| Thea Energy | |
| Type: | Private |
| Industry: | Energy |
| Key People: | Brian Berzin (CEO), David Gates (CTO) |
| Hq Location City: | Branchburg, NJ |
| Hq Location Country: | US |
Thea Energy is an American fusion power company founded in 2022 after a spin-out from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).[1] Its original name was Princeton Stellarators, Inc (PSI). Thea Energy's approach to commercial fusion is based on the stellarator approach using a unique set of all-planar electromagnetic coils. This all-planar coil approach was developed by PPPL and licensed by Thea Energy.[2]
Thea Energy was founded in 2022 as Princeton Stellarators, Inc, based on technology licensed from PPPL.[3]
Thea Energy received two United States Department of Energy INFUSE awards in 2022 and one in 2023.[4]
In May 2023, Thea was one of eight companies chosen for the United States Department of Energy Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.[5] [6]
See main article: Quasisymmetry.
See main article: Stellarator.
Thea Energy's approach is a variant of the stellarator in which the complex, modular electromagnetic coils are replaced by an array of small, simple, planar electromagnetic coils. This approach simplifies the design, allows for precise 3D control of the resultant magnetic field, and allows for increased access for system maintenance.[7] [8]
As an intermediate step towards a fusion power plant, Thea is building Eos, a neutron source based on the same technology. Eos is intended to demonstrate the technology and generate near-term revenue.[9] It is expected to run sub-breakeven with respect to energy, but produce large numbers of neutrons for the creation of radioisotopes such as tritium and medical radioisotopes. The fuel for the neutron source will be deuterium rather than a mixture of deuterium and tritium.