Launch HN: Maritime Fusion (YC W25) – Fusion Reactors for Ships

Breakeven fusion is coming soon, but the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) reactors will be costly, high maintenance, and have low capacity factors, leading to 5–10× higher electricity cost on the grid. These reactors also face significant physics challenges for steady-state operation, such as managing the first wall heat flux and mitigating nuclear activation of structural components that may require novel new materials to solve. We are building the first fusion reactors for marine applications. Maritime Fusion is building a reactor for deployment on ships that alleviates the challenges that arise between breakeven and a commercially viable energy source. The market we're targeting requires 15× less power, lower up-time, and costs the same as alternative fuels but without any emissions. Since fusion does not use highly radioactive fuels or materials – unlike fission – we sidestep the vast majority of regulatory challenges and safety risks associated with nuclear energy. ... Read full article.