Australian laser fusion developer HB11 Energy has been awarded Au$22 million (US$15.8 million) to build sovereign fusion energy capabilities.
The funding, part of an Au$50 million ‘Trailblazer’ grant awarded to the universities of Adelaide and New South Wales, is intended for the development of the next generation high power lasers needed for the nuclear fusion energy industry.
The Trailblazer programme is designed to harness local R&D expertise to develop national manufacturing capabilities in key areas such as clean energy and defence for the local and export markets.
HB11 Energy, Australia’s first laser fusion company, will assist with the proof-of-concept and development of new petawatt laser technology that is suited to generating hydrogen-boron fusion.
Have you read?
Australia’s HB11 Energy demonstrates laser-powered nuclear fusion
Nuclear Start-up Spotlight: Seaborg Technologies
“If HB11 Energy’s research programme is successful, it will place Australia at the heart of an industry deploying the only truly safe, scalable, and extremely low cost future energy,” says Dr Warren McKenzie, founder and MD of HB11 Energy.
He adds that the nuclear fusion energy industry alone could create billions in economic value for Australia, as long as there is continued investment.
“On this journey, there is also a new multi-billion dollar industry to be built in both manufacturing these lasers and developing their applications in industries such as clean energy, health, manufacturing, quantum computing and many others. This Trailblazer grant opens a fantastic opportunity for Australia to lead these new industries and capture new advanced manufacturing opportunities that will grow from them.”
The project supports a key element of HB11 Energy’s technology roadmap and could re-establish the country as a leader in fusion technology.
Previously in the early 1930s Sir Mark Oliphant, an Australian physicist, played a key role in the experimental demonstration of nuclear fusion at Cambridge.
Earlier in the year HB11 Energy reported demonstrating non-thermal fusion of hydrogen and boron-11 adding weight to the potential viability of the technique.
