Kieran Furlong, CEO and co-founder of Realta Fusion, discusses the quest for sustainable energy solutions for data centers. He explores the incredible potential of fusion energy, the same process powering the sun, and how it can revolutionize energy production. The conversation delves into the challenges of stabilizing plasma for practical applications and the emergence of decentralized data centers. Furlong emphasizes the importance of innovative approaches to achieve energy abundance and the collaboration required for developing these groundbreaking solutions.
Realta Fusion is innovating fusion energy generation by deploying plants next to major energy-consuming industries to enhance sustainability efforts.
The company's focus on smaller-scale fusion technology aims to address the growing energy demands of data centers while minimizing environmental impact.
Deep dives
The Promise of Fusion Energy
Fusion energy has the potential to provide virtually limitless, carbon-free energy by fusing light elements, specifically isotopes of hydrogen. This process releases massive amounts of energy while producing minimal waste, primarily helium. Current efforts in fusion technology focus on achieving stable plasma within controlled conditions, which is necessary for making fusion a practical energy source. The aim is to overcome the challenges associated with maintaining the high temperatures required for fusion, as this currently limits efficiency and control.
Innovative Approaches in Fusion Technology
Realta Fusion, a company derived from experimental work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is developing a more manageable approach to fusion energy generation. The technology employs magnetic confinement to stabilize plasma at extremely high temperatures, avoiding the complexities of traditional large-scale fusion projects. They are currently operating an experiment designed to harness and stabilize this plasma, marking an essential step towards commercial fusion energy. This approach could lead to more robust and reliable operations, distinguishing it from conventional large scientific endeavors.
Targeting High Energy Users
Realta Fusion aims to deploy its fusion energy technology at smaller scales in partnership with high energy-consuming industries, such as chemical manufacturing and data centers. By situating these plants on-site, they plan to provide zero-carbon energy directly to these large users, helping meet sustainability goals without connecting to the public grid. This strategy not only addresses the pressing energy needs of these sectors but also alleviates the bureaucratic hurdles typically associated with grid interconnection. Focusing on a targeted, collaborative approach with industrial partners allows for greater agility in deployment and operation.
The Abundance Mindset in Energy Generation
Fusion energy, if successfully developed, could shift perspectives from scarcity to abundance in energy production, especially important in an era driven by burgeoning data demands. Large companies are increasingly investing in energy generation to maintain their social license to operate while transitioning to zero-carbon solutions for their operations. Pioneering advancements in energy technology, such as fusion, align with the growing need for sustainable power sources amidst escalating electricity consumption, particularly from data centers. The emphasis lies in creating systems that don't just provide energy but contribute positively to ecological and community needs.
This week on Everybody in the Pool, we’re continuing our series on AI and energy use, exploring how to expand data centers and computing without sacrificing sustainability goals or, you know, a livable planet. This week, we’re turning toward some innovations that could make that seemingly impossible goal a reality. Realta Fusion is a fusion energy company that spun out of the University of Wisconsin. It’s one of many startups working toward generating fusion energy—the clean, abundant energy that is the same reaction that powers the sun. But Realta is taking an interesting approach to deployment: it hopes to build fusion energy power plants right next to data centers or other facilities with intensive energy needs. Listen to Molly’s conversation with CEO Kieran Furlong.