The UK Atomic Energy Authority has completed a project designed to establish some of the basic operating parameters of a fusion energy reactor.

The UKAEA said the purpose of the project was to establish the viability of an innovative “fusion island” concept which is uniquely applicable to technology being developed by UK-based First Light Fusion.

The fusion island is a sub-system that converts fusion energy into heat and manages the fuel supply in a fusion power plant. A core requirement for this system is to address the three main challenges of fusion engineering: neutron damage, heat flux and tritium production.