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Nuclear fusion energy startups are moving toward defense-related partnerships and funding at a time when climate technology financing is slowing. This convergence gives companies an additional source of capital, but it ties the development path of power plants to military and security applications that are still in their early stages.
The startup Pacific Fusion has begun construction of a pilot facility in New Mexico aimed at achieving what is known as “net facility gain” by 2030—that is, producing as much energy as the facility itself consumes. The company intends to use the project’s results to reach a commercial plant in the mid-2030s.