2009 Report to Government on National Research and
2009 Report to Government on National Research and
2009 Report to Government on National Research and
- TAGS
- corwm.decc.gov.uk
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
3.50 Existing EPSRC-funded research is principally supported through managed calls.<br />
The scope of each call is at the discreti<strong>on</strong> of EPSRC, which has advisory input<br />
from a variety of sources, including the Letter of Arrangement (LoA) group. The<br />
EPSRC set up the LoA group in 2005 with members from nuclear companies <strong>and</strong><br />
the regula<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs (EPSRC, HSE, BNFL, AWE, MoD, British Energy <strong>and</strong> NDA). The<br />
LoA group is a forum for research funders <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> share strategic priorities <strong>and</strong><br />
potentially <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> identify areas for collaborative activities. The decisi<strong>on</strong> whether <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
proceed with proposed areas <strong>and</strong> the exact scope of an activity rests with<br />
EPSRC.<br />
3.51 In April <str<strong>on</strong>g>2009</str<strong>on</strong>g>, EPSRC held a workshop <strong>on</strong> “Nuclear Engineering” jointly with the<br />
USDOE <strong>and</strong> the Nati<strong>on</strong>al Science Foundati<strong>on</strong>. The aim was <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> “identify<br />
opportunities in areas where UK-USA collaborati<strong>on</strong>s make sense <strong>and</strong> fill the<br />
needs for <strong>on</strong>e or both countries”, <strong>and</strong> nuclear engineering was defined very<br />
broadly. Topics discussed relevant <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> interim s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rage <strong>and</strong> geological disposal of<br />
higher activity wastes were largely within the Spent Nuclear Fuel <strong>and</strong> Waste<br />
Management <strong>and</strong>/or Post Operati<strong>on</strong> theme, which encompassed:<br />
a. reprocessing<br />
b. waste forms<br />
c. permanent s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rage<br />
d. disposal<br />
e. transmutati<strong>on</strong> of waste (reducti<strong>on</strong> of volumes <strong>and</strong> waste recycling)<br />
f. envir<strong>on</strong>mental waste management <strong>and</strong> legacy waste<br />
g. advanced fuel cycles.<br />
3.52 In the c<strong>on</strong>text of the UK’s MRWS programme, questi<strong>on</strong>s of interest were<br />
essentially restricted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> four <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pics within this theme (wasteforms, permanent<br />
s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rage, disposal, <strong>and</strong> ‘envir<strong>on</strong>mental waste management <strong>and</strong> legacy waste’) out<br />
of a <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>tal of 34 <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pics identified across the six themes. Topics related <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> life<br />
extensi<strong>on</strong>, new build, future reac<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r systems <strong>and</strong> reprocessing dominated the<br />
workshop output. At the time the workshop was held, there was much uncertainty<br />
over the USA Yucca Mountain programme, so it was difficult <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> discuss<br />
geological disposal <strong>and</strong> interim s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rage did not appear <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> have attracted much<br />
USA research activity.<br />
NERC<br />
3.53 NERC funds research via universities <strong>and</strong> its own research centres with a remit<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> increase knowledge <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the natural world <strong>and</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> tackle major<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>mental issues including climate change, biodiversity <strong>and</strong> natural hazards.<br />
It also provides independent research <strong>and</strong> training in the envir<strong>on</strong>mental sciences.<br />
NERC supports research <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>talling about £400M annually.<br />
3.54 In 2007, NERC launched its new science strategy, following a 2-year c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong><br />
period with the UK's envir<strong>on</strong>mental research users, funders <strong>and</strong> providers. The<br />
strategy, Next Generati<strong>on</strong> Science for Planet Earth, sets out an overview of how<br />
NERC, in partnership with others, will resp<strong>on</strong>d <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the critical issue of the 21st<br />
century - the sustainability of life <strong>on</strong> Earth. The strategy defines the funding<br />
priorities for 2007-2012 <strong>and</strong> was developed with str<strong>on</strong>g inputs from the Science<br />
<strong>and</strong> Innovati<strong>on</strong> Strategy Board (SISB), NERC’s principal advisory committee.<br />
CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ber <str<strong>on</strong>g>2009</str<strong>on</strong>g> Page 38 of 151