New partnership set to advance new fusion energy system with support of world-leading tritium expertise and cutting-edge R&D in reactor design, maintenance and operation
Princeton, New Jersey / Chalk River, Ontario – 18 March 2024: Stellarex, Inc. and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that provides a framework for collaboration and cooperation in the science and technology of fusion energy production.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Stellarex and CNL will partner in specific areas of fusion energy science and technology towards the design and realization of Stellarex’s planned fusion energy power plants.
These specific areas of collaboration focus on fusion energy technologies for which CNL has world-leading expertise, including tritium-related systems associated with the fuel cycle, safety analysis, regulatory compliance, remote maintenance/inspection, materials analysis and waste processing.
“Stellarex is delighted to be collaborating with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories,” said Professor Amitava Bhattacharjee, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Stellarex, also of Princeton University. “CNL has exceptional experience in many key areas of importance in developing our stellarator fusion energy devices.”
“Canada is in the midst of rapidly growing our work in fusion energy technologies, and CNL is excited to partner with Stellarex in its pursuit of a magnetic fusion energy based on the stellarator approach,” said Dr. Stephen Bushby, Vice-President, Science and Technology, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. “The Stellarex team has decades of accumulated fusion science and technology experience and expertise garnered from the leading fusion projects in the world, and CNL is looking forward to supporting their technology development with our extensive capabilities in the safe management of deuterium and tritium as well as our state-of-the-art research and development facilities for advanced reactor support and development.”
Stellarex Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Michael Zarnstorff added that, “A key part of a fusion power plant is the auxiliary systems that support the operation of the device, particularly the fuel cycle, the maintenance systems, and plant safety systems.”
CNL’s Head of Hydrogen and Tritium Technologies Directorate, Dr. Ian Castillo, added, “We are looking forward to not only utilizing our tritium expertise to help Stellarex advance its technology, but also applying our extensive experience in operational reactors into the design of new fusion plants.”
About Stellarex
Stellarex, Inc. is a fusion energy technology development company, which includes leading experts from Princeton University and the international fusion energy community. Stellarex is applying the significant advantages of the stellarator approach, originally invented at Princeton University, to develop an economically attractive fusion energy system providing reliable clean energy to mitigate climate change. Founded in 2022, Stellarex is based in Princeton, New Jersey.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfils three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
Stellarex Contact:
Richard Carty
Chairman
1-917-601-3261
[email protected]
CNL Contact:
Philip Kompass
Director, Corporate Communications
1-866-886-2325
[email protected]
Photo caption: Stellarex Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Michael Zarnstorff, and CNL’s Head of Hydrogen and Tritium Technologies Directorate, Dr. Ian Castillo, celebrate the signing of an MOU that provides a framework for Stellarex and CNL to collaborate on fusion research.
