The University of Sheffield’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre hosted its first major conference this week.
The Nuclear Innovation UK conference took place at Sheffield’s Cutlers’ Hall over 2–3 July 2019, with more than 250 delegates from across the UK attending from international organisations.
Organised by the Nuclear AMRC in collaboration with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and industry partners, the conference focused on research supported by the government-funded Nuclear Innovation Programme.
The Nuclear Innovation Programme is the UK’s first public investment in future nuclear fission for a generation. Closely linked to the Nuclear Sector Deal launched in June 2018, the programme funds research into advanced manufacturing and supports the development of new designs of advanced reactor.
Tim Chapman, communications manager at the Nuclear AMRC, said: “The event was a great success, and we heard a lot of very positive comments from delegates who came to Sheffield from across the UK to discuss the future of energy technology.
“Cutlers’ Hall provided a spectacular venue for our conference – the building might date from the first Industrial Revolution, but it embodies Sheffield’s traditional values of innovation and collaboration which are as important as ever as we create a new era of advanced manufacturing and low-carbon power.”
Prior to the conference, Andrew Storer, CEO of the Nuclear AMRC, said:
“With the UK committing to zero net carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, nuclear power must play a major role in our national energy mix. We need to bring new designs of advanced nuclear power plant to the grid within the next 20 years, and the Nuclear Innovation Programme is developing the enabling solutions that will bring these new technologies to market.
“We are delighted to host this conference in Sheffield, and to welcome engineers and researchers from across the UK and beyond to discover the latest in world-leading nuclear innovation. More than ever, we need to innovate and to bring innovations together.”
