Microsoft Bets That Fusion Power Is Closer Than Many Think

Gates might also be the most enthusiastic person about fast breeder reactors as he has put a lot of effort and money into SMRs, breed-and-burn fuel cycles, and making up the for the high cost of a three-stage heat transfer system by using the intermediate coolant to store energy ahead of time.

Fusion is not just another way to power our lightbulbs it's a completely different kind of energy.

Two unique properties of energy density like Fusion.

1. The ability to hit 10% of the speed of light in space 2. The ability to create fundamental elements like gold, silver etc.

Another good example of the fact that there are no scarcity of resources only scarcity of knowledge. Resources are created not found.

Edit: Why am I being downvoted?

Given the implications of this technology I wonder how much development is actually being done "in the open". And therefore how close to a breakthrough we are, whether a breakthrough has already occured and we are being fed delayed findings, and ultimately how a private organization like Microsoft would truly be able to access matured tech.

Whether by incentive or by coercion, it feels like the DOD and the DOE would want to have first access to any breakthroughs and also guard knowledge transfers (ie protect any program - commerical or government - from foreign state espionage).

The DOE is basically an entire national security organization centered around nuclear security, it seems unlikely they would be standing by watching R&D in fusion occur without a seat at the table.

Helios is building real facilities. Maybe it won't work, but it's not just drafting CAD templates — they are deploying capital into physical reactors. That's not bullshit.

Do they really believe that, or are they just trying to look greener and make their carbon negative commitment look more real?

> “We wouldn’t enter into this agreement if we were not optimistic that engineering advances are gaining momentum,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith.

Why not? What's the downside for Microsoft, even if they think this probably won't happen by 2028? They even get paid "penalties" if Helion doesn't deliver.