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August 04, 2023

Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren Applauds Fusion Energy Awards

SAN JOSE, CA—This week the Department of Energy (DOE) announced three sets of fusion energy research and development awards, including several to Bay-Area institutions.

“It’s an exciting time for fusion energy development,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “After the breakthrough achievement of fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility at LLNL last year, I’m happy to see the Biden Administration doubling down with investments in this critical technology. And I’m very excited to see so many Bay Area groups leading in this effort. These investments are good for California and vital to securing our clean energy future.”

Further information regarding the specific awards is below.

DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced $9 million in funding for 18 projects to help shore up domestic energy production, improve energy efficiency and reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One of those awards went to Marathon Fusion in San Francisco for a project that could significantly improve fuel cycle costs for fusion energy systems.

The DOE Office of Science’s Fusion Energy Sciences program made separate awards for the LaserNetUS initiative to advance discovery science and inertial fusion energy. Portions of this funding went to the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).

DOE also announced the selection of over 90 early career scientists as part of the Office of Science’s Early Career Research Program, including 8 that will be supported by the Fusion Energy Sciences program. One of these emerging research leaders will be working to examine target physics relevant to inertial fusion energy systems at LLNL.

 

All of these activities follow a recent, significant award of $9 million to Xcimer Energy in Redwood City as part of the first selections announced by DOE’s new Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.

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