A Simpler Path to Commercial Fusion Energy
At First Light Fusion, we create technology which will sit at the heart of the world’s first inertial fusion power plants. Partners now have the opportunity to design around unique amplifier technology to this end. They will have the information needed to collaborate with us on power plant systems, and access to our unique amplifier technology, along with simulation and system modelling tools.
Our targets offer a less capital-intensive route to an IFE power plant, by reducing the driver requirements. By concentrating and shaping the incoming shock wave, they can reduce the complexity of the driver, and power plant.
Our amplifier technology is versatile and can be adapted to different inertial fusion energy approaches. This flexibility minimises the risks of a single approach and requires less capital than developing drivers, which many others are currently doing.
Target Design is the Key Technology
According to McKinsey, the fusion market could be worth more than $1T per year by 2050.
The fuel target design dominates the economics of inertial fusion energy. It dictates the choice and specification of all the key fusion-specific components, and by varying the yield per shot (and hence the required repetition rate) allows optimisation of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) plant performance.
Others in the field are designing fuel targets for high power drivers such as lasers and multi-megavolt pulsed power drivers, looking at high rep rate systems to address the challenge of low gain targets.
As our fuel targets add value to the system, utilising low power drivers that reduce capital costs, and enabling higher gain with smart fuel assembly systems, we have estimated that they will be worth at least 20% value of the fusion energy market.
First Light is focusing on the development of this target technology, and will work in partnership with others to deliver the other systems necessary to rapidly deliver clean, affordable, commercial fusion energy.
Partnering with Us
At First Light Fusion, we also have multiple unique tool sets, including simulation codes, data science and machine learning capabilities. These are applicable across different IFE approaches – creating an advantage for the partners who work with us.
Our facilities in Oxford house the largest pulsed power driver in Europe, as well as the largest two-stage light gas gun in the UK. Our extensive suite of diagnostics allow us to better understand our experiments and inform our simulation tools.
First Light’s leading experimental capabilities mean that organisations around the world collaborate with us on leading scientific experiments. We offer an established and respected platform in fusion, with a mature network of investors, scientific and engineering advisors, academics, industrial collaborators, and national labs.
Commercial fusion will not be delivered by one company alone. We are committed to partnering and collaborating with other fusion companies, research institutions, governments, engineering companies, and established energy companies in pursuit of fusion. Together we can deliver the last clean energy source the world needs.