The U.S. Department of Energy has completed negotiations with eight companies that could make space power a reality on Earth, with the grant agreements providing a path to help keep the country economically competitive and energy secure as it transitions to a cleaner grid.
On June 7, E&E News by Politico reported that the congressionally authorized Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program has allocated $46 million combined to the companies, which will develop pilot programs to showcase the commercial viability of fusion energy — based on the same process that powers the sun and stars.
"We have had remarkable breakthroughs in fusion research," DOE Deputy Secretary David Turk said, per the news outlet. "We need to build on that momentum."
Unlike fission reactors, which are used for nuclear power plants, fusion devices don't produce long-lived, high-risk radioactive waste, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. This makes fusion an even cleaner solution in the quest for non-carbon-generating energy sources. While nuclear power is a low-carbon type of energy, it requires resources that are finite on Earth. Its adoption can also face misinformation hurdles regarding its overall safety.
Scientists worldwide have been seeking ways to introduce fusion technology on a broader scale. For example, one startup incorporated lasers into its design, while others have focused on making existing fusion reaction devices like stellarators more powerful, affordable, and efficient. Regardless of the method, research has been ongoing for decades.
A breakthrough in commercial-scale fusion technology could not only benefit the economy but also provide Americans with even more low-cost, reliable energy, which may eventually complement or replace current money-saving technological upgrades — like energy-efficient appliances and solar panels.
According to E&E News, the companies participating in the milestone program are "relative newcomers" in the energy sector but have a wealth of scientific knowledge and research.
The DOE announced another initiative, the Fusion Innovation Research Engine, the same day as the milestone grants. That program aims to build connections between laboratory findings and commercial development, boosting U.S. manufacturing and supply chains.
While milestone negotiations took one year, with intellectual property considerations among the key concerns, one of the companies told E&E News that its project was still on schedule.
"We're on track to meet our first milestones," Type One Energy senior vice president Matt Miles told the outlet. "We kept going. We felt pretty confident we would reach an agreement."
The seven other awardees are Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Focused Energy, Princeton Stellarators, Realta Fusion, Tokamak Energy, Xcimer Energy, and Zap Energy, according to a release by the DOE.
"Commercial fusion energy will revolutionize the energy industry," U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN) said in the release. "... This is a major step to developing commercial fusion energy that will transform how America meets its energy needs and make our nation the global leader in fusion energy science and technology."
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