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Page added on October 17, 2020
America’s First Nuclear Fusion Reactor Could Go Online in 2025
In 2014, Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) shocked the world with the announcement that it was building a nuclear fusion reactor and planned to have it online “in as little as ten years.” Five years later, Lockheed confirmed that it is still working on the project — but had made very little progress in nuclear fusion energy.
Now it sounds like MIT may beat them to it.
Image source: Commonwealth Fusion Systems.
The SPARC of an idea
On the opposite side of the country from the fabled Skunk Works, which is working on LockMart’s version of the reactor, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Plasma Science and Fusion Center are working on a compact fusion reactor of their own, reports The New York Times. Within the next three to four years, working in cooperation with a company spun off from MIT in 2017 to commercialize the idea, “Commonwealth Fusion Systems LLC,” MIT hopes to have a “SPARC” test reactor built to prove their concept.
MIT and CFS intend to use “yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) high-temperature superconducting magnet technology” to form a magnetic field to contain a reaction in which deuterium and tritium (both isotopes of hydrogen) will be forced to fuse together under high pressure and temperatures of “tens of millions of degrees.” The entire donut-shaped reactor should be “about the size of a tennis court,” says CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard. But if it works as promised, the reactor should produce about 10x more energy than is required to ignite and maintain the fusion reaction within it, paving the way, says CFS, for “carbon-free, safe, limitless, fusion power.”
At that point, MIT and CFS will begin constructing a full-scale “ARC” — which stands for “affordable, robust, compact” — power plant, possibly as early as 2025.
A better nuclear future?
MIT and CFS are planning for their prototype ARC reactor to put out about 270 megawatts — about one-quarter the output of a standard fission reaction nuclear power plant, and enough to power 100,000 homes.
Similar in concept to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently under construction in Southern France (with an expected operational date of 2035), MIT and CFS say their reactor will cost only a fraction of ITER’s expected $22 billion price tag. If they’re right, that would also make ARC cheaper to build than existing fission-based nuclear power plants, which can cost $23 billion and up.
Moreover, operating costs after construction should be significantly less, as a fusion reactor will not need expensive uranium to fuel it, instead using hydrogen as its fuel source. Nor will it need so much fuel. Indeed, CFS claims that “one glass of water will provide enough fusion fuel for one person’s lifetime” — without the radioactive waste of a traditional nuclear reactor.
What it means for investors
Now, what are the chances MIT and CFS will succeed in their project?
Well, if funding is any indication of the chances of success (it might not be, but I’d argue it’s at least a gauge of investors’ confidence), MIT and its partner are off to a good start. According to data collected by S&P Global Market Intelligence, in just three years, Commonwealth Fusion Systems has already attracted nearly $250 million in private financing from investors, including both private equity firms and also Italian energy giant Eni S.p.A. (NYSE:E).
That’s more than twice the money that privately-held, California-based TAE Technologies — another start-up doing fusion research — is reported to have amassed, and nearly five times what U.K.-based First Light Fusion, affiliated with Oxford University, has raised.
That being said, it’s far less than the $106 billion market capitalization backing Lockheed Martin’s efforts. Given how little progress LockMart seems to have made over the past six years, I’d caution investors not to take even MIT’s success for granted. CFS might still fail in its endeavor.
That being said, the amount of private money being thrown at this endeavor is intriguing. As MIT and CFS continue to progress toward construction of their test reactor, an IPO might not be out of the question to accelerate their efforts. As one of the leaders in this new field of energy research, Commonwealth Fusion Systems is an IPO prospect I’d want to keep on the lookout for.\
fool
76 Comments on "America’s First Nuclear Fusion Reactor Could Go Online in 2025"
makati1 on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 5:57 pm
Juan, I will ignore you only if you stop with the name calling, childish rhetoric, and delusional accusations.
As simple as that.
JuanP on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 5:58 pm
fuck you Mak, let the psycho wars continue
FamousDrScanlon on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 5:59 pm
I hate all of you
FamousDrScanlon on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 5:59 pm
but I hate myself too
Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 6:03 pm
Me to ape man. Me to.
Anonymouse on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 6:15 pm
You are an idiot, JuanP
makati1 on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 6:27 pm
Well, since I have not been on PO for about 20 hours, I see the children posted in my name numerous times. Just more proof how the US is insane and going down the shitter. Sigh.
Anonymouse on Sun, 18th Oct 2020 9:22 pm
Davy’s lunacy somehow, manages to get worse with each passing day? Week?, hour perhaps?
The 6:15 is of course, as fake as davys dumbasses Italian doomstead and his hundreds of acres of land filled happy well-fed ruminants.
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Sissyfuss on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 8:53 am
I see the sh#t show is still alive and unwell here. This used to be an outstanding forum but has regressed to the point of one not being able to stand it. Limits to Growth excludes civilized debate as well.
JuanP on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 8:54 am
fuck you Siss, this is my site now. run along asshole
makati1 on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 8:55 am
Sissyfuss, JuanP has completely lost it. Just be patient he is losing his mind.
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:05 am
fuck you Siss, this is my site now. run along asshole.
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:06 am
Sissyfuss, Davy has completely lost it. Just be patient he is losing his widdle mind.
zero juan on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:07 am
the dishonest piece of shit JuanP lying about his stink. Mods ban the fuck please:
zero davy said fuck you Siss, this is my site now. run along assh…
zero davy said widdle davy, your not famous, stupid. You are an…
Arthur Logtenberg said “Dutch coronavirus cases jump by more than 8…
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:09 am
the dishonest piece of shit Davy lying about his stink. Mods ban the fuck please:
zero davy said fuck you Siss, this is my site now. run along assh…
zero davy said widdle davy, your not famous, stupid. You are an…
Arthur Logtenberg said “Dutch coronavirus cases jump by more than 8…
the board on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:11 am
Most all people on this unmoderated forum HATE juanPpee. Not only is he stupid he is not even funny. He is absurdity
zero juan on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:12 am
LMFAO, the troll gets trolled…sweet
zero davy said the dishonest piece of shit Davy lying about his s…
The REAL Board on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:13 am
Most all people on this unmoderated forum HATE daVvee. Not only is he stupid he is not even funny. He is absurdity
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:14 am
LOFAO, the troll gets trolled…sweet
zero davy said the dishonest piece of shit Davy lying about his s…
zero juan on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:16 am
widdle is whining again. He wants his nanny to make it better:
zero davy said LOFAO, the troll gets trolled…sweet zero davy said…
The REAL Board said Most all people on this unmoderated forum HATE daV…
Apneaman on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:16 am
My gawd, JuanP is off the deap end.
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:17 am
widdle is whining again. He wants his nanny goat to make it better:
zero davy said LOFAO, the troll gets trolled…sweet zero davy said…
The REAL Board said Most all people on this unmoderated forum HATE daV…
zero davy on Wed, 21st Oct 2020 9:18 am
My gawd, Widdle Davy is off the deap end.
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