PR92529

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/

TAE Technologies [https://tae.com/], the world's largest private fusion energy

company, today announced a landmark partnership with Japan's National Institute

of Fusion Science (NIFS) that enables the two organizations to test the effects

of hydrogen-boron (p-B11) fusion reactions in the NIFS Large Helical Device

(LHD). The results of this research have the potential to unlock a new

milestone in TAE's mission to develop commercial fusion power with p-B11, the

cleanest and most affordable fuel for fusion cycles.  

Most fusion efforts around the world are focused on combining hydrogen isotopes

deuterium-tritium (D-T) to use as fuel; the donut-shaped tokamak machines

commonly used in fusion concepts are limited to D-T fuel.

In contrast, TAE's compact linear design uses an advanced beam-driven

field-reversed configuration (FRC) that can accommodate all available fusion

fuel cycles, including D-T and deuterium-helium-3 (D-He-3), a benefit that

uniquely enables the company to license its technology on the way to its

ultimate goal of connecting the first p-B11 fusion power plant to the grid by

the end of this decade.

TAE is developing commercial fusion power plants using p-B11 because it is the

most economical and environmentally friendly fuel cycle for fusion. P-B11

eliminates the need for breeding tritium, thus offering cleaner, safer

operations while maximizing the durability and lifetime of the fusion plant.

The boron in p-B11 is ubiquitous in nature, found in vast deposits in the

earth's crust and sea water, and is used in detergents and other industrial

commodities. The partnership between NIFS and TAE represents the first

public-private fusion research using this advanced fuel.

NIFS is an inter-university research institute located in Toki City and works

with preeminent organizations both in Japan and globally. TAE's scientists will

collaborate with a team run by Professor Zensho Yoshida, Director General of

NIFS.

The three-year joint research project, which began in September, calls for the

technical teams to install sensors inside the NIFS stellarator to detect benign

helium nuclei, also known as alpha particles, which are produced by p-B11

fusion reactions to monitor the internal effects of the fuel on the containment

walls in order to produce the best plasma confinement and strongest, most

resilient machinery for fusion power plants.

"Our partnership with NIFS is a significant opportunity to offer proof of

concept for TAE's preferred fuel cycle and accelerate commercialization of

p-B11 fusion, which represents the cleanest, most elegant and abundant energy

source on earth," said Michl Binderbauer, CEO of TAE Technologies. "We expect

this research to yield new insights that will help us further optimize our

fusion platform for global adoption and long-term sustainability."

"The collaborative relations between the US and Japan started with vigor when

President Carter and Prime Minister Fukuda signed a treaty on US-Japan fusion

collaboration in 1978," said Toshiki Tajima, Chief Science Officer of TAE

Technologies. "In particular, scientists from NIFS such as Prof. Momota visited

the US to explore aneutronic fusion research in 1980s. I believe our

experimental collaboration with NIFS will quickly culminate in the world's

first p-B11 aneutronic fusion demonstration. This joint effort shows that the

union of two complementary parties can yield an outcome greater than the sum of

its parts – similar to the transformative properties of fusion energy itself."

"The development and commercialization of grid-scale fusion energy is a

priority in the face of climate change," said Prof. Masaki Osakabe, Executive

Director of the NIFS Large Helical Device Project. "We are excited to provide

this opportunity to research the effects of advanced fuels for fusion with a

leader in p-B11, and we look forward to sharing the results."

In April, TAE announced $280M in additional funding based on achieving a fusion

technology milestone

[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fusion-energy-milestone-from-tae-techn

ologies-validates-path-to-cost-competitive-carbon-free-baseload-energy-301265401

.html] that gives the company a high degree of confidence that its unique

compact configuration can scale to cost-competitive utility-scale fusion power.

In September, TAE launched a Power Management division

[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tae-technologies-commercializes-breakt

hrough-power-management-technology-developed-for-fusion-to-revolutionize-electri

c-vehicles-charging-infrastructures-and-energy-storage-301381072.html], which

is currently commercializing the proprietary energy storage technology that has

been deployed in the company's fusion platform since 2017 for first-of-its-kind

advances including residential and commercial energy storage; electric vehicle

performance, range, and charging; and overall improvements to grid

infrastructure to create a connected clean energy ecosystem.

ABOUT TAE TECHNOLOGIES

TAE Technologies (pronounced T-A-E) was founded in 1998 to develop commercial

fusion power with the cleanest environmental profile, and represents the

fastest, most practical, and economically competitive solution to bring

abundant energy to the grid. With over 900 issued patents, more than $880

million in private capital, six generations of National Laboratory-scale

devices, and an experienced team of over 250 employees, TAE is now on the cusp

of delivering this transformational energy source capable of sustaining the

planet for centuries. The company's revolutionary technologies have produced a

robust portfolio of commercial innovations in other large adjacent markets such

as power management, energy storage, transmission, electric mobility, life

sciences, and more. TAE is based in California and maintains international

offices in the UK and Switzerland. Multidisciplinary and mission-driven by

nature, TAE is leveraging proprietary science and engineering to create a

bright future for us all.

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1667882/TAE_Technologies_Signing_Ceremony.jpg  

Source: TAE Technologies