TAE Technologies Raises $150M to Advance Fusion Energy
In a major leap toward clean energy innovation, TAE Technologies has raised over $150 million in a recent funding round, bringing its total equity funding to more than $1.3 billion since its inception in 1998.
The round included participation from industry giants such as Chevron, Google, and New Enterprise Associates (NEA), underscoring growing investor confidence in TAE’s unique approach to commercial fusion energy.
Achieving Fusion Milestones with “Norm”
Earlier this year, TAE achieved a fusion milestone by generating stable plasma exceeding 70 million degrees Celsius, hotter than the core of the sun using a simplified prototype dubbed “Norm.” This achievement moves the company significantly closer to building a fusion reactor that produces net energy, a long-sought goal in the field of nuclear fusion.
Unlike most fusion ventures that rely on deuterium-tritium fuel, which generates radioactive waste, TAE is pioneering proton-boron-11 (p-B11) fusion. This process produces zero radioactive waste and results only in helium, offering a safe, scalable, and abundant energy solution.
Advanced Fusion Design: Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC)
TAE uses a proprietary beam-driven Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) to heat and confine plasma. This linear, modular, and compact system contrasts with conventional tokamaks and lasers, offering better cost-efficiency and adaptability for future power plants.
Michl Binderbauer, CEO of TAE Technologies, said, “Fusion has the potential to transform the energy landscape, providing near-limitless clean power at a time when the world’s energy needs are growing exponentially due to the growth of AI and data centers.”
He added, “TAE’s technology uses the soundest physics to deliver superior performance in a compact machine, with attractive economics and best-in-class maintainability. We are leading the charge to develop revolutionary fusion technology for full-scale commercial deployment.”
Also read: First Hydrogen, Alberta University Partner on SMR Tech
Google’s Role in Accelerating Fusion via AI
TAE’s decade-long collaboration with Google has been pivotal in its progress. Using AI and machine learning tools such as the Optometrist Algorithm, Google has helped TAE optimize plasma behavior and improve control systems. This synergy between fusion science and AI has given TAE a distinct edge in a field where precision is crucial.
TAE's subsequent fusion device, Copernicus, is in the process of being built and is designed to show net energy gain, a key test of fusion viability. Following this, TAE plans to develop Da Vinci, its first commercial-scale fusion power plant, expected to connect to the grid by the early 2030s.
