A former Google executive has made a rather surprising jump from the company’s loon project into nuclear power. Mike Cassidy is a pretty unlikely candidate for turning his back upon new and unconventional and moving back to old and conventional. An American entrepreneur, Cassidy was the CEO and co-founder of four Internet start-ups including Stylus Innovation, Direct Hit, Xfire, and Ruba.com. However, the last four years saw him working at Google and leading the company’s Project loon.
Cassidy is joining Apollo Fusion. As the name implies, the startup has to do with nuclear power. However, don’t worry — it is not a North Korean startup looking to sell cheap, home-made nuclear missile kits. Instead, Project Fusion aims to redefine what is already present and improve nuclear reactor technology to the point where it can
serve safe, clean, and affordable electricity to everyone.
The startup will be working to create nuclear reactor models that according to the Apollo Fusion website, can power small communities to large cities. The power that will be produced out of AF’s reactors are promised to be emission free, safe and inexpensive.
Apollo Fusion is as the name implies, Fusion based. Which is why the claims above sound believable. Fusion as opposed to fission, is a process that involves the joining of atoms into one as compared to them splitting. This is the process that powers the core of the sun. And now, Apollo Fusion hopes to bring this technology to everyone. As far as the apprehensions regarding Nuclear power are concerned (would you really want a Nuclear power plant in your basement?) the website is quick to declare the company’s commitment to safety.
Apollo Fusion hybrid power plants are designed for zero-consequence outcomes to loss of cooling or loss of control scenarios and they cannot melt down.
It is not going to be easy selling these power plants to people when there are safer, albeit less dependable options like solar energy available. That said though, Apollo Fusion is very hopeful.
