Commonwealth Fusion Systems

The atmosphere at the Breakthrough Energy Summit was buzzing, with discussions about climate tech and the fusion energy industry. We, along with other leaders in tech, science, and policy, used the event to show climate tech will scale globally. Highlights: ⭐ Bill Gates and our CEO Bob Mumgaard discussed our high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, core to our SPARC tokamak ⭐ A “pancake” from our toroidal field model coil (TFMC) was on display ⭐ Our partner Vinod Khosla highlighted our work during his keynote ⭐ Our CEO published an open letter to demystify the process of evaluating fusion energy companies Check out the full highlight reel here. #BESummit24 #FusionEnergy

With the stroke of a pen today, President Biden signed the ADVANCE Act into law, and with it locked in the certainty that the fusion industry needs to develop, build, and scale commercial fusion power in the United States. The new law effectively codifies the unanimous decision by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in April 2023 to regulate commercial fusion energy completely separately from fission. Regulating fusion this way, under a byproduct materials framework, ensures the US regulatory and licensing approach is matched to the operational realities of fusion power plants. And that enables companies like CFS to innovate on their designs while also protecting public health and safety. This is the same process CFS is using to license SPARC in Devens, Massachusetts. We know it works here, and that’s how it’ll help let fusion thrive here in the US, too. We want to give special thanks to the original champions in Congress of the bill — initially called the Fusion Energy Act — including Representatives Chuck Fleischmann Representative Lori Trahan, Congressman Jay Obernolte, Don Beyer, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Ranking Member Frank Pallone. In the Senate, the bill was led by Senators Alex Padilla, John Cornyn, Corey Booker, Todd Young, and Patty Murray, along with Chairman Tom Carper and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito. It's an exciting time in commercial fusion. Having the regulatory certainty we need, first in the United Kingdom and now in the US, is critical for this new industry. https://bit.ly/4eTSx06

Become a fusion energy pioneer and work with a wide-ranging team focused on one unified goal: driving fusion forward. Calling all technicians with 3+ years of experience in roles like assembly, welding, testing, and handling wiring and electromechanical parts. We’re looking to fill roles for second and third shifts. Does this sound like you or someone you know? Register today for our Career Day on Saturday, July 13, from 2–5 p.m. at our Devens, Massachusetts, HQ: https://bit.ly/3XX5Ab4

Fusion energy startups are building real hardware, which means we’re spending real money with suppliers who have what we need. Specifically, we spent more than $612 million in 2023, and we expect a 21% spending increase in 2024, according to data gathered for the Fusion Industry Association’s new Supply Chain 2024 report. What do we buy? Top items include vacuum pumps, high-grade steel, more common metals, power electronics, and precision manufacturing services. And items that could constrain us include specialized metals, laser components, high-temperature superconductors, and gaseous fusion fuels. For details, check the FIA’s Supply Chain 2024 report here: https://lnkd.in/eb__j46B #Fusion #FusionEnergy #SupplyChain

We’ve seen fusion energy progress with the United States and United Kingdom adopting regulations that treat our power plants similarly to particle accelerators, and this week Commonwealth Fusion Systems made the case that Germany should follow suit. “The regulatory framework is really important, because that is what gives us certainty about the timelines and what we need to do,” said Sara Castegini, our Principal Global Policy Lead, in testimony before the German Committee for Education, Research, and Technology Assessment. The committee discussed how to best build innovation-friendly and risk-appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks for commercial fusion energy in Germany and Europe. We're conducting a global site search for our early fusion power plants and believe that “Countries that have decided to regulate fusion akin to particle accelerators will become the global leaders in fusion,” Castegini told the committee. Fusion energy is different from fission, the process in nuclear power plants we’re familiar with on today’s electrical grid. Fusion is inherently safer, with no risk of meltdown and with no long-lived radioactive waste. Regulations should be designed for that lower risk profile and not be based on fission regulations. The committee heard that message not only from us, but from all the other experts on the panel including staff from Proxima Fusion and Marvel Fusion. Details here: https://lnkd.in/dzQxUMXq #Fusion #Germany #FusionEnergy

Fusion energy has the potential to be an abundant, carbon-free power source, and the technology is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality. I saw Commonwealth Fusion Systems’s high-temperature superconducting magnets last week—it’s just incredible how far they’ve come. 

Fusion is the future. At Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Devens, Massachusetts, we’re building a tokamak called SPARC to get us there. It was a pleasure to sit down with White House Chronicle host Llewellyn King and co-host Adam Clayton Powell III to discuss our plan to prove net fusion energy with SPARC then commercialize fusion with a successor called ARC. Our first-of-its-kind magnet technology helps us scale down the size of equipment needed to deliver fusion power. Watch the full interview here to hear why now is the time for clean, sustainable, and safe renewable energy: https://lnkd.in/gannJNEw

As we come closer to harnessing the power of fusion energy, it’s crucial to create supportive policies to accelerate commercialization. The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) recently published a white paper, “Commercializing Fusion Energy: The policy incentives that will attract and accelerate the fusion industry.” It details policies for success, including: ✅ Use Public-Private Partnerships: Cost-share programs help fusion companies while protecting the taxpayer ✅ Provide Regulatory Certainty: Fusion needs regulations that are entirely separate from fission, a completely different process ✅ Level the Playing Field: Fusion energy technologies should benefit fairly from programs that support zero-carbon, clean energy By aligning efforts across sectors, we can revolutionize our energy landscape, enhance economic security, and tackle climate change effectively. Read the full white paper here: https://bit.ly/4eFhPPD #FusionEnergy #EnergyTransition

It’s good to have green tech allies here in Massachusetts, both in the governor’s office and in the private sector, to help educate and attract the talent we need to fight climate change. Thanks to Maura Healey (left) and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll (right) for their commitment to clean tech here and for honoring Commonwealth Fusion Systems and the other 27 Massachusetts companies named to Time Magazine's Top Greentech Companies of 2024 [https://bit.ly/48LE3uW]. Jessica Strunkin (left of center) and Kristen Cullen (right of center) were honored to receive your citation on behalf of CFS. Read the press release here: https://bit.ly/3XQdG54 #ClimateChange #FusionEnergy

We have partnered with the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics to drive innovation in fusion energy. Our recent workshop at IPP in Germany highlights the achievements made possible through our collaboration, particularly in testing plasma-facing components for our SPARC tokamak.