Helion and Nucor have made an agreement to develop a 500-megawatt fusion power plant at Nucor’s U.S. steel manufacturing facility.
Nucor has invested in Helion as a part of the agreement, and the companies aim to revolutionize energy supply in the steel sector with the new project. Fusion energy will provide zero-carbon electricity for operations at Nucor’s steel plant, affirming the company’s goal of becoming the cleanest steel company in the world. According to Helion, this marks the first fusion energy agreement of such scale.
Fusion energy is created by a thermonuclear fusion reaction at extremely high temperatures, a process that occurs in the Sun and other stars. The fusion process releases energy without producing greenhouse gasses or long-term radioactive waste. It also may generate abundant fuel supplies, offering a long-term energy source.
“This project marks a tremendous milestone in the potential for the use of nearly limitless clean electricity for industrial manufacturing,” Nucor CEO Leon Topalian said. “By entering this agreement, we are demonstrating our commitment to be the cleanest steel producer in the world, while setting an example for all manufacturing companies.”
Fusion Energy May Decarbonize Heavy Industry, Meet Future Energy Needs
For decades, the United States has invested in developing fusion energy through the Department of Energy National Laboratories, and now that the technology has been achieved, the Biden administration has made efforts to accelerate its commercial adoption.
Fusion energy may potentially revolutionize the energy industry, both working to address climate change and meeting increased global energy demand. Especially for hard-to-abate sectors, or industries that are particularly difficult to decarbonize, fusion energy is able to supply unlimited power and replace typically carbon-intensive operations.
Steel is one such sector, responsible for about 7% of the world’s emissions, so the industry has been exploring decarbonization options.
Along with this partnership, Nucor has taken significant steps to decarbonize their operations and inspire the industry as a whole to switch to green energy and overall more sustainable practices. Recently, the company announced that it would back Electra, a company that electrochemically refines iron ore, allowing the process to use renewable energy instead of coal.
“We’re passionate about helping the world reduce its dependence on carbon-based energy sources with abundant, clean fusion power,” said David Kirtley, CEO of Helion. “We are excited to partner with Nucor, a leader in decarbonization in the steel industry. A project like this is only made possible by working with a forward-looking company like Nucor which is committed to decreasing its carbon emissions.”
