Fusion startup Helion is developing new semiconductors that could double output of its power plants
Helion now has another $225 million to help speed development of its first fusion power plant, due to provide Microsoft with electricity in 2028.
Fusion startup Helion has secured $175 million in federal funding to research, develop, and manufacture advanced semiconductors for its power plants, according to a news release on Thursday. The current power losses in Helion's devices range from 5% to 10%, which can compound in complex systems. Helion co-founder and CEO David Kirtley explained that cutting the losses in half would double the power output of the fusion system.
Helion is working to complete its first power plant, Orion, by 2028 to supply Microsoft with electricity. The funding will enable Helion to build automated semiconductor module, packaging, and testing capacity in Washington State, which will be the first U.S. manufacturer of a specific class of semiconductor used in fusion power and other sectors.
The funding comes from the Department of Commerce under the CHIPS Act, which aims to boost semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing in the U.S. Helion has raised over $3.2 billion in total, making it the second-best-funded fusion startup. The company is developing a field-reversed configuration reactor and will set aside $100 million for semiconductor and advanced packaging R&D in Washington State and $80 million for R&D efforts in Vermont for advanced semiconductor tooling, design, and process development.
Efficient power electronics are crucial for Helion's direct energy conversion approach, which aims to produce more power than needed to operate the reactor, making fusion power commercially viable. Advanced power electronics could also impact the energy sector, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and the defense industry.
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