Testing hardware remains one of the biggest hurdles to commercial fusion energy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Rutherford Energy Ventures launched FULCRA (Fusion Upscaled Leveraged Consortia for Rapid Acceleration) to expand testing infrastructure and give fusion companies affordable access to specialized facilities.

Leadership from ORNL and Rutherford Energy Ventures at the FULCRA kick-off meeting; Photo: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

The Cost Problem In Fusion

Scientists understand how to produce fusion reactions, but turning that science into commercial power plants requires components that can survive extreme heat, radiation, and other harsh operating conditions. Engineers must test those components in specialized facilities that are expensive to build and operate.

Building the specialized facilities needed to test these components is often too expensive for private fusion companies. The Department of Energy has identified this lack of testing infrastructure as a major barrier to commercial fusion development.

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How FULCRA Works

FULCRA will combine private investment with ORNL’s expertise and testing facilities, giving private fusion companies affordable access to the infrastructure needed to test their technologies. During the program’s initial phase, REV, founded by two MIT professors with expertise in fusion energy and financial engineering, will assess ORNL’s fusion technologies and facilities.

These technologies will include fusion blankets and other fusion energy technologies. Based on its assessment, REV will work with private fusion companies to identify the testing infrastructure they need. If successful, FULCRA could create a model that other Department of Energy national laboratories can replicate to accelerate commercial fusion development.

“ORNL’s leadership in fusion science, materials and neutron science makes it well-suited to anchor this shared infrastructure. This collaboration gives us the opportunity to build a partnership model that can serve the entire fusion ecosystem and be replicated across the national laboratory system,” said Troy Carter, director of ORNL’s Fusion Energy Division.