Helical Fusion Completes HTS Coil Test, Advances Towards Commercial Fusion Power

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Japan’s Helical Fusion Co Ltd, a developer of the Helical Stellarator, has completed a key performance test of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coil—a major milestone in the global pursuit of commercial fusion energy.

Following the test, the company began manufacturing and construction of its integrated demonstration device, Helix HARUKA, under its Helix Programme aimed at developing the world’s first commercially viable fusion power plant.

The coil achieved stable superconducting current flow at 40 kiloamperes under a seven-tesla magnetic field at minus 258 degrees Celsius, meeting the technical threshold required to advance to the next development phase.

“The successful test marks a global turning point for commercial fusion and reflects Japan’s strong collaboration between industry, academia and government,” said Helical Fusion Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Takaya Taguchi in a statement.

Meanwhile, its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Junichi Miyazawa said the result demonstrates the company’s readiness to move from laboratory research to real-world application, adding that the milestone “strengthens confidence in achieving commercial fusion power within the next decade”.

Founded in 2021, Helical Fusion builds on more than six decades of research in the Helical Stellarator field from Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS).

The company works closely with NIFS under Japan’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase Three programme, supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

It received a two billion Japanese yen (US$13 million) grant under the programme, the largest allocation to date, to accelerate magnet and reactor component development. (US$1=RM4.18)

The achievement underscores Japan’s leadership in fusion innovation and the company’s commitment to realising clean, safe and sustainable energy for the world.

-- BERNAMA