How high-temperature superconducting magnets could unlock the energy source of the future

Since the fusion ignition breakthrough at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in late 2022,

billions of dollars have been funneled into achieving commercial fusion energy at scale and international sprint has ensued to be the first company to achieve it. As a clean, limitless energy source, fusion could solve the world’s energy problems and make today's climate change debate moot. Yet, to achieve commercial fusion energy at scale, the world needs more of a critical component that is in short supply - high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic wire. HTS magnetic tape is the only material that can

generate a strong enough magnetic field to achieve fusion energy in a device that is substantially smaller than alternative technologies. This keynote talk will cover how the latest advancements in HTS magnets are impacting the race for fusion energy and how one community aims to create an ecosystem to support technological advancements in HTS magnets.