Focused Energy, a startup specializing in fusion power, has recently acquired two of the most powerful lasers in the world, the company announced exclusively. These giant lasers will be installed in the startup’s upcoming facility in the San Francisco Bay Area over the next couple of years.

Focused Energy is focused on pursuing inertial confinement fusion, a method where multiple laser beams converge to compress a fuel pellet until its contents fuse and release energy. This approach has showcased the possibility of achieving net-positive fusion power, but there are still significant challenges to overcome.

These two lasers, with the capability of delivering over a kilojoule of energy to a target, represent some of the highest-average-power lasers in private company possession. Notably, they come with a price tag of nearly $40 million. The lasers, which are intended to fire approximately once per minute, will play a crucial role in Focused Energy’s ambitious goal of conducting 10 shots per second.

With a vision of building a commercial power plant that requires thousands of lasers per facility, Focused Energy faces the challenge of rapidly scaling its operations. The company’s timeline for achieving this goal is set for 2035, contingent on the ability to scale up laser manufacturing efficiently. The ultimate aim is to construct a fusion pilot plant that would revolutionize the energy landscape.

Each laser system, manufactured by French laser specialist Amplitude Laser, will occupy roughly 1,600 square feet, equivalent to the size of a small house. These lasers are custom-designed technology demonstrators, reflecting the innovative spirit of Focused Energy and Amplitude’s collaboration.

As Focused Energy progresses towards its milestones, the possibility of transforming the global energy sector looms on the horizon. By overcoming the current limitations in laser manufacturing and ramping up supply chains, the company aims to revolutionize the fusion power industry and make a significant impact on the world’s energy needs.