Tokamak Energy is selected to join the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s’s Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) program, a $128 million initiative developing fusion energy technology.
Working with the University of Houston, the company is developing superconducting tapes that can withstand neutron irradiation. These high-temperature superconductors (HTS) are key for creating magnets used in commercial fusion systems. The project aims to improve HTS materials to meet the demands of future fusion power plants.
Tokamak Energy also serves as a technical advisor on eight FIRE projects, working with U.S. national laboratories and universities to advance fusion research toward commercial use. Its work supports pilot plant design, fusion blanket development, and advanced materials for fusion environments.
Tokamak Energy is collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the University of Tennessee.
Tokamak Energy has also received its 10th INFUSE grant from the U.S. DOE’s Innovation Network for Fusion Energy program connecting private firms with national labs and academic researchers to accelerate fusion technology development.
The INFUSE project, led by Dr. Aaron L. Washington and Dr. Emre Yildirim, in collaboration with Savannah River National Laboratory, will investigate electrolysis of lithium for tritium extraction using high entropy oxides. This approach could play a vital role in enabling tritium recovery.
Source: Tokamak Energy
About Tokamak Energy
Tokamak Energy, founded in 2009 as a spin-off from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, is a private company headquartered in Milton Park, Oxfordshire, UK. Specializing in the development of compact spherical tokamaks and high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, the company aims to deliver commercially viable fusion energy solutions. Serving industries focused on clean energy and advanced scientific research, Tokamak Energy has achieved significant milestones, including operating the ST40 tokamak, that reached plasma temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius in 2022. In addition to its fusion energy endeavors, the company collaborates on projects utilizing HTS magnet technology for various applications, such as silent marine propulsion systems. As of 2024, Tokamak Energy employs over 260 individuals. The company has raised substantial funding, including $250 million by 2022, to support its innovative research and development efforts.