Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) hosted Fusion Day 2024 attended by international leaders in fusion science and technology and unveiled its “Fusion Energy for Canada” report outlining a national strategy for fusion.
The report says fusion energy has the potential to provide Canada with reliable and resilient clean energy to support Net-Zero by 2050 and beyond. Fusion research is now moving from solving engineering problems to now building demonstration plants and prototypes. There are a total of 98 operating fusion experiments and demonstration facilities globally, with 13 under construction and a further 33 planned. Some 43 private fusion companies worldwide have attracted more than CAD 8.2bn ($6bn) in funding.
The report calls on the Canadian government to mobilise a fusion ecosystem through a clear policy and mandate, to capitalise on the economic benefits available from the domestic implementation of fusion energy and to support the international nuclear sector.
CNL announced that it would expand two of its clean energy programmes to encompass fusion technologies. First, CNL said it will open up its small modular reactor (SMR) Invitation Process to include fusion prototype reactors and other clean energy technologies. These would have access to multiple suitable sites to host demonstration units at the Chalk River and Whiteshell Laboratories, which CNL operates on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).
Second, CNL announced the expansion of its Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI) programme to include other forms of clean energy, including a larger focus on fusion-based research and development. This enables collaborative research projects with advanced nuclear reactor vendors through a cost-shared model, facilitating access to key facilities and capability to accelerate development.
“At CNL, we recognise that fusion has tremendous potential to unlock a transformative, clean energy future domestically, in order to fight climate change and ensure our national security,” noted CNL Vice-President of Science & Technology Dr Stephen Bushby. “Given our extensive expertise and resources in nuclear, hydrogen and other forms of clean energy, Canada is well-positioned to seize a leadership role in this industry, but it means that we have to act decisively and work together.”
Amy Gottschling, Vice-President of Science, Technology and Commercial Oversight at AECL said the announcement “underscores AECL’s commitment to enabling innovation and commercialisation of new nuclear energy technologies, particularly where demonstration is needed to advance its readiness level”. She added: “We continue to encourage clean energy technology developers to leverage our sites, assets, and capabilities at the Chalk River Laboratories (or other CNL-managed sites) to advance vital projects. Specifically with respect to fusion energy, we are very excited about the opportunity to build on Canada’s legacy as a global leader in cutting-edge nuclear science and technology to create a strong and vibrant fusion industry.”
CNL welcomed attendees to the Chalk River Laboratories for a site visit and tour of the Chalk River campus, and to discuss the expansion of CNL’s SMR Invitation Process and CNRI programmes to make them accessible to the fusion community. The Chalk River site is home to some of the world’s most advanced laboratories, facilities, and testing equipment for clean energy research, as well as expertise in the development of next-generation nuclear technologies. These capabilities have drawn interest from fusion technology developers and vendors, with CNL recently announcing agreements and projects with organisations that include Kyoto Fusioneering, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Stellarex and General Fusion.
These include the formation of Fusion Fuel Cycles (FFC), a new joint venture between CNL and Kyoto Fusioneering, which aims to develop and deploy deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion fuel cycle technologies. FFC’s first project will be UNITY-2, an integrated and flexible fuel cycle test facility, which is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2025 at the Chalk River Laboratories, and fully operational by 2026.
Dr Ian Castillo, Head of CNL’s Hydrogen & Tritium Technologies Directorate commented: “In recent years, interest and research into fusion has been growing at an extraordinary pace here in Canada and around the world, as has our own fusion programme at CNL, and we want to make sure that Canada is at the forefront of this new era in clean energy technology.”
