HB11 Energy conducts experiment using LFEX and GEKKO Petawatt Laser in Osaka
The first HB11 Energy experiment for 2023 took place in February at Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Japan. The Instutute’s LFEX/GEKKO petawatt laser was used to test the new geometry of laser target materials. Another outcome was to help us to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanism of proton-boron fusion in laser-plasmas and in particular, to study the effects of strong magnetic fields. The LFEX beam was also used to test HB11 fusion reactions within some very novel boron materials, enabled in part by the fuel capabilities HB11 is establishing… Read More
HB11 Energy Founder and Director visit Manly, Sydney Office
In early March, the Sydney HB11 Energy Team welcomed both HB11 Founder, Prof. Heinrich Hora and Non-Executive Director, Dr. Adi Paterson to the Manly, Sydney office. Dr Paterson flew in from interstate while Prof. Hora and his daughter, Dorle made the trip across the Harbour to Manly. There they met new members of the Sydney team, along with others who’ve been around a while but had yet to be introduced to these eminent members of the Executive. As the photo shows, the Sydney team continues to grow (and the locals tend to… Read More
HB11 Energy is featured in Forbes Australia
HB11 Energy’s amazing journey to date and the story of our own 91-year-old theoretical physicist, Prof. Heinrich Hora, is currently one of the lead story in Forbes Australia. It details how Prof. Hora and Co-Founders Warren McKenzie and Jan Kirchhoff believe the company can radically change the future with a high-powered laser and new materials to create viable nuclear fusion. As reported: “Now, they say, they just need a $100 million laser of their own to prove it, and the Australian government to show some enthusiasm.” Read the full story: Harnessing the sweat… Read More
HB11 Energy conducts experiment at CLPU, University of Salamanca
In November, HB11 Energy conducted an experimental campaign at the Centro de Laseres Pulsados (CLPU) Universidad de Salamanca, Spain. This was performed by a large academic collaboration including our Lead Scientist, Dimitri Batani and by HB11 Energy’s local collaborators Luca Volpe, Marine Huault and Howel Larreur. Taking advantage of the high-repetition rate of their VEGA 3 facility, this experiment scanned a broad range of laser parameters to understand the optimum laser pulse required to create a proton beam with the parameters ideal for a boron fusion reaction. Given the ongoing importance of… Read More
HB11 Energy conducts experiment at Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS)
It’s been a busy month for HB11 Energy with many of our Science Team at the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS), Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The experiment will gain an understanding of the material properties of boron nitride under extreme conditions created by the world’s highest power lasers. This is a key piece of the scientific puzzle required to understand hydrogen-boron fusion, and also provides input for codes to accurately simulate the quantum physics that happens in less than one trillionth of a second after… Read More
HB11 Energy invited to speak at International Boron Symposium 2022
With the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion in Catania now concluded, we look towards the International Boron Symposium (BORON2022), to be held in Istanbul, Turkey from October 5-7, 2022. HB11 Energy’s Financial Director, Jan Kirchhoff, has been invited to speak at the Symposium. Jointly hosted by Turkish Energy and the Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency Boron Research Institute, the main goal of BORON 2022 is to discuss the recent advances in industrial applications of boron and its related compounds, R&D and P&D activities and the strategic usage areas of boron. More… Read More
Dr. Warren McKenzie provides reality check on final day of 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion
On Day 4 – the final day of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion – HB11 Energy M.D., Dr. Warren McKenzie, delivered the closing address. In essence, Dr. McKenzie provided a reality check about what needs to be achieved by the scientific community before hydrogen-boron fusion can be used to produce clean energy. Despite the fact that engineering will be far simpler than DT-based fusion efforts once fusion gain can be achieved, there’s still much to be done. Dr. McKenzie used HB11 Energy’s Technoeconomic model to paint the picture. It shows… Read More
HB11 Energy’s collaborators from Deakin University features in Day 3 of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion
Day 3 of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion featured three of HB11 Energy’s collaborators from Deakin University – Prof. Ian Chen, Dr. Qiran Cai and Dr. Srikanth Mateti. The three scientists shared their experiences with two dimensional materials made from boron – nanosheets and also nanotubes – as well as thin films in applications ranging from hydrogen storage, battery technology and even spinning out a Unicorn company making boron-nitride nanotubes. They explained that HB11’s fusion fuel is micro-structured and target-designed, ready to be hit with a high power laser. They… Read More
Opening Day 2 of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion was Prof. Katarzyna Batani discussing ProbonoH2020
Opening Day 2 of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion was Prof. Katarzyna Batani discussing ProbonoH2020 – an EU Horizon 2020 COST* program designed to build a research community with the critical mass to make proton boron fusion a practical reality. HB11 Energy is a founding partner of ProbonoH2020, which connects partners from 25 countries including many of HB11’s existing collaborators. Also on Day 2, M.D. Dr. Warren McKenzie is flying the flag for HB11 Energy with a talk titled: ‘Building Public-Private Partnerships for Proton-Boron Fusion’. Dr. McKenzie explains that his… Read More
Prof. Tom Mehlhorn leads HB11 Energy talks on Day 1 of International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion
HB11 Energy’s Prof. Tom Mehlhorn, today led the way on Day 1 of the 2nd International Workshop on Proton-Boron Fusion in Catania Italy, giving a talk on The ‘Hybrid’ Approach to Proton-Boron Inertial Fusion. A member of the HB11 Scientific Advisory Board, Prof. Mehlhorn is trailblazing our simulation effort. His ‘Hybrid-burn’ concept is a new scheme to increase reaction rates. It builds on the non-thermal equilibrium burn concept pioneered by HB11 Founder, Prof. Heinrich Hora, with the reaction now enhanced by similar inertial confinement fusion approaches developed for the National Ignition Facility… Read More