5 questions with… Focused Energy
Focused Energy featured in our ‘5 Questions With…’ interview in the March 2023 issue of the Fusion Energy Insights Quarterly.
Each issue we ask a founder or CEO of a private fusion company these 5 questions:
- What's your approach and how does it work?
- Why is it unique/what's the USP?
- What are your milestones to commercial fusion—where are you now and what is your timeline?
- How are you backed financially? What have you raised and how much do you estimate you will need to raise to achieve your goals?
- What are the key strategic partnerships that you have in place or in planning that will get you to commercial fusion?
Plus a couple of personal ones.
Here is a sneak-peek of some of the things Focused Energy revealed.
1. What is the approach of Focused Energy?
Focused Energy seeks to realise laser-based fusion energy to be demonstrated by the end of this decade and a commercially attractive first power plant in the second half of the next decade.
2. Why is Focused Energy’s approach to fusion unique?
Focused Energy’s approach is unique, and also the design of our future
power plant. Our power plant has a modular design. The target chamber is separated from the drivers (the lasers). The lasers can easily be maintained without
stopping the energy production. The target chamber is simple as there is no complex technology around the chamber, compared to tokamaks and stellarators. Thus, we have much more flexibility for use of first wall material and tritium breeding.
Leader Insight
Thomas Forner is the Founder and original CEO of Focused Energy. In February 2024, Scott Mercer, former CEO of Volta Charging, took over as CEO as Focused Energy aims to expand its US presence and scale fusion development. Thomas Forner took on the role of President.
How long have you been working in fusion?
I have been working in the fusion space for about three years—first helping another start-up and raising money there, and then I founded Focused Energy together with Markus Roth and Todd Ditmire. Both are professors with a long history in the fusion and laser space.
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Members of Fusion Energy Insights get access to this article and more in an exclusive publication each quarter – The Fusion Energy Insights Quarterly. Here we share industry updates on nuclear fusion across global activity, fusion regulation, fusion investment, fusion energy news, science and new players, plus we profile different fusion companies and include special feature articles from industry insiders, tracking the progress of this exciting clean energy solution.