January 21–22, 2021
The GAMOW (Galvanizing Advances in Market-aligned fusion for an Overabundance of Watts) program is kicking off! As all 14 GAMOW projects are getting under contract, we are excited to introduce the project teams and their plans, as well as focus everyone’s thinking on the objectives of the program, with the help of some perspectives from invited speakers.
GAMOW, a joint program of ARPA-E and Fusion Energy Sciences (Office of Science), supports innovative R&D in a range of enabling technologies (beyond confinement plasma physics) required for commercially attractive fusion energy. Key attributes for any commercially attractive energy include economics, safety, reliability/availability/maintainability/inspectability (RAMI), and environmental sustainability. This program prioritizes R&D that will help establish both the technical and commercial viability of a range of fusion enabling technologies, particularly in (i) all the required technologies and subsystems between the fusion plasma and the balance of plant, (ii) cost-effective, high-efficiency, high-duty-cycle driver technologies, and (iii) novel fusion materials and advanced manufacturing. Projects will leverage and build on foundational research in fusion materials, fusion nuclear science, plasma-materials interactions, and other enabling technologies, and focus on potentially transformative fusion-energy R&D that is informed by market-aware techno-economic analysis.
Context
Successful development of fusion energy science and technology could lead to a safe, carbon-free, firm power source for both developed and emerging economies, with a fuel supply that is abundant. For over sixty years, the pursuit of fusion energy has been largely focused on attaining the required fuel density, temperature, and energy confinement time required for a fusion energy system, with more modest investments in the enabling technologies and advanced materials that will be needed to sustain and harness fusion energy in a commercially attractive fusion energy system. However, progress to date warrants major new steps in the areas emphasized in the GAMOW program to help further establish fusion energy’s technical and commercial viability within the next several decades.
Day 1: January 21, 2021
| Start Time | Event | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 PM | Meeting Logistics |
Ms. Nancy Hicks, Team Lead, Meetings & Conferences Booz Allen Hamilton, Support Contractor to ARPA-E |
| 1:05 PM | Leadership welcome |
Dr. Jenny Gerbi, Deputy Director for Technology, ARPA-E Dr. John Mandrekas, Research Division Director, Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), Office of Science |
| 1:05 PM | Meeting introduction |
Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E Dr. Guin Shaw, Program Manager, FES Mr. Daniel Clark, Program Manager, FES |
| 1:35 PM | GAMOW project overviews (session 1) |
GAMOW PIs for Categories Ai, Aii, Aiii – 5 projects, (8+2)-minute presentations · Dr. Vittorio Badalassi, ORNL · Dr. Brenda Garcia-Diaz, SRNL · Dr. George Larsen, SRNL |
| 2:25 PM | Session Q&A/buffer | |
| 2:35 PM | Break | |
| 2:50 PM | GAMOW T2M priorities |
Incoming T2M Advisor, ARPA-E 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 3:10 PM | GAMOW project overviews (session 2) |
GAMOW PIs for Categories Aiv, Av + one project from category Bi 5 projects, (8+2)-minute presentations · Dr. Venkat Selvamanickam, U. Houston · Mr. Michael Paluszek, Princeton Fusion Systems · Dr. Jagadishwar Sirigiri, Bridge 12 · Dr. Ross Radel, Phoenix |
| 4:00 PM | Session Q&A/buffer | |
| 4:10 PM | Social license and ethical review of fusion: methods to achieve social acceptance |
Dr. Seth Hoedl, Chief Operating and Science Officer, Post Road Foundation 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 4:30 PM | Brief remarks followed by virtual social breakouts |
Professor Troy Carter (UCLA, FESAC LRP) Dr. Rich Hawryluk (PPPL, NAS FPP study) Mr. Andrew Holland (Fusion Industry Association) |
| 5:30 PM | Adjourn day 1 |
Day 2: January 22, 2021
| Start Time | Event | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 PM | Welcome | Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E |
| 1:05 PM | Review of Initial Markets for Fusion Energy |
Mr. Malcolm Handley, former ARPA-E T2M Consultant 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 1:25 PM | Developing a regulatory framework for fusion energy systems |
Mr. William Reckley, Senior Project Manager, NRC Advanced Reactor Program 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 1:45 PM | GAMOW project overviews (session 3) |
GAMOW PIs for categories Bi and Bii, 4 projects, (8+2)-minute presentations · Prof. Lance Snead, Stony Brook · Dr. Dalong Zhang, PNNL |
| 2:25 PM | Session Q&A/buffer | |
| 2:35 PM | Break | |
| 2:50 PM | Export control considerations |
Dr. Daniel Campbell, Classification Officer, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 3:10 PM | Activated fusion waste disposition/recycling/clearance |
Dr. Laila El-Guebaly, Distinguished Research Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Madison 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 3:30 PM | Models for funding fusion enabling technology development: perspectives from Kyoto Fusioneering |
Dr. Richard Pearson, Co-founder & Chief Innovator, Kyoto Fusioneering Prof. Satoshi Konishi, Co-founder & Chief Fusioneer, Kyoto Fusioneering 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A |
| 3:50 PM | Closing remarks/adjourn | Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E |
| 4:00 PM | One-on-one meetings with ARPA-E/FES | 10-minute slots by appointment, first-come, first-serve, with priority for non ARPA-E awardees. |