#176: Turning a Can of Fuel Into a Fusion Star with Pacific Fusion

#176: Turning a Can of Fuel Into a Fusion Star with Pacific Fusion1 Sept34 min

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Will Regan, Founder and Chief Scientist of Pacific Fusion, about how the company is developing pulser-driven inertial fusion for eventual commercial deployment. Will breaks down how the system works, the scientific breakthroughs that have changed the outlook for commercial fusion, and why Pacific Fusion believes modularity and mass manufacturing could provide a path toward reliable fusion power plants. He also discusses the company's recent prototype milestones, plans to demonstrate net energy gain by 2030, fusion's regulatory and safety advantages, and what the next decade could hold for fusion energy on Earth and potentially in space.

Check out our previous episodes on fusion:

#115 - Fusion’s Magnetic Mirror Magic for a Low-Carbon Energy Future with Realta Fusion#26 - The Forever Fuel in Nuclear Fusion

Key Points:

Pacific Fusion is using pulsed power to create star-like conditions from a tiny can of fuel – The company's pulser-driven inertial fusion system uses a powerful pulse of electricity to compress a tiny amount of fuel, creating the conditions needed for fusion.Modularity could be key to making fusion power reliable and scalable – Pacific Fusion recently demonstrated a one-third-scale version of its pulser module and is now developing a full-scale unit.Pacific Fusion is targeting net energy gain by 2030 and commercial power plants in the 2030s – The company plans to break ground on a facility for its demonstration system and is targeting system-level net energy gain by 2030, followed by a first power plant in the mid-2030s.

Will Regan, Founder and Chief Scientist of Pacific FusionLinkedInPacific Fusion LinkedInPacific Fusion’s technology

Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, CEO of PRVIEW, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

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