Season 3 Episode 4: Harnessing the Power of the Sun - Developing Fusion Power at Tokamak Energy

Impulse To Innovation

What if we could generate the power of our sun here on earth? Sounds like science fiction, but actually the application of complex maths and physics principles in understanding how we might generate fusion energy like that powering our sun, have been well understood since the 1950s and was made a reality in the 1990s, right here in the UK.

The heart of the Oxfordshire countryside resides tokamak energy. Founded in 2009 as a spin-off, the company has long and distinguished roots in the UK Atomic energy authority’s early fusion research at Culham.

Today they are leading the way in developing a truly commercial fusion energy supply, which has the potential of radically changing how we not only generate energy, but how we use it in the future.

The tokamak team is over 160 strong, and is both a global and multidisciplinary community of scientists, engineers, technologists and commercial experts. The IMechE recognised the value of the work Tokamak energy were undertaking in 2015 when it became one of the first organisations to be supported by the Institution’s Stephenson Fund.

In this month’s episode Helen spoke to Tokamak Energy’s CEO Chris Kelsall and Senior HTS Magnet Development Engineer Greg Brittles about why fusion is considered such a viable energy source, the impact it might have on the green energy agenda and about some of the innovative breakthroughs being made as a result of the tokamak’s development.

Useful Links:

Tokamak Energy

IMechE Video on Fusion Development at Tokamak Energy

Understanding the basics of Fusion Energy

PE Magazine report on Sustainability

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You can find more information about the work of the IMechE at www.imeche.org