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May 2023

Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus Visits TAE Technologies Headquarters

Members of the Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus toured the headquarters of the world’s largest private fusion energy company, TAE Technologies, on May 3, 2023. (From left:) TAE CTO Artem Smirnov, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Young Kim (CA-40), TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer, and Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08) stand near the company’s National Laboratory-scale fusion energy research device.
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. – Members of the Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus toured the headquarters of the world’s largest private fusion energy company, TAE Technologies, on May 3, 2023. (From left:) TAE CTO Artem Smirnov, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Young Kim (CA-40), TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer, and Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08) stand near the company’s National Laboratory-scale fusion energy research device.
Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-40) participates in demonstration of control room operations for TAE’s fifth-generation device, dubbed Norman, a fusion research device that is capable of creating and sustaining plasma at more than 70 million degrees C.
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. – Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-40) participates in demonstration of control room operations for TAE’s fifth-generation device, dubbed Norman, a fusion research device that is capable of creating and sustaining plasma at more than 70 million degrees C.

Foothill Ranch, Calif.  On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40), U.S. Representative Don Beyer (VA-08), and U.S. Representative Mike Levin (CA-49) visited TAE Technologies, the world’s largest private fusion energy company. Rep. Beyer founded and co-chairs the bipartisan fusion energy caucus in 2021, which is touring energy facilities across California.  

“TAE Technologies is closer than ever to delivering clean, safe, commercial fusion power, and the Fusion Caucus’ work is crucial to ensuring that the U.S. and California continue to lead the way over the next decade,” TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer said. “We appreciate the opportunity to share our research and progress with Reps. Kim, Beyer, and Levin and look forward to continued partnerships.” 

The delegation toured TAE’s fifth-generation National Laboratory-scale fusion energy research device to learn more about TAE’s pioneering pursuit of the cleanest and most economical path to providing electricity with hydrogen-boron (also known as proton-boron, p-B11, or p11B), an abundant, environmentally sound fuel. The visit included a tour of TAE Power Solutions, the company’s recently announced second subsidiary focused on commercializing breakthroughs in energy storage, electric mobility, fast charging, and grid efficiency for business-to-business applications. 

“Innovation is the key to unlocking our nation’s energy future and independence, and companies like TAE Technologies are leading the way to make that happen through breakthroughs in fusion energy,” Rep. Young Kim said. “I thank the TAE team for the headquarters tour with the Congressional Fusion Caucus. I am proud to represent TAE Technologies in California’s 40th district and look forward to working together on clean energy innovation.”

“Strong public and private investment have enabled a wide variety of fusion energy techniques to undergo development and testing,” Rep. Don Beyer said. “Our scientific community is learning so much through the many approaches to fusion, and this investment and exploration will ultimately enable us to reach our goal of commercialized fusion energy faster.”

“Fusion energy has the potential to be the clean energy source of the future if we continue to invest in research and development capabilities to expand its potential,” Rep. Mike Levin said. “California is leading the way in the creation of clean energy jobs and fusion provides another avenue for creating more good-paying jobs. Through the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus, we are exploring how federal policies can support the expansion of fusion energy and how partnerships in the public and private sectors can enhance that.”

Early this year, TAE broke ground at a new 100,000 square foot facility in Irvine, Calif. to build its next fusion research machine, Copernicus, which is expected to demonstrate the viability of net energy generation from TAE’s proprietary configuration around the mid-2020s. With that milestone in hand, TAE will develop its first prototype fusion power plant, Da Vinci, to deliver electrons to the grid in the early-2030s.

About TAE Technologies

TAE Technologies (pronounced T-A-E) was founded in 1998 to develop commercial fusion power with the cleanest environmental profile. The company’s pioneering work represents the fastest, most practical, and economically competitive solution to bring abundant clean energy to the grid. With over 1,800 patents filed globally and over 1,100 granted, $1.2 billion in private capital raised, five generations of National Laboratory-scale devices built and two more in development, and an experienced team of over 500 employees, TAE is now on the cusp of delivering this transformational energy source capable of sustaining the planet for thousands of years.

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