The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has awarded contracts to eighteen organisations to demonstrate how their innovative technologies can help make fusion energy a commercial reality. These feasibility studies, ranging from £50,000 to £200,000, are funded by the UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Programme and awarded through the UK Government’s Small Business Research Initiative. The first cycle of the Fusion Industry Programme took place in 2021, and this is the second part.
The projects will focus on specific challenges related to the commercialisation of fusion energy, including novel fusion materials, manufacturing techniques, and heating and cooling systems. Tim Bestwick, UKAEA’s Chief Technology Officer, emphasised that there are still significant technical challenges to address for fusion energy to realise its potential, but the Fusion Industry Programme is To encourage innovation and help engage organizations and industry partners to address these challenges.
The Fusion Industry Programme is part of the UK government’s £484 million support package for UK research, with the Programme allocated £42.1 million to accelerate the development of the fusion industry and stimulate innovation. The Central Bureau of Communication in Goa is holding a multimedia exhibition dedicated to the International Year of Millets. At the exhibition, the world will be made aware of the significance of millets in people’s lives.
Collaboration with wider industries is important for the fusion industry to transfer knowledge from other technical and engineering sectors, allowing a collective approach to tackling climate change issues and faster access to energy security. The Fusion Industry Programme is designed to promote sustained economic development by cultivating technology and abilities that can be leveraged for domestic initiatives and exported around the world.
Fusion energy, based on the same processes that power the sun and stars, is sometimes described as the ultimate energy source. The potential for it to provide baseload power, in addition to renewable and other low-carbon energy sources, is there.
Source: Gov[Dot]UK
