Eighteen organisations have secured contracts with the United
Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to demonstrate how their
innovative technologies and proposed solutions can help make
fusion energy a commercial reality. The organisations will focus
on overcoming specific technical and physical challenges.
The contracts – feasibility studies from £50,000 up to £200,000 –
are funded by the UKAEA’s ‘Fusion Industry Programme’ and awarded
through the UK Government platform ‘Small Business Research
Initiative’. The latest contracts are the second part of the
Fusion Industry Programme, following the first cycle of the Fusion
Industry Programme in 2021.
The projects aim to tackle specific challenges linked to the
commercialisation of fusion energy, from novel fusion materials
and manufacturing techniques through to innovative heating and
cooling systems, all needed for future fusion powerplants.
Tim Bestwick, UKAEA’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “In the
past 12 months we have seen significant advances both in the UK
and globally that demonstrate the potential for fusion energy to
be a safe, low-carbon and sustainable part of the world’s future
energy supply. However, there are a number of significant
technical challenges to address for fusion energy to realise its
potential. The Fusion Industry Programme is helping engage
organisations and industrial partners to stimulate innovation and
address these important challenges.”
The Fusion Industry Programme is part of the Government’s £484
million support package for UK research, announced last year. The
Programme was allocated £42.1 million as part of this package to
stimulate innovation and to accelerate the development of the
fusion industry.
Contracts have been awarded to start-ups, small-medium
enterprises, established companies, and academia, with six of the
eighteen organisations receiving funding through the Fusion
Industry Programme for the first time (see below for the full
list).
As a growing industry, knowledge transfer from other technical
and engineering sectors is vitally important to the fusion
industry. Collaborating with wider industry allows a collective
approach to tackling climate change issues and faster access to
energy security.
The Fusion Industry Programme was launched in 2021 to drive
long-term economic growth by developing technology and skills
that can both support domestic programmes and be exported
globally.
Fusion energy is sometimes described as the ultimate energy
source, based on the same processes that power the sun and stars.
It has the potential to provide ‘baseload’ power, complementing
renewable and other low carbon energy sources.
A full list of organisations awarded contracts under Cycle Two of
the Fusion Industry Programme is available at ccfe.ukaea.uk.
