Our mission
Our mission and how we are delivering on it.
Our mission is to lead the delivery of sustainable fusion energy and maximise the scientific and economic benefits.
Strategic pillars
Technical leadership
UKAEA’s research programmes, delivered with its academic and industrial partners, focus on developing, innovating upon, and applying the fundamental science and engineering underpinning fusion power plant design. The UK Fusion Research Programme comprises the majority of UKAEA’s research activity; it focuses on the research and development required to commercialise fusion energy and train the next generation of fusion scientists and engineers. The programme is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). In March 2022 a new five-year research programme began with a focus on solving the integrated scientific and engineering challenges that are central to Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF).
International leadership
UKAEA has long-standing international relationships in MCF fusion research. New partnerships, such as those with US, Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Germany, have been recently established to strengthen collective effort by scientists and engineers to address technical challenges, allow shared access to facilities and stimulate new
R&D opportunities, standardise international regulatory frameworks and codes, develop resilient supply chains and promote skills development. International collaborations will accelerate global fusion energy development and reduce the cost and risk of the
commercialisation of fusion energy.
Commercial leadership
The ability to realise commercial value from fusion and adjacent technologies is a critical part of UKAEA’s mission. That value may relate to intellectual property associated with specific processes, systems, technologies and components used in fusion facilities and/or less tangible know-how, related to the ability of a corporate entity (research laboratory, major engineering firm or SME supplier) to design, develop, operate and decommission such facilities. As fusion’s technical risks are addressed over the coming years, it is expected that inward investment into fusion and adjacent technologies will increase in response to growing commercial potential. This could take many forms such as the creation of spin out companies and joint ventures or the licensing of IP into industry to develop fusion technology ready for deployment.
Strategic goals
Solving problems
Solve challenges of sustainable fusion energy – from design through to decommissioning – with world-leading science and engineering.
Product
Enable partners to design, deliver, and operate commercial fusion power plants.
Prosperity
Drive UK economic growth and a thriving industry that exports fusion technology around the world.
Place
Create clusters that accelerate innovation in fusion and related technologies.
People
Develop the talented, diverse people needed to deliver fusion energy.
What we do
Build the knowledge base of fusion energy
- Operate fusion research facilities and sustain technical centres of excellence for use by fusion power plant programmes in the UK and internationally
- Solve challenges across the full lifecycle of fusion, from design to operations to decommissioning, and integrate solutions across disciplines
Deliver fusion power plants, systems and technologies
- Work with industrial partners in a national programme to deliver the STEP prototype fusion power plant
- Use our skills, facilities, and expertise to work with industry in developing fusion power plant systems and technologies
Enable the fusion energy community
- Provide thought-leadership on the opportunities and requirements for fusion power
- Create fusion innovation clusters
- Grow a fusion industry
- Produce skilled people
- Inform fusion regulatory and insurance practices
- Identify growth opportunities for fusion technology
How we do it
UKAEA has capability across the full spectrum of technical disciplines needed for fusion including: