List of nuclear fusion companies

Last updated

Commercial fusion is a term used to refer to privately owned companies whose aim is to sell electricity produced by nuclear fusion. The industry now consists of over 40 companies that have attracted a combined total of more than $7 billion in investment. [1] [2]

Contents

Commercial fusion companies

CompanyYear foundedMethodFuelNotes
Acceleron Fusion (formerly NK Labs, LLC)2023 (NK Labs founded 2008) Muon-catalyzed deuterium–tritium [3] [4] [5]
Avalanche Energy2018Hybrid: colliding beam, electrostatic confinement, magnetic confinement deuterium–tritium [6] [7]
Blue Laser Fusion2022 Inertial confinement: optical enhancement cavity (OEC) laser proton–boron [8] [9]
Commonwealth Fusion Systems 2018Magnetic confinement: tokamak deuterium–tritium [10] [11] Formerly Compact Fusion Systems, Inc.
Cortex Fusion Systems2021Non-thermal laser fusion deuterium–tritium [12]
Crossfield Fusion Ltd2019Closed orbit, velocity resonant systems [13] Reactor development ended 2021 [14] [15]
CTFusion, Inc 2015Magnetic confinement: dynomak deuterium–tritiumCeased trading 2023 [16]
Deutelio2022Magnetic confinement: levitated dipole deuterium–deuterium [17] [15]
Electric Fusion Systems, Inc.2020Light element electric fusion (LEEF) Rydberg matter: proton–lithium7 [18] [19]
EMC2 Fusion1985Magnetic confinement: Polywell deuterium–tritium [20] [21] [22]
Energy Singularity Energy Technology2021Magnetic confinement: tokamakdeuterium–tritium [23] [24]
ENN Energy 2018Magnetic confinementproton–boron [25] [11]
EX-Fusion2021Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritium [26]
First Light Fusion 2011Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritium [27] [28] [15] [29] [11]
Focused Energy2021Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritium [30] [15] [29] [31]
Fuse2019 Magneto-inertial deuterium–tritium[ citation needed ]
Fusion Power Corporation2016 Heavy ion deuterium–tritiumDissolved 2019 [32]
Gauss Fusion2022Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [15]
General Atomics Fusion Division2022Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [33]
General Fusion 2002Magneto-inertialdeuterium–tritium [11]
HB11 Energy2017Non-thermal laser fusionproton–boron [34] [35] [36]
Helical Fusion2021Magnetic confinement: stellarator deuterium–tritium [37] [26]
HelicitySpace Corporation2018Magneto-inertialdeuterium–deuteriumFor spaceflight uses [38]
Helion Energy 2013Magneto-inertialdeuterium–helium3 [39]
Horne Technologies2008Hybrid confinement: magnetic, electrostaticdeuterium–deuterium, proton–boron [40] [41] [ better source needed ]
HyperJet Fusion [11]
KMS Fusion 1969Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritiumClosed 1991 [42]
Kyoto Fusioneering2019deuterium–tritium [26] [43]
LaserFusionX2022Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritium [31]
Lockheed Martin 2010 [44] [11]
Longview Fusion Energy Systems2021Inertial confinementdeuterium–tritium [29] [31]
LPP Fusion, Inc.
(Lawrenceville Plasma Physics)		2003Magnetic confinement pinch: dense plasma focus proton–boron [45] President, chief scientist: Eric J. Lerner
Magneto Inertial Fusion Technology Inc. (MIFTI)2009Magneto-inertialdeuterium–tritiumDivision, US Nuclear Corp [46]
Marvel Fusion2019Inertial confinementproton–boron [15] [31]
Norrønt AS2016 (Ultrafusion)
2018 (Norrønt)		Muon-catalyzeddeuterium–tritiumFormerly Ultrafusion Nuclear Power, merged with Norrønt Fusion Energy [47] [48]
NT-Tao2019Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [49]
NearStar Fusion2021Magneto-inertialdeuterium–tritium, deuterium–deuterium, proton–boron [50] [51]
Novatron Fusion Group AB2019Magnetic confinement: mirror deuterium–tritium [52] [53] [54] [55]
OpenStar Technologies2021Magnetic confinement: levitated dipoledeuterium–deuterium (tritium suppressed) [56]
Princeton Fusion Systems1992Magnetic confinementdeuterium–helium3 [57] [11]
Proxima Fusion 2023Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [15]
Realta Fusion 2022Magnetic confinement: tandem mirror deuterium–tritium [58] [59] [60]
Renaissance Fusion2021Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [15]
Stellarex, Inc2022Magnetic confinementdeuterium–tritium [43]
Shine Technologies 2005Magneto-electrostatic confinementdeuterium–tritiumFocus: producing radioisotopes, not energy [61] [62]
TAE Technologies 1998Magnetic confinementproton–boron [63] Formerly Tri Alpha Energy [11]
Thea Energy (formerly Princeton Stellarators)2022Magnetic confinement: stellaratordeuterium–tritium [64] [43]
Tokamak Energy 2009Magnetic confinement: tokamakdeuterium–tritium [65] [43]
Type One Energy Group2019Magnetic confinement: stellaratordeuterium–tritium [66] [60]
Xcimer Energy Inc.2022Inertial confinement: excimer laser deuterium–tritium [67] [29]
Zap Energy 2017Magnetic confinement pinchdeuterium–tritium [68] [39]

First fusion electricity to the grid

Commercial fusion companies forecast that fusion power is roughly 10 years away Commercial fusion electricity production predicitions.svg
Commercial fusion companies forecast that fusion power is roughly 10 years away

For decades researchers have famously said that fusion power is always 30, or even 50, years away. [69] [70] The advent of commercial fusion has changed that, and now fusion power is typically forecast to be around 10 years away, with most companies forecasting that the first fusion plant will deliver electricity to the grid before 2035. [71] Although most of the companies have existed for only a few years, some have already failed to deliver on their forecasts. General Fusion first forecast that it would deliver electricity to the grid by 2009. [72]

References

  1. ↑ "2024 Annual Global Fusion Industry Report" (PDF).
  2. ↑ Hiller, Jennifer; Niiler, Eric; Woodward, Aylin (12 December 2022). "U.S. to Announce Nuclear-Fusion Energy Breakthrough". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Staff (2008–2024). "Developing Muon Catalyzed Fusion as an Abundant New Source of Clean Energy". Acceleron Fusion, Inc. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  4. ↑ Knaian, Ara (7 April 2020). "Conditions for High-Yield Muon Catalyzed Fusion". Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). United States Department of Energy . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Staff (11 December 2024). "Acceleron Fusion raises $24M in seed funding to advance low-temp fusion". Nuclear Newswire. American Nuclear Society . Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  6. ↑ Staff (2018–2025). "Avalanche". Avalanche, Inc. Tukwila, Washington. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  7. ↑ Staff writer (16 April 2025). "Avalanche Energy launches FusionWERX". Nuclear Engineering International. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  8. ↑ Staff (2022–2025). "Blue Laser Fusion: The future of energy is laser-driven". Blue Laser Fusion, Inc. Goleta, California. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Yamada, Ryotaro (23 July 2023). "Nuclear fusion race draws in Nobel-winning LED pioneer". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Staff (2018–2025). "Commonwealth Fusion Systems: The world's largest and leading commercial fusion energy company". Commonwealth Fusion Systems. Devens, Massachusetts. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Clynes, Tom (28 January 2020). "5 Big Ideas for Making Fusion Power a Reality". IEEE Spectrum . Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers . Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Staff (2021–2025). "Cortex Fusion Systems: Nanoscale Plasma Fusion". Cortex Fusion Systems, Inc. New York, New York. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  13. ↑ Staff (2019–2025). "Crossfield Fusion: Fusion: The future of safe clean energy". Crossfield Fusion. London, England. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Mission". Crossfield Fusion. Retrieved 2 August 2023. The company adopted a new approach to building fusion reactors based on patented technology (US8138692) called the Epicyclotron. The company was founded in 2019 and developed a working fusion device in 2021 based on this approach. In October 2021 the company determined through the experimentation work completed and detailed 'particle in cell' modelling of loss mechanisms that the reactor would not scale as initially anticipated (and therefore could not be developed to deliver a net gain fusion reactor). The company is currently exploring the use of this technology they developed in hydrogen isotope separation as part of the fusion fuel cycle.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bacon, Alexandra (27 July 2023). "Mapping Europe's nuclear fusion industry". Sifted . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  16. ↑ Stiffler, Lisa (5 April 2023). "Energy startup CTFusion folds as co-founders land at rival Zap". GeekWire. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Staff (2022–2025). "Deutelio: Driving Innovation with Fusion". Deutelio. Grono, Switzerland. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  18. ↑ Staff (2020–2025). "Electric Fusion Systems: A New Approach to Fusion". Electric Fusion Systems, Inc. Broomfield, Colorado. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  19. ↑ Emilio, Maurizio Di Paolo (8 July 2021). "EFS Plans Aneutronic Fusion Reactor". EE Times Asia. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  20. ↑ Staff (1985–2025). "EMC2: Power of the Sun Here on Earth". EMC2. San Diego, California. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  21. ↑ "Low-Cost Fusion Project Steps Out of the Shadows and Looks for Money". NBC News . 13 June 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Ventura, Tim (13 December 2019). "Robert Bussard on IEC Fusion Power & The Polywell Reactor". Dialogue & Discourse. Medium . Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  23. ↑ Staff (2021–2025). "Energy Singularity: Faster Path to Commercial Fusion Energy". Energy Singularity. Shanghai, China. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  24. ↑ Li, Stephanie (4 May 2023). "Chinese nuclear-tech firm Energy Singularity raises $58m funding". DealStreetAsia. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  25. ↑ Barcelo, Yan (1 November 2022). "Nuclear Fusion May Be Nearer Than You Think". Morningstar . Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  26. 1 2 3 Foster, Scott (30 May 2023). "Japan's fusion start-ups starting to roll in money". Asia Times . Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  27. ↑ Andrews, Charlotte; Stern, Jeremy (14 July 2023). "Oxfordshire start-up hopes to transform nuclear fusion production". BBC News . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "First Light Fusion demonstration plant site agreement, targets 2024 construction start". World Nuclear News. World Nuclear Association. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  29. 1 2 3 4 Clery, Daniel (15 February 2023). "Startups try to turn laser fusion success into clean power plants". Science . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  30. ↑ Henrikson, Eric (20 June 2023). "Austin-based company attempts to design fusion power plant in Texas". KXAN-TV . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Kramer, David (March 2023). "NIF success gives laser fusion energy a shot in the arm". Physics Today . 76 (3): 25–27. Bibcode:2023PhT....76c..25K. doi: 10.1063/PT.3.5195 . S2CID   257301499 . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Fusion Power Corporation". Canada Company Directory. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  33. ↑ Nikolewski, Rob (2 June 2023). "A step closer to making nuclear fusion a reality? San Diego's General Atomics partners with UK company". San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  34. ↑ Davidson, John (2 August 2023). "US backs Sydney fusion start-up's nuclear ambitions". Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  35. ↑ Margarone, Daniele; Bonvalet, Julien; Giuffrida, Lorenzo; Morace, Alessio; Kantarelou, Vasiliki; Tosca, Marco; Raffestin, Didier; Nicolai, Philippe; Picciotto, Antonino; Abe, Yuki; Arikawa, Yasunobu; Fujioka, Shinsuke; Fukuda, Yuji; Kuramitsu, Yasuhiro; Habara, Hideaki; Batani, Dimitri (January 2022). "In-Target Proton–Boron Nuclear Fusion Using a PW-Class Laser". Applied Sciences . 12 (3): 1444. doi: 10.3390/app12031444 . ISSN   2076-3417.
  36. ↑ Jones, Jonathan Spencer (31 March 2022). "Australia's HB11 Energy demonstrates laser-powered nuclear fusion". Power Engineering International . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  37. ↑ Staff (2021–2023). "Helical Fusion: Helix KANATA". Helical Fusion. Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  38. ↑ Marin, Natalija; Warznak, Grace; You, Setthivoine; Bellan, Paul; Pree, Seth; Romero-Talamás, Carlos; University of Maryland, Baltimore County Team (1 January 2021). "Engineering Design and Testing of the HelicitySpace Novel Rocket Concept". APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting Abstracts. 2021: TP11.076. Bibcode:2021APS..DPPTP1076M.
  39. 1 2 Harris, Mark (29 June 2023). "Welcome to Fusion City, USA". IEEE Spectrum . Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers . Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  40. ↑ Staff (2008–2025). "Horne Technologies: Engineering the Future of Practical Fusion". Horne Technologies. Longmont, Colorado. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  41. ↑ Meschini, Samuele; Laviano, Francesco; Ledda, Federico; Pettinari, Davide; Testoni, Raffella; Torsello, Daniele; Panella, Bruno (August 2023). "Review of commercial nuclear fusion projects". Frontiers in Energy Research . 11. doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2023.1157394 . ISSN   2296-598X.
  42. ↑ Heppenheimer, Thomas (1984). The Man-made Sun: The Quest for Fusion Power. Little, Brown and Company. pp. 107–113. ISBN   978-0316357937.
  43. 1 2 3 4 "FY2023 Awards Announced by DOE « INFUSE". Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  44. ↑ Clery, Daniel (17 October 2014). "Updated: Are old secrets behind Lockheed's new fusion machine?". Science . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  45. ↑ Staff (2025). "LPP Fusion". Lawrenceville Plasma Physics, Inc. Middlesex, New Jersey. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  46. ↑ Whittington, Mark (28 February 2021). "Solving the climate and energy crises: Mine the Moon's helium-3?". The Hill . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  47. ↑ Staff (2016–2025). "Meson production". Norrønt AS. Slemmestad, Viken, Norway. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  48. ↑ "Developing new clean energy solutions from nuclear fusion (announcement)". GU Ventures (Swedish Government owned, University of Gothenburg managed (in Swedish). 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  49. ↑ Lisbona, Natalie (27 April 2023). "The Israeli plan to fit a fusion reactor into a container". BBC News . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  50. ↑ Hronik, Richard H. (24 March 2023). "Local fusion energy company commissions new experiment". Fairfax County Times. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  51. ↑ Brain, Marshall (19 May 2023). "Climate hope: Fusion dream moving closer to reality as clean power source". WRAL-TV TechWire. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  52. ↑ Staff (2019–2025). "Novatron: A unique fusion solution to power a sustainable planet". Novatron Fusion Group AB. Stockholm, Sweden. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  53. ↑ Ericsson, Lisa (6 December 2022). "Fusion energy is focus of KTH investment (announcement)". KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Press release). Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  54. ↑ Lindsten, Per Olof (23 May 2023). "Fusion, edible bottles and electric aircraft: here are three hot Swedish projects". Google Translate . Dagens industri . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  55. ↑ Cyrus, Callum (8 December 2022). "Looking to deliver fusion reactors from 2040 onwards, Novatron raises €3 million seed round". Tech.eu. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  56. ↑ Staff (2021–2025). "OpenStar Technologies Limited". OpenStar. Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  57. ↑ Paluszek, Michael (15 November 2018). "Next-Generation PFRC". Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) (Press release). US Department of Energy . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  58. ↑ Staff (2022–2025). "Realta Fusion: Decarbonizing industrial heat and power with compact, scalable, modular – CoSMo fusion – energy systems". Realta Fusion Inc. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  59. ↑ Nykiel, Teddy (5 June 2023). "Madison fusion energy startup lands $12 million to decarbonize heavy industry". Milwaukee Business Journal . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  60. 1 2 Heidemann, Emilie (1 June 2023). "2 Madison-area companies get federal money to help curb climate change through fusion energy". Wisconsin State Journal . Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  61. ↑ Rude, Logan (3 August 2023). "Local fusion technology company takes step forward in developing small-scale nuclear reactions". WISC-TV .
  62. ↑ Still, Tom (19 December 2022). "Fusion energy breakthrough is huge, but other uses will come first". Wisconsin State Journal . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  63. ↑ Staff (1998–2025). "TAE Technologies: Forward Clean Safe Fusion Energy from Experience". TAE Technologies. Foothill Ranch, California. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  64. ↑ Staff (2022–2025). "Thea Energy: Fusion energy made faster and simpler". Thea Energy. Kearny, New Jersey. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  65. ↑ Staff (2009–2025). "Tokamak Energy: Delivering transformative fusion energy and superconducting technologies". Tokamak Energy Ltd. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  66. ↑ Staff (2019–2025). "Type One Energy: Fusion with a Twist". Type One Energy Group. Knoxville, Tennessee. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  67. ↑ Staff (2022–2025). "Xcimer Energy Corporation: Powering a Better World With Inertial Fusion Energy". Xcimer Energy Inc. Denver, Colorado. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  68. ↑ Staff (2017–2025). "Fusion Power: No Magnets Required". Zap Energy, Inc. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  69. ↑ Nathaniel Scharping (23 May 2016). "Why Nuclear Fusion Is Always 30 Years Away". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  70. ↑ "Why LIFE: Ready to Make History". Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. The standard joke about fusion is that it is 50 years away and always will be.
  71. ↑ The global fusion industry in 2023 – Fusion Companies Survey by the Fusion Industry Association (PDF) (Report). Fusion Industry Association. 12 July 2023. p. 3. Retrieved 13 July 2023. In this report, 25 companies think the first fusion plant will deliver electricity to the grid before 2035.
  72. ↑ "General Fusion: Investor". General Fusion. Archived from the original on 2 September 2003. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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