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Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

helionenergy.com

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Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#42

Post by chroma »

HDThoreaun wrote: post #23
trebligdivad wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it doesn't cost MS a bean until Helion have something working, but to Helion it means they can raise money for the actual construction of the first-production machine with the investors knowing someone will pay them for it if it works.

Electricity is a commodity. How could they possibly have a working product that they can’t sell? Just hook it up to the grid and there you go.

You don't "just hook it up to the grid". You have to work with the local utility company or companies to negotiate pricing, SLAs, and safety concerns (eg: shutting off power when linemen are working). Helion's fusion reactors are small enough to fit in a couple shipping containers. The idea is that the units can be mass produced in a factory, then transported to data centers and replace the grid hookup as the primary power source. Another potential market is stuff like remote mining operations which currently use diesel generators. The cost of transporting fuel to such sites can be quite high. A fusion reactor, while more expensive up-front, could be cheaper in the long run. And unlike solar cells, the reactor can be easily moved offsite when the operation is complete.

Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#44

Post by hangonhn »

roywiggins wrote: post #11
moh_maya wrote: post #8

From [0] ‘ This is a binding agreement that has financial penalties if we can’t build a fusion system,” Helion founder and CEO David Kirtley tells The Verge. “We’ve committed to be able to build a system and sell it commercially to [Microsoft].” Assuming the financial penalties are a significant fraction (i.e they are, say, greater than 5%) of the agreement value, I would interpret it as a more serious / confident co…

If they can't build a fusion system, aren't they sort of bust anyway?

Isn't their plan B being an economical way of generating helium-3? Their power generation plan sounds dubious but the helium-3 production might make some sense.

Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#45

Post by gfodor »

reacharavindh wrote: post #27
gfodor wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we all get frustrated when we see nonsense online, but usually the best thing to do is “block and move on”

Yes, I was cynical and frustrated from so much of PR fluff pieces that imply one thing only end up being smoke & mirrors. I did however genuinely ask “why not say it like it is?!” Sorry, I do not subscribe to the idea that everybody should just ignore and move on when they see nonsense.. If nobody cares, then what is the point of our collective existence as a society? As an exaggerated example, if we all stopped cari…

I'm referring to scenarios where the nonsense is affecting your psychological well being. If you're in a situation where you see nonsense, see a way to refute or diffuse it, and without it causing an emotional response in that moment, then obviously "block and move on" has different consequential implications and isn't a good formula. But the duty to tell the truth only is actionable if you're not plunged into irrationality or weak arguments because of the stress or emotional frustration overwhelming you.

Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#46

Post by NoMoreNicksLeft »

roywiggins wrote: post #11
moh_maya wrote: post #8

From [0] ‘ This is a binding agreement that has financial penalties if we can’t build a fusion system,” Helion founder and CEO David Kirtley tells The Verge. “We’ve committed to be able to build a system and sell it commercially to [Microsoft].” Assuming the financial penalties are a significant fraction (i.e they are, say, greater than 5%) of the agreement value, I would interpret it as a more serious / confident co…

If they can't build a fusion system, aren't they sort of bust anyway?

If they could build a fusion system, are they in any danger of not having customers to the point that they're selling futures now?

Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#48

Post by RivieraKid »

I think Helion has a 50% chance of achieving net electricity next year. When hearing about fusion research, the vast majority of people immediately react with something like "fusion is always 30 years away lol". There's a good chance they will be very surprised.

Re: Helion’s fusion power purchase agreement with Microsoft

#49

Post by gfodor »

lagniappe wrote: post #16
gfodor wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we all get frustrated when we see nonsense online, but usually the best thing to do is “block and move on”

while not every comment deserves a reply, or your attention, silencing every opposing viewpoint is a great way to end up isolated and without contextual diversity.

I only recommend people blocking things that they can't handle. If you can't handle opposing viewpoints, that's a big problem, but telling you that you can solve that problem by forcing yourself to be exposed to them is mistaking the symptom for the disease. The cure for that isn't to read opposing opinions but to read arguments as to why emotional reactions to such things is not the path to a well examined life.
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