Commerce Department Grants CFS $85 Million for Fusion Semiconductors
The federal award includes an equity stake and funds the development of radiation-hardened electronics for the Sparc reactor.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced on Thursday that it will receive $85 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The funding comes from a CHIPS Act award intended to develop advanced semiconductors for the fusion power industry. The agreement also grants the federal government a stake in the company.
CFS plans to use the money to strengthen research and development while expanding manufacturing capacity for chips in the United States. The award targets five specific initiatives. The first involves the advancement of silicon carbide power electronics. These components manage high voltages and are currently used in electric vehicles, data centers, and cell phone base stations. In fusion machines, they drive the superconducting magnets that confine plasma.
The company will also develop next-generation radio-frequency power generators used to heat fusion fuel. A third effort focuses on advanced electronics that allow for faster reactor control and are hardened against radiation. CFS stated that these radiation-hardened components could extend the lifespan of parts inside a plant, thereby reducing operating costs.
The final initiative involves adapting artificial intelligence hardware, including GPUs and TPUs, for use in power plants. Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, wrote in a blog post that the work aims to create a more capable and economical power plant. He noted that the goal is also to build a stronger U.S. supply chain to support that infrastructure.
The award arrives as fusion startups race to finish their first demonstration machines. CFS aims to switch on its Sparc reactor sometime next year. While a single reactor serves as a proof point, companies planning to build dozens of commercial plants require more durable power electronics and a dependable supply chain. Sorbom said the funding would improve U.S. chip and power electronics industries while accelerating fusion energy's progress toward the electrical grid.
Source: TechCrunch
