Helion is a fusion energy firm that specializes in using fusion to produce electricity with no carbon emissions. Its goal is to construct the first fusion power plant in history. It aims to provide limitless clean electricity in the future,
Helion, a pioneer in fusion energy technology, has revealed that it has secured an additional $425 million in funding.
Thanks to this large investment, Helion will be able to accelerate the development of its commercial-scale fusion power plant.
“We will be drastically increasing our manufacturing in the United States – allowing us to build capacitors, magnets, and semiconductors much faster than we have been able to before.”
“This speeds up the construction of the first fusion power plant in the world and all of our future plants,” David Kirtley, CEO of Helion stated.
The company is backed by Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, it hopes to supply Microsoft with electricity by 2028.
Helion Takes a Distinct Approach
While there are other fusion startups, Helion stands out for its unique approach to fusion energy.
It makes use of a field-reversed configuration reactor. This technology differs from standard magnetic and inertial confinement technologies. Instead, Helion’s reactor uses a succession of magnetic fields to control and compress plasma in a specially built chamber.
The procedure begins with deuterium and helium-3 gas being injected into each end of the reactor. This gas is then heated to become plasma, which is then shaped and accelerated by magnetic fields to speeds greater than one million miles per hour. The plasma forms clash in the reactor’s core chamber.
“Deuterium and helium-3 fuel is heated to plasma temperatures. Magnets confine plasma in a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC).
“When the FRCs collide in the center of the system, they are further compressed by a powerful magnetic field until they reach fusion temperatures greater than 100 million degrees Celsius (9 keV),” says the fusion company.
Polaris Prototype
Polaris, Helion’s latest prototype, is fully operational in Everett, Washington. Polaris is expected to be the first fusion reactor to produce power commercially.
The company is focusing on expanding its manufacturing skills and constructing the infrastructure for a commercial-scale power plant. The company wants to meet its lofty aim of providing power to Microsoft by 2028.
Competition For Fusion Energy
The development of commercial fusion reactors for the production of electricity has been the focus of intense efforts by several entrepreneurs worldwide.
A US-based business called Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) recently declared that it would construct the first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant in history.
CFS plans to construct its fusion plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia, near the James River Industrial Park. It is expected to start operating in the early 2030s.
