Avalanche Energy has received a portion of a $5.2 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense, announced on Wednesday, to advance the development of compact nuclear batteries. This funding is part of the DARPA Rads to Watts initiative, aimed at creating durable power sources for applications in defense and space where traditional energy options are unfeasible.
The Seattle-based fusion startup is engineering micro-fabricated energy cells designed to convert alpha particles from radioactive materials into electricity, similar to the way solar cells transform photons. The project seeks to produce a battery capable of powering a laptop continuously for months while weighing about 10 pounds.
The ambitious 30-month program aims to validate the underlying physics and develop a working prototype by its conclusion. Avalanche is collaborating with several institutions, including the University of Utah and Los Alamos National Laboratory, to tackle this nuclear battery challenge.
In addition to Avalanche, other companies, such as Seattle's Zeno Power, are pursuing advancements in nuclear batteries, with plans to demonstrate their technology this year and aim for commercial production by 2027. The Department of Energy is also expected to invest $135 million over the next 18 months to bolster fusion research, further fueling the competition for clean energy solutions.