Last Year’s Discussion (As We Remember It)
- UK should be known globally for one or two big things in the space of future systems
- “a flagship project”
- Cluster the skills base around that
- Fusion-fission synergies are important
- Remember the wider expertise we have – it’s internationally recognised – broad base of technical capability
UK Strengths
- The fuel cycle (fabrication to reprocessing)
- Predominantly an industrial strength?
- An academic strength is thorium
- Reactor design – military linked issues*
- Quickest route to future modular LWR systems is via submarine heritage
- Large scale facilities (x-rays, neutrons, JET, JHR …)
- Accelerator expertise (P&T, radioisotopes …)
- Modelling (industry and academic capability)
- NAMRC much potential
UK Weakness
- Reactor design – in civil industry – compare with overseas
- Not sufficiently engaged in international programmes (JHR step in right direction).
- Need a bottle to bring to global party.
- Money! Prime our pump
- Need a long term vision– Beddington was right
- Stick to it
UK Opportunities
- Other players exiting the game post Fukushima
- Import technology and talent?
- Think technology exports not UK electricity generation
- We can play in Gen IV
- Two routes to Gen IV – UK specific go it alone OR we back an international or European idea
- EU member state – EU can help
Threats to UK
- Failure to have a serious Gen IV plan – involvement in R not enough need to be in D,D and D
- Money
- People, OK if managed with care – don’t ask young engineers to take career risks
- UK strength is we fail and fail quickly, but it is a threat to long-term difficult things
- EU Framework not aligned our ambitions?
- Gen IV is difficult for one country alone
- Fusion shows us strength a flagship – JET a successful flagship – also good regional and national economic impact
- Do we have good recent experience? Yes, Diamond, ISIS target 2
- Are we too late to join the queue – elbow our way in –others may be exiting
Flagships
- LWR SMR (fixed or marine)
- Myrrha
- PRISM
- ITER
- Fusion DEMO
- Materials Test Facility (High Energy Neutrons)
- HIPER
Future Systems
- Things we should consider
- Thorium (MOX fuel assemblies for Sizewell or Wylfa)
- Electrochemical reprocessing
- Molten Salt research
- Advanced nuclear structural materials (Fabrication of big bits of ODS, silicon/carbon fibre composites etc. – NAMRC a start)
- ESS – much energy interest
- … Gen IV list is endless – keep the brainstorming going
What Technologies And Capabilities Do We Need, But Lack?
- Materials research
- expand and shift focus towards Gen IV
- Social issues/trust building
- Anticipate regulatory and economic issues
- Restore/strengthen fuel cycle capabilities
- Central design capability
- Gen IV is high temp, high flux …. Know more about that
- Understand thorium better
- Nuclear data campaigns
- … Lots more we might say – more brainstorming needed – 1 hour not enough J
Our Closing Discussion
- Role that NIRO and NIRAB will play?
- How can UK choose a flagship – a complex multi-attribute decision (not just best science, or best NPV …)
- Convene/strengthen a national discussion
- Could LCICG play a key role? Crucially it crosses government.
- Relates to activist industrial policy …
- Export potential a key consideration
- How can UK develop flagship
- Think of the policy synergies across DECC, BIS, MOD, …
- Need a mechanism for a multilateral discussion across all the stakeholders especially industry
We need a vision for the future if we are to do future systems – we have that in fusion we need it in fission