In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO of Focused Energy, about the future of nuclear fusion. They explore how laser-driven fusion, inspired by breakthroughs at Lawrence Livermore Labs, could offer limitless clean power by the 2030s. From physics to commercialization, Mercer shares how Focused Energy plans to bring fusion to the grid—and why this could be a game-changer for climate tech and global energy.

What you will learn:

How fusion energy works
The laser-driven process that compresses deuterium-tritium fuel
Focused Energy's approach, which builds upon the successful ignition achieved at Lawrence Livermore National Labs in 2022
The key engineering challenges
How fusion energy could transform global energy systems and address climate change

Scott Mercer is the CEO of Focused Energy, a pioneering company developing commercial nuclear fusion technology for energy generation. With a remarkable background in clean technology, he previously founded and led Volta, an EV charging company, for 13 years before its acquisition by Shell. Under his leadership, Focused Energy has raised over $175 million and is advancing laser-driven fusion technology similar to what achieved ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Labs. Scott brings unique expertise in scaling complex infrastructure projects and transitioning scientific breakthroughs into commercial applications. His vision for fusion energy as the ultimate solution for clean, abundant power generation, combined with his experience in building successful clean technology companies, positions him as a leading voice in the future of sustainable energy infrastructure.

Episode Resources

Scott Mercer on LinkedIn
Focused Energy Website
Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
Synapse Website
Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

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Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

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