Molten Salt Solutions announced the closing of its Seed funding, securing $3 million from Silicon Valley firms Future Ventures and True Ventures. This funding will support the development of the company’s first commercial-scale lithium isotope enrichment process.
There is currently no commercial source of enriched lithium isotopes, and conventional enrichment methods are not suitable for industrial-scale production. And Molten Salt Solutions tackles this issue with its enrichment process, paving the way for a sustainable isotope supply.
As the world moves to GHG-free energy sources, there is growing excitement around molten salt reactors (MSRs) and nuclear fusion as revolutionary solutions for clean energy. However, technologies face unique materials requirements, particularly for lithium isotopes. And Molten Salt Solutions’ innovative approach to lithium isotope enrichment and production positions it at the forefront of this emerging field, addressing critical supply needs for these advanced reactors.
Lithium salts are important to many MSR designs. And enriched lithium-7 in MSR salt mixtures prevents the formation of radioactive tritium, making it an essential component for safer and more sustainable nuclear energy.
Lithium isotopes are essential for fusion power, which is poised to revolutionize the global energy supply with abundant, nearly limitless energy. In fusion reactors, tritium fuel is produced from lithium-6. And enriching lithium-6 facilitates efficient tritium breeding, allowing continuous fusion reactions.
Molten Salt Solutions developed the company’s proprietary technology with SBIR funding from the National Science Foundation and in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory. And the company will use equity funding to refine its technologies and establish the first pilot production. These advancements positions Molten Salt Solutions as a primary supplier to the advanced nuclear and fusion sectors, facilitating commercial deployment of MSRs and fusion systems.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our mission is to facilitate a clean energy future by addressing the critical materials needs of next-generation reactors. We are grateful to our investors for their support and commitment to making advanced nuclear energy a reality.”
- Dr. John Elling, CEO of Molten Salt Solutions
“As believers that energy should be clean, abundant, and accessible to all, we’re excited to be investors in Molten Salt Solutions, which will provide essential materials to fuel our future energy systems. The company addresses a critical need for both fusion and fission systems by cost-effectively providing refined lithium, thereby solving a key issue in the industry.”
- Maryanna Saenko, co-founder of Future Ventures
