/marvel-fusion-lands-70m-for-laser-powered-fusion-bet/ 2. Fusion fuel mix could stabilize burning plasma https://euro-fusion.org/eurofusion-news/fusion-fuel-mix-could-stabilise-burning-plasma/ 3. Researchers build AI model database to find new alloys for nuclear fusion facilities https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ai-database-alloys-nuclear-fusion.html 4. After Latest ITER Delay, Senators Quiz Fusion Experts over Commercial Reactor Timelines https://ww2.aip.org/fyi/after-latest-iter-delay-senators-quiz-fusion-experts-over-commercial-reactor-timelines Bonus: Zero: Inside a $2 Billion Nuclear Fusion Startup https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2024-09-25/zero-inside-a-2-billion-nuclear-fusion-startup-podcast Fusion Energy Closer With Help From Self-Driving Robot Dogs; https://www.newsweek.com/nuclear-fusion-clean-energy-self-driving-robot-dogs-1957720

Jasmine Mund, mechanical design engineer, gives today's Fusion News update - summarizing the major recent headlines in fusion energy. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. World’s most powerful stellarator begins experiment for better fusion energy https://interestingengineering.com/energy/stellarator-wendelstein-7-x-nuclear-fusion 2. Chinese start-up aims for nuclear fusion at half the cost of US rivals https://www.ft.com/content/bf012cd9-1624-49c1-8352-5a91fb4d9a21 3. ‘World’s largest’ tokamak’s stable Deuterium-Tritium plasmas to help reactor design https://interestingengineering.com/energy/jet-tokamak-deuterium-tritium-plasmas 4. Tokamak Energy launches TE Magnetics https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/tokamak-energy-launches-te-magnetics?mc_cid=298a918966 Bonus: Could powerful lasers unlock cheap fusion power? https://bbc.com/news/articles/cml2pyvmw9ro Measuring the gamma-ray-to-neutron branching ratio in the deuterium-tritium reaction https://phys.org/news/2024-09-gamma-ray-neutron-ratio-deuterium.html Draghi’s Report on European Competitiveness Highlights Fusion as a Disruptive Technology https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/draghis-report-on-european-competitiveness-highlights-fusion-as-a-disruptive-technology/ First plasma marks major milestone in UW–Madison fusion energy research https://www.wisconsin.edu/all-in-wisconsin/story/first-plasma-marks-major-milestone-in-uw-madison-fusion-energy-research/ Nuclear fusion reactor created by school teenager successfully achieved plasma https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-fusion-reactor-by-teenager-achieved-plasma