TAE Technologies, a fusion energy developer, in partnership with Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), carried out the world’s first hydrogen-boron fusion experiments in a magnetically confined fusion plasma.

The results were presented in an article titled “ First measurements of p11B fusion in a magnetically confined plasma ” in a peer-reviewed paper. This explains the outcome of the nuclear fusion reaction of hydrogen-boron in an experiment in NIFS’ Large Helical Device (LHD). It also provides detail on the experimental development of conditions needed for hydrogen-boron fusion in the LHD plasma as well as TAE’s development of a detector to measure hydrogen-boron reaction products—helium nuclei (known as alpha particles). 

This result represents an important step toward developing hydrogen-boron fusion for TAE, as it moves the company closer to the realization of a fusion power plant for electricity generation. In this future, only helium (known as three alpha particles) will be a byproduct of energy generation.

Analyst QuickTake: TAE initially partnered with NIFS in 2021, with the results of the partnership now bearing fruit. Looking forward, TAE aims to connect the first hydrogen-boron fusion power plant to the grid in the 2030s and expects to demonstrate net energy on its next research reactor Copernicus around mid-decade.