Treasury Minister James Cartlidge sees Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
A Treasury Minister was given a whistle-stop tour of the UK’s fusion research programme at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) where he saw how the UK will develop the technologies of tomorrow by turning the process that powers the Sun into carbon-free, safe and abundant electricity for a cleaner planet.
The site is part of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), one of the world’s leading fusion research laboratories, and is home to the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak Upgrade (MAST-U) machine.
The fusion energy machine, which is vital for the delivery of the UK’s first prototype powerplant, has this week started a crucial second round of experiments to help make ‘star power’ part of the world’s future energy mix.
James Cartlidge also visited a home near Abingdon where work began yesterday to install energy efficiency measures including cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solar panels.
Delivered through Oxfordshire County Council, the improvements are funded through the Home Upgrade Grant, part of the Government’s £12 billion Help to Heat schemes.
The Home Upgrade Grant is allocated to local authorities to provide energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating to low-income households, whose homes are off-gas-grid and have an Energy Performance Certificates Band D-G.
Following the visit, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Cartlidge, said: “With the war in Ukraine driving up the cost of energy, the Government has taken direct action to support households and business across the UK with their bills.
“But we need to do more if we want to bring bills down long term. That’s why energy efficiency measures like this retrofit I have seen in Oxford today, alongside increasing public R&D spending to record levels, are so important.
“They will help insulate families and businesses from wild fluctuations in international gas prices, boosting our energy security and net zero targets.”
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