David Kirtley, co-founder and CEO of Helion, discusses his childhood interest in science, the potential of fusion power for clean energy, and Helion's mission to build fusion generators. The podcast also touches on finding passion, the importance of fusion as a renewable energy source, unlocking space and material science, and expressing gratitude for previous achievements.
Building smaller fusion systems allows for faster progress, greater reliability, and lower costs.
Advancements in fusion energy can lead to a significant increase in the availability of electricity, enabling a wide range of possibilities.
Efficiency in manipulating magnetic fields and utilizing electrical energy is crucial for achieving efficient fusion and building smaller, cheaper, and more effective fusion systems.
Deep dives
The Potential of Fusion Energy
Fusion energy offers the potential for a renewable and abundant source of low-cost electricity, which can have a significant impact on various aspects of human life. Access to cheap and sustainable energy not only addresses climate change concerns but also enhances standard of living and enables advancements in fields like desalination and computation.
The Importance of Small-Scale Fusion Systems
Building smaller fusion systems instead of large-scale ones allows for faster progress, greater reliability, and lower costs. By focusing on modular components and breaking down large machines into smaller, more manageable parts, it becomes easier to efficiently manufacture, transport, and assemble the systems. This approach aligns with the idea of scaling based on what can pass through a train tunnel, optimizing the production process and allowing for faster innovation.
The Potential Impact of Abundant Energy
Advancements in fusion energy can lead to a significant increase in the availability of electricity, enabling a wide range of possibilities. Access to cheap and abundant energy can enhance standard of living by providing clean water through desalination, improving computational capabilities, and enabling large-scale energy-demanding projects. The full extent of the positive impacts of abundant energy is yet to be realized, making the development of fusion technology a crucial endeavor.
Efficiency in Fusion: Harnessing Magnetic Fields
Efficiency plays a critical role in fusion technology, particularly in terms of manipulating magnetic fields and utilizing electrical energy. Magnetic fields are essential for protecting the fuel in a fusion reactor from high temperatures, similar to how a Hall Effect thruster uses magnetic fields for acceleration. To achieve efficient fusion, it is crucial to efficiently recover and utilize electricity, minimizing the need for extensive fusion reactions. By focusing on engineering efficiency, fusion systems can be built smaller, cheaper, and more effectively.
The Promise and Challenges of Fusion Power
Building a fusion reactor and establishing a commercially viable fusion power company are complex endeavors. Despite the decades of effort and large-scale projects dedicated to fusion research, progress has been limited. However, the fusion industry continually builds upon the work of previous scientists and engineers. By optimizing engineering designs, minimizing complexity, and achieving efficient energy recovery, the fusion community aims to create sustainable and economically viable fusion power solutions. Success in fusion could revolutionize various sectors, from clean energy production and desalination to space exploration and material science.
Helion is building the world’s first fusion power plant, and co-founder and CEO David Kirtley is on a mission to improve access to clean energy for a better future. We’re inspired by the work that they’re doing—in fact, Microsoft recently announced that Helion is going to provide the company fusion power starting in 2028. In this episode, Kevin and David discuss David’s early childhood and how he got interested in science, how he got into the field of fusion, his current role at Helion and how the company is building fusion generators to create zero-carbon electricity.
