UK Embarks on £13m Nuclear Project, Enhancing Energy Security through Advanced Graphite Technology Innovations
University of Oxford Joins £13m Nuclear Programme to Advance Clean Energy Goals
The University of Oxford is playing a pivotal role in a new £13m nuclear programme called ENLIGHT. This initiative aims to transform the lifecycle of graphite, a critical component in many next-generation Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), which will play a key role in achieving the UK's ambition to deliver 24GW of new nuclear power by 2050.
ENLIGHT focuses on creating sustainable, recycled nuclear graphite to replace reliance on overseas suppliers, developing solutions to recycle and reuse irradiated graphite waste, and training a new generation of experts in nuclear graphite science and engineering. These efforts are crucial for advanced modular reactors central to the UK’s clean energy future.
The University of Oxford will lead one of the three core strands within ENLIGHT, focusing on designing new graphite materials engineered to withstand extreme conditions in AMR environments. Associate Professor Dong Liu from the Department of Engineering Science will contribute to the research, developing computer-based models to predict how these materials will perform over time.
Professor James Marrow from the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford is leading the work on designing new graphite materials in ENLIGHT. The initial focus will be on novel studies of mechanical damage to support the design and qualification of new nuclear graphites for advanced fission reactors. The research team will use advanced techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal reflectance methods, focused ion beam milling, and 3D X-ray imaging to characterize the impacts of radiation damage.
ENLIGHT is led by the University of Manchester, in collaboration with the Universities of Oxford, Plymouth, and Loughborough. The programme is supported with an £8.2m grant from UK Research and Innovation's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and around £5m of contributions from industry partners.
The programme will develop vital technologies to support the deployment of nuclear energy technology, contributing to the UK's net-zero goals. ENLIGHT's full lifecycle approach supports the design and production of sustainable graphite materials for next-generation fission reactors, while simultaneously reducing the cost and volume of waste graphite. Further information about ENLIGHT can be found on the University of Manchester website.
This work reflects the Department of Engineering Science's passion for solving real-world industrial challenges while also exploring the fundamental science behind how complex materials behave. The programme will address two main issues: securing a sustainable, sovereign supply of nuclear graphite and managing the growing volume of irradiated graphite waste. By addressing these challenges, ENLIGHT will help strengthen energy security while advancing the UK’s net-zero carbon ambitions.
- The University of Oxford's involvement in ENLIGHT, a £13m nuclear programme, is not only contributing to clean energy goals but also fostering advancements in science, technology, and engineering, particularly in the field of nuclear graphite science and engineering.
- The initiative's focus on creating sustainable, recycled nuclear graphite and developing solutions for recycling and reusing irradiated graphite waste is not only central to the UK’s clean energy future, but it also addresses the issue of securing a sustainable, sovereign supply of nuclear graphite, which is a crucial part of the fitness-and-exercise industry's drive towards energy efficiency.
- The University of Oxford's work on designing new graphite materials in ENLIGHT is fundementally linked to the health-and-wellness of future generations, as these materials will play a key role in reducing the cost and volume of waste graphite, contributing to the finance industry's efforts in managing risk associated with nuclear energy and advancing towards a sustainable and secure energy future.
