Fusion Industry Taskforce (FIT) meets at the University of Birmingham to focus on Manufacturing and the Supply Chain, Materials and Fusion Skills
On 9th April the Fusion Industry Taskforce (FIT) held its thirteenth meeting at The University of Birmingham, bringing together key stakeholders from across the UK fusion energy sector including academic institutions, private fusion companies, engineering consultancies, professional organisations and representatives from central Government including the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade.
Following a morning spent touring the University of Birmingham’s facilities for nuclear (fission) and fusion research, the meeting opened with the University’s fusion lead Professor Arun Bhattacharya presenting the institution’s celebrated background in industry research. This was followed by an overview from Simon Corah, a PhD student at the University who presented his fusion research on plasma material interactions in advanced and additively manufactured tungsten. Notably, Simon talked about his pipeline of research on tungsten including experiments at D-IIID in San Diego.
Dr Adam Baker, Head, Fusion Policy from the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero talked about the recent Government announcement of £20 million in Starmaker One , a fusion investment fund managed by East X Ventures. The fund is designed to support the British fusion supply chain, from startups to companies that have developed spin-off technologies through their research. More broadly, Adam talked about the importance of the Government’s forthcoming Industrial Strategy for the UK fusion sector.
A key challenge for the fusion industry will be to show how the risks and costs of reactors can be reduced in future as well as their overall economic viability.
It was highlighted throughout discussions at the meeting that spin-off technologies play a key role in proving the viability of fusion research and therefore awareness of this needs to be raised among those less familiar with the sector who may be shaping its funding future. Further discussions focused on the broad range of skills that will be needed across the UK workforce as the fusion energy sector develops and grows. It was agreed by attendees that a Skills Policy Paper should be produced to outline how the Government can prepare both educational facilities and future workforce skills development for the deployment of UK fusion.
For those organisations wishing to learn more about FIT and its work please contact Chair Dr Michael Zdanowski at: mzdanowski@assystem.com
