German startup Marvel Fusion will build the first laser facility specifically for conducting commercial fusion energy research in partnership with Colorado State University.
The collaboration, worth $150 million, aims to advance the development of a laser-based technique for producing commercially feasible power through atomic fusion.
“This public-private partnership sets the global standard for laser-based fusion research, propelling the development of a safe, clean, and reliable energy source. It is an incredible step forward for Marvel Fusion and a testament to our success and vision,” said Moritz von der Linden, CEO of Marvel Fusion.
The partnership, pending finalization of the financial details by the CSU System Board of Governors, would establish Fort Collins as a nexus for laser fusion research and deliver significant positive impacts to Colorado.
“CSU has been at the forefront of laser research for many years, and this new partnership would cement the university as an international leader in an area of laser science that has the potential to deliver profound benefits to our planet for generations,” CSU President Amy Parsons said. “The project aims to open up new avenues of research and exploration for students and faculty and drive meaningful, long-term benefits to Fort Collins and the state.”
Targeted for completion in 2026, the project will feature at least three laser systems, each with a multi-petawatt peak power and an ultra-fast repetition rate of ten flashes per second.[1]
Such a combination of lasers would make the facility unique in the world. The flagship facility will be designed to accommodate expansion and additional lasers in the future.
The initially selected site for the new laser facility is near CSU’s existing Advanced Beam Laboratory, built in 2013, on the CSU Foothills Campus.
References
- Colorado State University News, ‘CSU and Marvel Fusion partner on groundbreaking $150M laser facility’, 7 August 2023, https://source.colostate.edu/csu-marvel-fusion-groundbreaking-laser-facility/[↩]
