Funding Will Drive Target Fabrication and Laser Study for Commercial Inertial Fusion Power Plants and Support Critical Systems Research for Magnetic Fusion Energy
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Scientists at General Atomics (GA) are delighted this week after receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for important fusion energy research. As part of the Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives, the DOE has awarded more than $107 million to six pioneering projects nationwide, including the GA-led Collaborative Target Injector Nexus for Experimental Development (TINEX)—a program dedicated to overcoming critical obstacles in developing and scaling inertial fusion power plants—as well as two other initiatives that the company supports through its extensive scientific expertise.
This funding reaffirms GA’s position as a leader in fusion energy innovation, alongside its partners: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, Colorado State University, University of California San Diego, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
“We are excited to use the TINEX collaboration to bring fusion energy closer to commercialization,” said Neil Alexander, director of Inertial Fusion Energy for General Atomics Energy Group. “Developing this technology has been a lifelong passion for many because it has the potential to provide a sustainable, long-term energy source for humanity’s future needs.”
The TINEX collaboration includes an industrial council of leading inertial fusion power plant companies, including Xcimer Energy, Marvel Fusion, Longview Energy Systems, LaserFusionX, HB11, Focused Energy, and Blue Laser Fusion. The council will guide partners in developing practical solutions to critical industry challenges, such as the fabrication and use of fusion fuel targets—tiny, gas-filled capsules that are delivered into a confinement chamber and struck by high-powered lasers to generate intense heat. In addition, the project will tackle other obstacles that may arise in a full-scale power plant, such as managing debris inside the chamber, mitigating damage to optical systems caused by capsule fragments, improving capsule resilience to high temperatures, and creating tracking sensors to accurately aim lasers at the fast-moving capsules.
In addition to leading TINEX, GA will participate in two other DOE-funded projects. The Fuel Cycle Fusion Innovative Research Engine, led by Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), will address environmental challenges in scaling up fusion power, particularly those related to the fuel cycle. The Blanket Neutron Test Fusion Innovative Research Engine, led by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), will focus on fusion blanket development, a crucial component of fusion power plant design that captures the energy and transports it from the fusion core for conversion into electricity. The project will enable scientists to test neutron impacts on blanket components and develop predictive modeling and simulation tools.
GA will provide engineering expertise and facility modeling for both confinement fusion projects, utilizing its FUSE program to establish operational fusion plant states that meet stakeholder requirements.
“We are grateful to the DOE and our partners for their support and dedication to advancing these vital programs,” said Wayne Solomon, vice president of Magnetic Fusion Energy for the General Atomics Energy Group. “This funding propels two critical components forward that will help carry us closer to achieving a fully operational fusion power plant in the United States.”
Fusion is the same process that powers the sun. Unlike current nuclear power, which splits atoms, fusion fuses them together, creating intense heat that can be used to generate electricity. Researchers believe this novel high-tech method could lead to almost unlimited sustainable energy to meet humanity’s future needs.
For decades, General Atomics has been at the forefront of fusion technology research. At its San Diego headquarters, GA scientists and engineers collaborate with teams worldwide to develop the technologies needed to make fusion power plants a reality. GA also operates the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, a Department of Energy user facility that houses the only operating fusion reactor (tokamak) in the U.S., where scientists collaborate to find the best solutions for bringing fusion power to market.
For more information about General Atomics’ fusion technology research, visit ga.com/energy-systems-and-products.
About General Atomics
Since the dawn of the atomic age, General Atomics innovations have advanced the state of the art across the full spectrum of science and technology – from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing. Behind a talented global team of scientists, engineers, and professionals, GA’s unique experience and capabilities continue to deliver safe, sustainable, economical, and innovative solutions to meet growing global demands.
CONTACT: Andrew James General Atomics Energy Group 858-287-2636 andrew.james@ga.com
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