A company in Richmond, General Fusion, is creating a new “Magnetized Target Fusion” machine, which they say will be able to create fusion conditions of more than 100 million degrees Celsius.
“General Fusion does fusion a little bit differently than most people,” Dr. Michel Laberge said, General Fusion’s founder and chief science officer.
“Most people put this very hot gas in a donut with some big magnets. We do that but we crush it. Other people don’t crush it. When you crush something, it gets denser and it gets hotter so the fusion happens faster.”
It is expected that the machine will be ready to operate by 2025.
The goal of the company is to fundamentally transform the world’s energy grid with zero-carbon energy.
“The only way to do this, and fight climate change, is with a practical and affordable approach to fusion energy – Magnetized Target Fusion,” said Laberge. “Every decision we make at General Fusion comes back to this commitment.”
The first fundraising effort has been completed for a combined $33.5 million, which was anchored by existing investors such as BDC Capital and GIC. It also received grants from the province through the federal Strategic Innovation Fund.
“Our government is building on our thriving knowledge and innovation-based economy to create good, sustainable jobs for all British Columbians,” said Brenda Bailey, B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “B.C.’s $5-million contribution to General Fusion’s energy project will support a sustainable and resilient economy and advance fusion research in our province.”
According to the company, this machine represents a significant new pillar to accelerate and remove risk from General Fusion’s demonstration program, which is designed to leverage the company’s recent technological advancements and provide electricity to the power grid with commercial fusion energy by the early to mid-2030s.
The machine, which has been named Lawson Machine 26 (LM26), uses previous technology the company has developed, including one of the world’s largest and most power operational plasma injectors.
Over the next two to three years, General Fusion said will work closely with the UK Atomic Energy Authority to validate the data gathered from LM26 and incorporate it into the design of the company’s planned commercial scale demonstration in the UK.
General Fusion says fusion energy is the ultimate clean energy solution, the power of the sun and stars.
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