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Commonwealth Fusion Systems Ships Specialized Magnets to University of Wisconsin–Madison Ahead of SPARC Demonstration Reactor
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has commenced the shipment of a pair of its highly specialized magnets to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, marking a notable step years ahead of its anticipated SPARC demonstration reactor. This development, revealed in an exclusive statement to TechCrunch, represents the first such transaction for the startup, potentially paving the way for future supply agreements alongside research and development partnerships.
"We recognize that the magnets are useful for other things," said Bob Mumgaard, CEO of CFS. "If we’re going to build a ladder, let’s not kick the ladder down. If others are going to come up behind, how can we help them?" These comments hint at the broader significance of CFS’s magnets, which were pivotal to the company’s establishment. In collaboration with scientists at MIT, CFS developed a new type of rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) magnet capable of generating an extraordinarily strong magnetic field.
This innovative technology allows the magnets to be smaller while still effectively confining the reactor's white-hot plasma. The reduced size translates into cost savings and less requirement for supporting material and equipment, benefits that permeate the entire power plant infrastructure, thus broadening the commercial viability of fusion technology. Given these substantial advantages, it is hardly surprising that CFS’s magnets have garnered interest from other entities.
CFS, however, remains cautious about potential competition. The project at UW-Madison is purely a research initiative involving a different reactor design, known as WHAM, which forms a tube of plasma rather than a doughnut shape like CFS’s tokamak. The funding for this university research comes from the federal government’s ARPA-E program. WHAM is connected to another startup that emerged from the experiment, though it does not have a direct partnership with CFS.
As part of the agreement, CFS is providing not only the completed magnets but also the essential assemblies, cooling, and control systems. The startup's software will also be instrumental in managing the magnets' operations. While the transaction is mutually beneficial, it is a commercial interaction with the university compensating CFS for the magnets, the amount of which was not disclosed. “The fact that we have these magnets, and that we spent a lot of money developing them. Well, that’s a good business for us,” Mumgaard concluded.
