U.S. launches partnership to develop fusion energy

The American company Inertia Enterprises has announced a partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) aimed at accelerating the transition of fusion technologies from scientific experiments to practical use. The two sides plan to jointly tackle the key engineering challenges that are hindering the creation of commercial fusion power plants. This was reported by Ixbt.com.

Within the project, new optical materials, laser components and prototypes for powerful laser devices will be developed. Special attention will be paid to special fuel capsules — fusion targets — which play a key role in energy production in inertial fusion experiments.

The inertial fusion method involves generating energy by compressing a small hydrogen capsule with powerful lasers. The extreme temperatures and pressures created during the process cause atomic nuclei to fuse, releasing enormous energy, as in stars.

As part of the partnership, Inertia gained access to nearly 200 of the laboratory's patents related to inertial fusion technologies. This is expected to significantly speed up the process of turning scientific results into industrial solutions and, in the future, creating a production base.