The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the UK’s national organisation responsible for the research and delivery of sustainable fusion energy, and Eni, have entered into a collaboration agreement to jointly conduct research and development activities in the field of fusion energy.

The collaboration primary starts with the construction of the world’s largest and most advanced tritium fuel cycle facility, a vital fuel for future fusion power stations. The “UKAEA-Eni H3AT Tritium Loop Facility”, located at Culham Campus will be complete in 2028.

Tritium recovery and re-use will play a fundamental role in the supply and generation of the fuel in future fusion power plants and will be crucial in making the technology increasingly efficient.

Fusion is a form of energy whereby the power of the Sun is replicated on Earth. The fusion process sees two hydrogen isotopes fuse together under intense heat and pressure to form a helium atom, releasing large amounts of emissions-free energy through a safe, cleaner and virtually inexhaustible process.

Fusion energy could be transformational to contribute to energy security and decarbonisation.

The “UKAEA-Eni H3AT Tritium Loop Facility” is designed to serve as a world-class facility providing industry and academia the opportunity to study how to process, store and recycle tritium.

UKAEA and Eni will collaborate to develop advanced technological solutions in fusion energy and related technologies, including skills transfer initiatives.

UK Climate Minister, Kerry McCarthy, said: “We are proud to be at the forefront of global innovation in clean energy fusion technologies, and this collaboration with Eni marks a significant step towards unlocking the potential of fusion energy, supporting our missions for economic growth, clean power and energy independence.

Professor Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of UKAEA, said: “We are delighted to be working with Eni who have shown great commitment to fusion. We believe that fusion energy can contribute to a net zero future, including going beyond the decarbonisation of electricity. The H3AT demonstration plant will set a new benchmark as the largest and most advanced tritium fuel cycle facility in the world, paving the way for innovative offerings in fusion fuel and demonstrating the UK’s leadership in this crucial area of research and development.”

Claudio Descalzi, Eni CEO said: “Fusion energy is meant to revolutionise the global energy transition path, accelerating the decarbonisation of our economic and industrial systems, helping to spread access to energy, and reducing energy dependency ties within a more equitable transition framework. Eni is strongly committed to various areas of research and development of this complex technology, in which it has always firmly believed. Today with our UK partners we are laying the foundations for further progress towards the goal of fusion which—if we consider its enormous scope of technological innovation—is increasingly concrete and not so far off in time. To continue this virtuous development, international system-level technological partnerships like this one are indispensable”.