Why nuclear fusion breakthroughs should herald an IP race

29-09-2023

Emma Graham and Alex Savin

Why nuclear fusion breakthroughs should herald an IP race

National Ignition Facility, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California

Recent breakthroughs in nuclear fusion ignition represent a significant licensing opportunity that could provide much-needed revenue for commercial fusion energy projects, write Emma Graham and Alex Savin at Mewburn Ellis.

In July 2023, a research team in California achieved a breakthrough in nuclear fusion ignition.

This wasn’t the first time that the scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) had achieved net energy gain in inertial confinement fusion (ICF).

It followed on from the landmark success in December 2022, led by LLNL’s Dr Annie Kritcher, which reported the first ever ICF net gain.


nuclear fusion ignition, patent, National Ignition Facility, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, Inertial Confinement Fusion, Mewburn Ellis

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