CALGAVIN Secure Contract - UK Atomic Energy Authority

CALGAVIN Ltd is very proud to be one of the eighteen organisations to have secured a contract with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) for the Fusion Industry Programme.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has awarded contracts worth a total GBP3.1 million (USD3.8 million) to 18 organisations, which includes CALGAVIN, to focus on overcoming specific technical and physical challenges to make fusion energy a commercial reality. The contracts - feasibility studies from GBP50,000 up to GBP200,000 - are funded by the UKAEA's Fusion Industry Programme and awarded through the UK government platform Small Business Research Initiative.

The selected 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 power plants.

Contracts have been awarded to start-ups, small-medium enterprises, established companies, and academia, with six of the 18 organisations receiving funding through the Fusion Industry Programme for the first time.

The latest contracts are the second part of the Fusion Industry Programme, following the first cycle of the Fusion Industry Programme in 2021. The programme - part of the government's GBP484 million support package for UK research, announced last year - was launched to drive long-term economic growth by developing technology and skills that can both support domestic programmes and be exported globally. The Fusion Industry Programme was allocated GBP42.1 million as part of this package to stimulate innovation and to accelerate the development of the fusion industry.

"As a growing industry, knowledge transfer from other technical and engineering sectors is vitally important to the fusion industry," UKAEA said. "Collaborating with wider industry allows a collective approach to tackling climate change issues and faster access to energy security."

"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," said UKAEA Chief Technology Officer Tim Bestwick. "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."

Source: World Nuclear News