Key Points
- Startup Helical Fusion and supermarket Aoki Super signed Japan’s first fusion power deal.
- The deal is for future electricity, as commercial fusion power does not exist yet.
- Aoki Super is investing in clean energy to mitigate the impact of climate change on its food supply.
- Helical Fusion aims to generate power by the mid-2030s.
A Japanese supermarket chain has just signed a historic deal with a local startup to purchase electricity generated by nuclear fusion. There’s just one catch: no one has actually built a commercial fusion reactor yet. Still, the agreement between Aoki Super and Helical Fusion is the first of its kind in Japan, signaling a major vote of confidence in a technology widely regarded as the future of clean energy.
Aoki Super, which runs about 50 grocery stores, says it is making this bet because climate change is already hurting its business. “We are aware of the severe impact climate change is having on agricultural and marine products,” said the company’s managing director, Masayuki Kono.
By signing this deal, Aoki Super hopes to create a “virtuous cycle” where interest from customers helps speed up the development of new energy sources.
Nuclear fusion is often called “the sun on Earth” because it mimics the process that powers the stars. It is considered a game-changing technology because its fuel can be sourced from seawater, and it doesn’t produce long-lasting radioactive waste. This technology is attracting significant attention as the AI boom increases electricity demand. Tech giants like Microsoft and Google have already made similar deals with fusion startups in the U.S.
Helical Fusion, the startup behind the deal, aims to generate power by the mid-2030s.
While they have not yet decided where to build the reactor, the company’s CEO, Takaya Taguchi, is determined to win the global race to commercialize fusion. “We are grateful for (Aoki Super’s) intention to use our electricity,” he said. “We are determined to win the race and demonstrate power generation.”
This deal, while symbolic, provides a powerful incentive for the company to turn its futuristic plans into a reality.
