Kyoto Fusioneering to Build Fusion Fuel-Breeding Prototype at Oak Ridge

Kyoto Fusioneering, a Japan-based company backed by $121 million in capital, announced that it will move its U.S. base to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to develop a prototype fuel-breeding apparatus named Unity-3 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of Tennessee. Unity-3 will test a breeding blanket concept that employs liquid lithium to absorb heat and neutrons, producing tritium while extracting thermal energy for power generation.

The startup also works on plasma heating, fuel recycling, and heat-to-electricity conversion systems. Data from the Unity-3 trials are expected to aid other fusion startups such as Realta Fusion, Thea Energy, Type One Energy and Xcimer Energy in designing their reactors. The initiative positions Kyoto Fusioneering as a potential key supplier for future grid-connected fusion plants.