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    UK Agrees to Funding of EU Fusion Project

Summary

Political uncertainties notwithstanding, this pursuit of a so-far unobtainable goal will continue for a few more years at least.

by: William Powell

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Complimentary, Natural Gas & LNG News, Europe, Security of Supply, Carbon, Renewables, Political, Ministries, News By Country, EU

UK Agrees to Funding of EU Fusion Project

On what was the intended Brexit Day, the UK and the European Commission have agreed to extend a contract for the funding of the world’s largest fusion research facility, Joint European Torus (JET), the UK government said March 29.

The contract extension will secure at least €100mn ($112mn) in additional inward investment from the EU over the next two years, meaning job security for the 500 staff at site in Culham, near Oxford, regardless of the EU exit situation.

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The facility is researching the latest technologies aimed at providing clean, safe, inexhaustible energy, although the technology to deliver the amount of energy needed to kick-start the process on a commercially viable basis has always been tantalisingly out of reach.

UK Science Minister Chris Skidmore called it "great news" for scientific research in Oxfordshire, the UK and Europe.

"Extending this contract means cutting-edge and world-leading fusion research can continue in this country, which I know will be a welcome reassurance to the hundreds of workers at Culham," he said. "Science has no borders and as we leave the EU, this kind of international collaboration remains at the heart of our modern industrial strategy to maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in research and innovation."

JET is operated by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Scientists from 28 European countries use it to conduct research into the potential for carbon-free fusion energy in the future, through work coordinated by the EUROfusion consortium which manages and funds European fusion research activities on behalf of Euratom.

The future of the facility has been under discussion since 2017, as its work is covered by the Euratom Treaty, which the UK government intends to leave as part of the process of leaving the EU. That process remains mired in uncertainty, as London has failed to agree exit terms satisfactory to all parties, including members of the UK parliament.

JET is planning to conduct a series of vital fusion tests in 2020. These tests will serve as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the new international experimental fusion reactor: Iter, which is being built in southern France. There is the option of a further extension to JET’s operations until 2024, which would enable it to support Iter in the run-up to its launch in 2025.