Published by Todd Bush on May 10, 2023
EVERETT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Helion Energy (Helion) today announced an agreement to provide Microsoft electricity from its first fusion power plant. Constellation will serve as the power marketer and will manage transmission for the project.
>> In Other News: Honeywell Introduces UOP eFining™ Technology for New Class of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
The plant is expected to be online by 2028 and will target power generation of 50 MW or greater after a 1-year ramp up period. The planned operational date for this first of its kind facility is significantly sooner than typical projections for deployment of commercial fusion power.
The development of a commercial fusion power facility is a crucial step in the transition to a sustainable energy future and will not only help Microsoft to achieve its goal of being carbon negative by 2030, but will also support the development of a new clean energy source for the world.
“This collaboration represents a significant milestone for Helion and the fusion industry as a whole,” said David Kirtley, CEO at Helion. “We are grateful for the support of a visionary company like Microsoft. We still have a lot of work to do, but we are confident in our ability to deliver the world’s first fusion power facility.”
Helion, a privately held clean energy company committed to creating a new era of zero-carbon electricity through fusion, has been advancing its fusion technology for more than a decade. The company has previously built six working prototypes and was the first private fusion company to reach 100-million-degree plasma temperatures with its sixth fusion prototype. The company is currently building its seventh prototype, which is expected to demonstrate the ability to produce electricity in 2024.
“We are optimistic that fusion energy can be an important technology to help the world transition to clean energy,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at Microsoft. “Helion’s announcement supports our own long term clean energy goals and will advance the market to establish a new, efficient method for bringing more clean energy to the grid, faster.”
Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, has long been considered the Holy Grail of energy production. Fusion is capable of providing a nearly limitless source of energy without producing harmful carbon emissions or long-lived waste. The world’s first commercial facility would mark the dawn of a new era of energy.
This transformational next step builds on the sustainability goals previously announced between Microsoft and Constellation to lead the nation’s clean energy transition, allowing customers to reach their zero-emissions goals.
“Constellation is committed to innovation and supporting next-generation clean energy technologies to combat the climate crisis, and fusion would be a game-changer,” said Jim McHugh, Chief Commercial Officer at Constellation. “Combined with our hourly carbon-free energy matching solution, Helion and Microsoft are helping to build a future where carbon-free energy is the standard.”
Helion is a fusion energy company focused on generating zero-carbon electricity from fusion. Its mission is to build the world’s first fusion power plant, enabling a future with unlimited clean electricity.
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Inside This Issue 🚢 Clean Fuels, Clear Skies: How Maritime Shipping Is Turning to Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Carbon Capture 🧪 Carbon Capture Could Become Practical with Scalable, Affordable Materials ...
Inside This Issue 🗑️ The Next Big Thing in Carbon Capture? Trash. ⚡ Hydrogen Hope on the Chopping Block: How ARCHES and Other Blue-State Projects Got Caught in the Crossfire 📊 GEP Expands Carbon D...
Inside This Issue 🔧 America Bets Big on Blue Hydrogen: Inside the Engine Revolution Backed by Top Institutions 🤖 Bringing AI to Carbon Capture: How Imperial College is Revolutionising Plant Operat...
Carbon Capture Could Become Practical with Scalable, Affordable Materials
Researchers can pull carbon directly from the air using changes in humidity, now with inexpensive materials The Problem Atmospheric CO₂ continues to increase and, despite considerable worldwide e...
Frontier Signs Deal to Remove 100,000 Tonnes of Carbon Emissions from Garbage Incineration
Frontier, a carbon removal buyer coalition, announced that it has facilitated purchases of 100,000 tons of carbon removals to be generated between 2029 and 2030, through the abatement of emissions ...
ClearSign Technologies to Present at the LD Micro Main Event XVII
TULSA, Okla., April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – ClearSign Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: CLIR) ("ClearSign" or the "Company"), an emerging leader in industrial combustion and sensing technologies tha...
Zefiro Founder and CEO Appears on Orphan and Marginal Wells Panel in Fort Worth, Texas Led by JPMorganChase Head of Operational DecarbonizationThe annual event, which is hosted by the Neeley School...
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.