Posted on 05/10/2023 3:44:50 PM PDT by algore
Helion Energy signed its first customer this week.
The Everett-based company agreed to provide the software giant Microsoft with at least 50 megawatts of electricity from its planned first fusion power plant, starting in 2028.
Fifty megawatts is enough electricity to power a data center or factory, said David Kirtley, Helion’s CEO.
Founded in 2013, Helion has launched a multi-billion-dollar effort to produce electricity from fusion, the nuclear reaction that powers the sun and stars.
Fusion has long been viewed as a potential zero-carbon source of energy.
Unlike nuclear fission, which obtains its energy from splitting atoms, fusion does not produce significant amounts of radioactive waste.
Electricity production is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
“This collaboration represents a significant milestone for Helion and the fusion industry as a whole,” Kirtley said. “We are grateful for the support of a visionary company like Microsoft. We still have a lot of work to do, but we are confident in our ability to deliver the world’s first fusion power facility.”
In a statement, Microsoft’s vice chair and president Brad Smith said, “We are optimistic that fusion energy can be an important technology to help the world transition to clean energy. “Helion’s announcement supports our own long term clean energy goals and will advance the market to establish a new, efficient method for bringing more clean energy to the grid, faster.”
Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group, which provides electric power, natural gas, and energy management services, will serve as the power marketer and manage the transmission of electricity from Helion
Last year, Helion published results claiming it was the first private company to reach 100-million-degree plasma temperatures with its sixth fusion prototype.
(Excerpt) Read more at heraldnet.com ...
Oh. Interesting approach. Thank you.
That is supernova explosion temperature, not sun fusion temperature. These things will only be built in Republican voter areas, never close to Demonrat cities. The first reactor explosion will be a doozy. Enjoy your less radioactive shrapnel.
The comments below the video are high-IQ for youtube fare.
Kind of like a piston ICE that uses plasma. :-)
Good judgment. Don’t hold your breath.
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