57. Brian Berzin, Co-Founder & CEO, Thea Energy

“Twisty donuts” if you lean Republican, “French cruller” if you lean left. CEO and Co-founder Brian Berzin, describes how this shape and a focus on manufacturability will allow Thea Energy to deliver fusion energy in a cost-competitive manner.  

Following up on last week’s episode with Dr. Scott Hsu of Lowercarbon Capital, Brian discusses the innovative approach Thea Energy is taking to commercialize fusion energy. The conversation covers the company’s origins in the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, and their groundbreaking ‘stellarator’ design. Brian explains how modularization, software and AI helps overcome the fiendishly difficult construction of stellerators. He shares insights into the company’s rapid iteration and development cycles, culminating in their goal to scale up to commercial levels.  

 

00:00 Welcome to the Fusion Energy Series 

01:06 Introducing Brian Berzin and Thea Energy 

11:46 Technical and Financial Milestones 

14:54 Understanding Fusion: A Simplified Explanation 

23:58 Challenges and Breakthroughs in Stellerators 

29:30 Innovations in Superconducting Magnets 

34:52 The Role of Software in Magnet Control 

41:07 Scaling Up to Commercial Relevance 

48:45 First Walls and Blankets in Fusion Reactors 

51:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download