London - The United Kingdom and United States have announced a major partnership to accelerate the development of fusion energy technology, with the ambitious goal of achieving commercially viable fusion power by 2040.
The two nations will collaborate extensively on research into compact fusion systems known as Spherical Tokamaks. This joint work will build on progress already made with the UK's Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak Upgrade (MAST-U) and the US National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX).
The partnership also includes increasing shared research on magnetic fusion materials, including next-generation high-temperature superconductors for future fusion facilities.
A landmark agreement was signed between the UK Atomic Energy Authority and US Department of Energy, establishing a cooperative program with defined goals over the next decade. The UK has committed £220 million in funding for the first five years.
"This agreement puts our nations on the fast track to fusion electricity and ushers in a new era of clean energy," said Amanda Solloway, UK Science Minister.
Initial priority projects will focus on optimizing fusion performance, testing fusion materials under reactor conditions, harnessing fusion fuels like tritium, and more.
Fusion, which powers the stars, holds potential as a safe, clean, and virtually limitless energy source. But controlling fusion reactions has proven immensely complex so far.
This collaboration aims to accelerate the remaining scientific and technical breakthroughs needed to achieve viable commercial fusion power plants and cement the two countries as global leaders in fusion.
