Things You Gotta Know

General Fusion Raises $22 M After Public Fundraising Appeal
General Fusion, a Canadian startup in Richmond, B.C., has secured $22 million following a public plea after a difficult fundraising stretch. The company, backed by billions from earlier rounds and supported by figures like Jeff Bezos, has operated its LM26 demonstration reactor since 23 years of pursuit. The reactor is generating plasma, and the firm now aims to deliver fusion power to the grid by the mid-2030s, although earlier goals like 100‑million‑degree operation remain unmet. 

Is Fusion Energy the 21st Century’s Space Race?
IDTechEx tracks more than 50 venture-backed fusion startups, with private investment exceeding $9.6 billion. The article likens fusion to today’s space race, suggesting that without robust strategy from governments, startups risk faltering despite deep-pocket backers. It frames fusion as the next arena where geopolitical and economic influence will be shaped, if execution matches funding.

Inverted “Negative Triangularity” Plasma Points Toward Better Future Fusion Design
Researchers at DIII‑D have tested a reversed “D”-shaped plasma, termed negative triangularity, and found it surprisingly steady despite expectations. The configuration delivered high pressure, density, and current simultaneously while keeping edge instabilities in check. It maintained strong confinement even with heat-dissipating divertor conditions, offering a promising path to reconcile core performance with wall protection in pilot-scale fusion reactors.

New Transport Model Enhances Fusion Prediction Accuracy
General Atomics developed and validated an upgraded plasma transport model, TGLF‑SAT2, that aligns with experimental data from JET’s deuterium-tritium discharges. Incorporated into the TGYRO workflow, the model solves temperature and density predictions across core and edge regions more reliably. 

Los Alamos Scientists Propose Turning Nuclear Waste into Fusion Fuel
Researchers at LANL propose using particle accelerators to transmute existing nuclear waste into rare tritium fuel via controlled irradiation. Simulations suggest a 1 GW facility could produce 4.4 pounds of tritium annually. Embedding radioactive material in lithium salts adds safety and reusability. 

Storage on the Grid: Improving Availability and Resilience

Grid-scale battery storage in the U.S. nearly doubled in 2024 and is on track to triple by 2026. With distributed home storage and global momentum accelerating, energy storage is becoming a key enabler of resilience, grid stability, and 24/7 clean power. We explore the current state of storage, its global implications, and where tariffs and tech trends could push the sector next.

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Data Center Growth: What is Reality, and Who Should be Paying for It?

AI-driven data center growth is putting serious strain on power grids and ratepayers are footing the bill. This article examines conflicting demand forecasts, the real impact on electricity prices, and whether tech giants should shoulder more of the infrastructure costs.

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