The Green Blueprint The tape that led to a fusion breakthrough
Jun 18, 2025
Rick Needham, Chief Commercial Officer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, shares insights on a revolutionary tape that enables powerful magnets for fusion energy. He discusses the $1.8 billion fundraising success and the groundbreaking collaboration with Dominion Energy Virginia to develop the world's first commercial fusion power plant, ARC. The conversation highlights major milestones, the journey from lab to deployment, and how fusion energy is closer to reality than most realize. Innovative strategies and the clean energy future take center stage.
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Fusion's Scientific Breakthrough
- Fusion combines small atomic nuclei to release energy, unlike fission which splits large nuclei.
- Advances in computing, materials, and superconductors now make fusion power feasible sooner than expected.
MIT Origins and Superconducting Tape
- MIT plasma physicists discovered high-temperature superconducting tape could make powerful magnets for fusion.
- CFS spun out from MIT, continuing close research ties while commercializing fusion technology.
Commercial Fusion Needs A Company
- Government-funded fusion programs developed foundational science but weren't enough for commercial deployment.
- CFS focuses on building and deploying commercial fusion power, requiring a company to manage the ecosystem and stakeholders.