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OpenStar Technologies, a Wellington-based fusion energy company, has secured $35 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to build a new research facility focused on clean fusion power. This facility aims to position New Zealand at the forefront of clean energy development.

OpenStar's prototype device, 'Junior', has achieved First Plasma, a key milestone, in two years of development, utilizing a unique levitated dipole approach designed for commercial scalability. The government supports this initiative, viewing it as a step towards safe and limitless energy, and expects it to generate skilled jobs. Regional Development Minister Shane Jones emphasized the potential global benefits of this technology, linking the project to New Zealand's historical contributions to nuclear science.