US — TechCrunch
Fusion startup Helion is developing new semiconductors that could double output of its power plants
Chips2 min read
Fusion startup Helion received $175 million in US federal funding to develop better semiconductors and power electronics for its fusion power plants. The goal is to waste less electricity and get more power out of each plant.
What happened
Helion, a company that is trying to make power from nuclear fusion, was awarded $175 million by the U.S. government. The money will help it research, build, and make advanced semiconductors and power electronics. Helion also said it raised a new $50 million from a private investor that it did not name.
Key numbers
- Federal award: $175 million, paid over three years
- New private investment: $50 million, investor not named
- Total raised by Helion: more than $3.2 billion
- Current energy loss in these devices: about 5% to 10%
- Target date: a 2028 deadline to supply electricity to Microsoft from its first plant, Orion
How Helion's fusion works
Helion does not use steam to spin a turbine, as most power plants do. Instead, it tries to pull electricity straight from the fusion reactions. Fuel is heated into a plasma, which is a very hot gas. The plasmas are pushed together with magnetic fields, and the fusion energy pushes back on those fields. The magnets and capacitors catch this energy and turn it into electricity. This is similar to how a hybrid car recharges its battery when it slows down.
Why it matters
Small energy losses add up in a system like this. Cutting the loss in half could double the power output, according to Helion's CEO. The new production line in Washington State would also be the first in the U.S. to make this type of semiconductor, which is used in many fields. Helion says the research will not reach its first plant in time, but it should help future plants be more efficient and more competitive.
What to watch
- Whether Helion finishes its first power plant, Orion, by the 2028 deadline
- How fast the new semiconductor production line is built in Washington State
- Research work in Vermont with GlobalFoundries
- Whether the company can reach the goal of making more power than it uses
Glossary
- Helion
- A startup company trying to build fusion power plants that make electricity directly from fusion reactions.
- semiconductor
- A small electronic part, made from special materials, that controls the flow of electricity in devices.
- fusion
- The process where very small atoms join together and release large amounts of energy, the same process that powers the sun.
- GlobalFoundries
- A company that makes computer chips for other companies.