A grant has been awarded to the University of Manchester to lead a nuclear research programme focused on sustainable graphite innovation
A £13m grant has been awarded to a nuclear research programme to boost UK energy security through sustainable graphite innovation
The University of Manchester has been awarded a grant to lead a new programme with the aim of transforming the lifecycle of graphite in nuclear energy.
The award brings together expertise led by the University of Manchester, collaborating with the Universities of Oxford, Plymouth, and Loughborough.
For the UK to achieve its net zero goals, emitting nearly zero carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear energy is expected to play a significant role.
ENLIGHT (Enabling a Lifecycle Approach to Graphite for Advanced Modular Reactors) is a five-year programme that will develop the technology needed to support the deployment of next-generation nuclear energy technology, whilst also addressing two of the UK's biggest nuclear challenges: securing a sustainable, sovereign supply of nuclear graphite and finding a solution to managing the goring volume of irradiated graphite waste in the UK.
The project is also receiving an £8.2m grant from UK Research and Innovation's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), higher education institutions, and around £5m worth of contributions from industry partners.
Principle Investigator Professor Abbie Jones, Chair in Nuclear Graphite at The University of Manchester, said: "Nuclear graphite plays a vital role in the safety and efficiency of advanced reactors, yet the UK currently relies on overseas suppliers for this material."
She added: "ENLIGHT will lay the foundation to reestablish UK-based graphite supply chain while developing sustainable solutions to recycle and reuse irradiated graphite – transforming a growing waste stream into a valuable resource. This programme will reduce waste, strengthen energy security, and support the country's net zero ambitions."
The UK's ambition of delivering 24GW of new nuclear power by 2050 relies on key technologies that graphite is a critical component of, such as next-generation Advanced Modular Reactors (ARMs), including high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and various molten salt reactor designs.
Graphite accounts for around one-third of reactor build costs. Despite its importance, the UK relies entirely on imports to meet its demands.
The existing advanced gas-cooled reactor fleet is approaching decommissioning in 2028, and more than 100,000 tonnes of irradiated graphite are already in storage- ENLIGHT is tasked with finding new approaches to recycle legacy material and produce new, sustainable high-performance graphite suitable for future ARMs.
Dr Greg Black, Senior Advisor at the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency look forward to participating as a partner in the ENLIGHT programme."
He added: "As the environmental regulator for the nuclear industry in England, we consider the ambitions of the ENLIGHT programme on 'sustainable graphite' aligns with our Regulatory and RD&I areas of interest.”
The programme focuses on three themes: sustainable graphite, graphite selection and design, and graphite performance.
These advances are predicted to save £2 billion in future waste management costs as well as offering a pathway to strengthen the UK's position as a global hub for graphite research and innovation.
Professor James Marrow, professor of energy materials at the University of Oxford, will lead theme two around graphite selection and design. He said: “I’m delighted to be leading theme two (graphite selection and design – Designing new graphite materials engineered to withstand extreme conditions in AMR environments) in this major project. Materials will contribute to several work packages across the whole activity, and our initial focus will be on novel studies of mechanical damage to support the design and qualification of new nuclear graphites for advanced fission reactors.”
Researchers at Loughborough University are contributing advanced computational modelling to explore how nuclear graphite behaves under extreme conditions.
Dr Kenny Jolley, senior lecturer in materials modelling at Loughborough University, said: “This will help us predict how and when these critical reactor components may fail, guiding the design of stronger, more reliable materials for the reactors of tomorrow. Our research also supports the reuse and recycling of existing graphite, helping to make future nuclear energy both safer and more sustainable."
The University of Plymouth will bring expertise in the analysis of porous materials, which will play a critical role in evaluating the performance and suitability of repurposed graphite.
Dr Katie Jones, lecturer in environmental and analytical chemistry at the University of Plymouth, said: “This project is not just about scientific discovery; it's about pioneering sustainable solutions for nuclear energy, turning waste into a valuable resource and bolstering the UK's energy security for decades to come. This consortium embodies a truly cyclical and green approach to nuclear solutions, aiming for a cleaner energy transition and helping to demystify some of the traditional concepts that surround the nuclear industry."
She added: "Our expertise in analysing the intricate properties of porous materials will be instrumental in ensuring the suitability of repurposed graphite for next-generation nuclear reactors, and we are particularly excited to have the opportunity to grow our relationship with The University of Manchester – and our industrial partners across the nuclear industry – through this initiative.”
