Fusion Industry Association

Government and industry leaders from around the world meet in Rome for the inaugural World Fusion Energy Group meeting. FIA testifies on fusion at Italy hearing. G7 Working Group on Fusion holds first meeting. FIA & IAEA sign partnership. UK announces budget. US holds presidential election... Busy week! Catch up with today's FIA newsletter. Here's CEO Andrew Holland's intro - link to the full newsletter in the comments. Hello from Rome! I’ve been here this week (did I miss anything back in DC?). Yesterday, I joined the World Fusion Energy Group (WFEG) inaugural ministerial meeting, hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Italian Foreign Ministry. The meeting brought together public and private leaders to map out areas of collaboration on the path to commercial fusion. I was happy to speak on industry status and progress, and many FIA members gave commercial fusion updates. More on the outcomes and a recording of the meeting is available on our website. Alongside the meeting, I am happy to sign a formal partnership in a "practical arrangement" between the FIA and IAEA to collaborate on various efforts along the path to commercial fusion. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and I signed the agreement yesterday. On Tuesday, I testified on fusion before Italy’s Chamber of Deputies. My testimony underlined the importance of separating fusion energy from nuclear fission in regulations, along with the need for fusion investment to follow along with all other clean energy technologies. The world needs as much clean power as possible, and fusion will be a part of the solution. Earlier in the week was the first G7 Working Group on Fusion meeting. At the G7 Leader’s Summit in June, the leaders announced plans to find collaborative opportunities to accelerate fusion commercialization, along with achieving consistent regulatory approaches. Monday’s meeting was the first step. And last week in the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon Rachel Reeves announced the UK’s Autumn Budget 2024, outlining key provisions and missions for “Rebuilding Britain” and areas of targeted government support going forward. The budget notes a heavy emphasis on greater support for innovation, including fusion energy. The FIA looks forward to continued support and engagement with the British government in support of fusion. Finally, we are preparing for the transition to a new Administration in the United States. Fusion has been an important topic of bipartisan interest, support, and agreement. We’ll work with the new team as they get ready to take office in January, and rest assured that we will have more to say after I get home and we learn more about the new direction in the United States.   As always, thank you for keeping up with the FIA and all our activity. Andrew Holland P.S. We launched a video this week highlighting our 2024 global fusion industry report and where companies stand. Take a look on our YouTube channel!

The inaugural meeting of the World Fusion Energy Group (WFEG) was hosted today in Rome by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Italian government - with heavy participation from the fusion industry, government leaders, & senior officials from around the world. Opening speeches were delivered by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, and Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano. Grossi underscored the transformative potential of fusion, noting that recent technical advances, combined with private sector investment, are bringing commercial fusion power closer to reality. "Fusion energy had once been a distant dream, but with major technical breakthroughs and increasing private sector involvement, it is now within reach." - IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi The panels and discussions that followed featured updates from the global private and public sector, including a fusion industry status update from Fusion Industry Association (FIA) CEO Andrew Holland, and many commercial fusion updates from FIA member companies. With a strong turnout from industry, government ministers, and senior officials, the WFEG’s inaugural meeting marks a pivotal moment in fostering international cooperation on the path to commercial fusion power. 👇 Outcomes & recording on our website: https://lnkd.in/eP3g2ZM6 #WFEG

What is the difference between nuclear fission and fusion energy? Many people are posing the question as the two are drawing attention as clean, firm power sources, but they are in fact opposite processes. Let’s break down some key distinctions...👇 ⚛️ Fission is the process that powers existing power plants around the world. It’s commonly known as nuclear power. During fission, heavy atoms (such as uranium) split into multiple smaller ones, releasing energy. ⚡ Fusion is what powers the stars. There, light atoms (such as hydrogen) combine to make heavier atoms (such as helium) and release an enormous amount of energy. ⚛️ Fission = splitting atoms ⚡ Fusion = combining atoms The energy sources are opposite. ⚛️ Fission fuel: Uranium, the main fuel, is common, but the uranium isotope U-235 required for power generation is rare and requires mining & enrichment before it can be used as fuel. Processing the raw materials into more concentrated U-235 fuel for power generation requires a regulated facility & specialized handling. ⚡ Fusion fuel: Fusion can be performed with different fuels. Three potential combinations are proton & boron, deuterium & tritium, or deuterium & helium-3. More on the abundance of those fuels and where they come from (water, minerals, & other nuclear processes) at the link. ⚛️ Fission byproducts = special, long-term, high-level waste storage ⚡ Fusion byproducts = short-term, low-level waste storage ⚛️ Fission regulations: require a lengthy and costly licensing and permitting process to ensure that the plant will operate safely. ⚡ Fusion regulations: will be regulated like particle accelerators, thousands of which operate in hospitals and other facilities around the world. There is no risk of meltdowns or runaway chain reactions and no presence of high-level radioactive materials to create & sustain fusion. 🔎 Read more about the differences between the two and/or download our explainer brochure on our website: https://lnkd.in/e2-7pyTy #NuclearFission #FusionEnergy

It is important that the Italian government provides support for fusion energy through smart regulation and partnerships.

Over $7.1 billion in investment, 45 fusion companies worldwide, an industry workforce of over 4,000 people, and $426 million in government funding through public-private partnerships... Each year for the past four years, we've published a global fusion industry report - surveying all of the private fusion companies worldwide to give a snapshot of where industry stands. We launched our 2024 report a few months ago - here are the key highlights. https://lnkd.in/edtB6waE

Earlier today, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon Rachel Reeves announced the UK's Autumn Budget 2024, outlining key provisions and missions for “Rebuilding Britain". The budget notes a heavy emphasis on greater support for innovation, including fusion energy. The Fusion Industry Association and its membership, including both UK-based companies and global corporations considering significant inbound investment into the UK, strongly support the British government’s continued leadership in fusion. Commercial fusion is coming, and the global race is on. FIA member companies aim to deliver commercial plants within the next decade. The fusion industry could be worth billions of pounds to the economy, and offers a British export that will be both a climate change solution and a driver of economic opportunity. The UK has long been a pioneer in fusion, and the continued emphasis aims to enhance the country’s position as a global leader. The FIA looks forward to continued engagement with the British government in support of fusion. https://lnkd.in/efzFAcJt

Tokamak Energy reveals pilot plant details, Thales & Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics set a world record, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s ARPA-E announces $30M for commercial fusion... New #FusionNews episode out now! Watch for a summary of the latest in fusion energy news worldwide. 📽️ You can watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eJ565-_q 🎙️Or listen wherever you catch your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eMqQKtPf

New fusion developer on the block! California-based Pacific Fusion came out of stealth today and announced over $900M in funding. Congratulations to the team and cofounders Eric Lander, Will Regan, Keith LeChien, Carrie von Muench, and Leland Ellison PhD. Here's a letter from the founders, giving details on their approach and plans for commercial fusion: https://lnkd.in/eng6JKFT Profiled in WIRED: https://lnkd.in/gmuN_pgt & more details in Bloomberg: https://lnkd.in/epgmGiBZ

Calling all students, recent grads, and early career professionals! We're hiring for a paid, part-time internship position in Washington, D.C. More details and application info at the link - forward along to anyone you think might be a good fit. https://lnkd.in/e62e9qND

Yesterday's groundbreaking on a high-power laser & fusion facility in Colorado, upcoming meetings in Rome for the G7 Working Group on Fusion and the IAEA World Fusion Energy Group... Catch up on what we're up to with today's Fusion Industry Association newsletter. Here's our CEO Andrew Holland's intro - full update at the link below. Hello from Colorado! I’m here celebrating the groundbreaking of Marvel Fusion and Colorado State University’s partnership on a new high-power laser and fusion research facility, that they’ve named “ATLAS.” I think this partnership is so important because it covers public, private, and international collaboration on doing the important science that is needed to commercialize fusion. The launch featured remarks from the President of CSU, Amy Parsons; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary of Energy for Science and Innovation, Geri Richmond; Congressman Joe Neguse; and Marvel’s CEO, Moritz von der Linden. Many of the team from Marvel made the trip from Bavaria, as an important sign of partnership. While here, I’m taking advantage of being in the state to visit Colorado-based FIA members Xcimer Energy Corporation and Horne Technologies, Inc.. It’s been a great couple of days in the emerging fusion hub of Colorado. Coming up, in early November, we look forward to a couple of important fusion events in Rome, where first the G7 Working Group on Fusion Energy will meet and then the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) World Fusion Energy Group will kick off. You might remember the G7 Leader’s Summit earlier this year, where the leaders declared to work together on finding collaborative opportunities in accelerating fusion commercialization, along with together achieving consistent regulatory approaches. Then, the IAEA’s World Fusion Energy Group inaugural ministerial meeting will bring together public and private leaders to map out pathways to commercializing fusion. The FIA is working directly with the IAEA and our member companies to ensure a productive meeting. Also - exciting news at FIA - we’re expanding our team! Two positions are open: Director for Events and Membership and Manager for Public Policy. Learn more at the links and forward along to anyone you think might make a good addition. As always, thank you for keeping up with the FIA and all our activity. Andrew Holland Chief Executive Officer Fusion Industry Association https://lnkd.in/eZEeX6bd