Will Regan, President and Co-founder of Pacific Fusion, is helping spend $1+ billion to mimic the sun’s method for producing energy. In our third fusion episode, Will educates us on inertial confinement. He discusses the advancements that help smooth Pacific Fusion’s path to delivering commercial energy by the mid-2030s.

00:00 Welcome to Tech Cars Episode 58

04:09 Introduction to Pacific Fusion

07:24 Will Regan’s Journey to Pacific Fusion

10:57 Explaining Fusion and Inertial Confinement

19:12 The Engineering and Science Behind Fusion

21:15 Physical Description of Pacific Fusion’s Facility

26:03 Understanding Marx Generators

29:16 Fusion Chamber and Magnetic Compression

32:34 Energy Output and Power Plant Efficiency

35:17 Handling Neutrons and Chamber Protection

38:55 Manufacturability and Supply Chain

“Twisty donuts” if you lean Republican, “French cruller” if you lean left. CEO and Co-founder Brian Berzin, describes how this shape and a focus on manufacturability will allow Thea Energy to deliver fusion energy in a cost-competitive manner.

Following up on last week’s episode with Dr. Scott Hsu of Lowercarbon Capital, Brian discusses the innovative approach Thea Energy is taking to commercialize fusion energy. The conversation covers the company’s origins in the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, and their groundbreaking ‘stellarator’ design. Brian explains how modularization, software and AI helps overcome the fiendishly difficult construction of stellerators. He shares insights into the company’s rapid iteration and development cycles, culminating in their goal to scale up to commercial levels.

00:00 Welcome to the Fusion Energy Series

01:06 Introducing Brian Berzin and Thea Energy

11:46 Technical and Financial Milestones

14:54 Understanding Fusion: A Simplified Explanation

23:58 Challenges and Breakthroughs in Stellerators

29:30 Innovations in Superconducting Magnets

34:52 The Role of Software in Magnet Control

41:07 Scaling Up to Commercial Relevance

48:45 First Walls and Blankets in Fusion Reactors

51:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Why have the biggest names (such as Bill Gates, Lowercarbon Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Google and Sam Altman) put billions into dozens of fusion energy companies? An engaging, accessible discussion with Dr. Scott Hsu on the fascinating world and private company ecosystem of the fusion energy. Scott was with with the DOE where he helped allocate $100MM of fusion R&D investment. He is now Partner at Lowercarbon Capital. We explore the fundamentals of fusion, compare magnetic and inertial confinement methods, and discuss innovative companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Pacific Fusion, Thea Energy, Xcimer and Avalanche Energy. Scott explains why there’s new hope for making fusion commercially viable in the coming years. He highlights the challenges and opportunities in building the necessary infrastructure.

00:00 Introduction

01:42 Scott’s Background and Career

02:39 Lowercarbon Capital and Fusion Investments

10:42 Fusion Basics and Scientific Principles

19:57 Magnetic and Inertial Fusion Approaches

22:52 Understanding the Magnetic Confinement (Commonwealth, Thea)

23:35 Challenges of Plasma Confinement

25:31 Innovations in Modern Tokamaks

29:17 Exploring Alternative Fusion Devices (Pacific Fusion, Avalanche)

32:40 Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion (Xcimer)

41:26 Future of Fusion Energy