Japanese Startup Helical Fusion to Build World’s First Steady-State Fusion Reactor by 2034

Japanese startup Helical Fusion has announced plans to build the world’s first steady-state nuclear fusion reactor by 2034, with commercial operations expected to begin in the 2040s. Despite decades of global efforts to replicate the fusion process that powers the sun to generate emissions-free energy, no commercially viable fusion reactor has yet been developed.

Helical Fusion, based in Tokyo, aims to transform power generation by creating a fusion reactor that promises limitless clean energy. The company plans to first develop a pilot reactor using the helical, magnetic confinement technique with an initial power output of 50-100 megawatts.

Helical Fusion CEO Takaya Taguchi stated that the company aims to have the world’s first steady-state nuclear fusion reactor generating electricity within the next decade. If successful, this initiative could allow Japan, a country reliant on energy imports, to produce its own energy and potentially export it, significantly enhancing its energy security. 

Taguchi, who co-founded Helical Fusion in 2021 with two researchers from Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), highlighted that the development of this reactor could help Japan lead in fusion technology.

Nuclear fusion, which involves fusing two light atoms into a denser one using lasers or magnets, has long been pursued for its potential to provide a limitless and clean energy source. 

Japan has already invested approximately 400 billion yen ($2.8 billion) in fusion research at NIFS, which owns one of the world’s largest experimental fusion facilities. This facility has achieved plasma temperatures of up to 100 million degrees Celsius and durations exceeding 3,000 seconds. Taguchi said that Helical Fusion plans to build on this foundation to commercialize fusion technology.

The planned reactor could be a type of stellarator known as a heliotron, consisting of two continuous helical coils that are capable of operating without a plasma current, similar to the Large Helical Device at NIFS. Helical Fusion’s strategy includes not only developing the reactor but also commercializing the energy it produces, paving the way for a new era in clean power generation.

Taguchi acknowledged that Helical Fusion faces significant challenges. One of the primary hurdles is raising the 1 trillion yen needed to build the pilot reactor. Additionally, the company needs to establish high-temperature superconductivity technology for the reactor’s coils and create safety regulations to secure local construction approval.

The proposed helical fusion reactor would use a unique design where the magnetic field required for plasma confinement is generated solely by electromagnetic coils. This design allows for stable plasma confinement over long durations, ensuring a continuous energy output. Such a setup is ideal for power generation, as it can sustain the reaction needed to produce electricity without interruptions.

Also Read:

• ThinkCyte Secures $32 Million in Series C Round to Expand VisionSort™ Technology Globally
• AsiaTechDaily Celebrates Victor Chua as Investor of the Month with Insightful Innovation Exchange Program
• Student-Led VC Protégé Ventures Backs Eco-Friendly Rocket Startup ESS with S$25,000 Investment
• AGRIM Secures $17.3 Million in Series B Funding to Boost Agri-Tech Expansion