Work has begun to increase the size of the RACE facility at Culham. In July 2019, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced funding for a £3 million building extension. It will allow the RACE workforce to expand by more than 50 per cent (to 250) and increase collaboration with both academic and industry partners on the latest state-of-the-art robotics equipment and testing facilities.
Work has begun to increase the size of the RACE facility at Culham. In July 2019, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced funding for a £3 million building extension. It will allow the RACE workforce to expand by more than 50 per cent (to 250) and increase collaboration with both academic and industry partners on the latest state-of-the-art robotics equipment and testing facilities.
The expansion of the RACE building is one of many improvements to the Culham site, including the new H3AT (Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology) and FT (Fusion Technology) facilities, which will be completed in 2021.
Announcing the investment last summer, Chris Skidmore, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, said:
“Innovation requires infrastructure. Not only will the extension to RACE create over 100 highly skilled jobs and improve collaboration, but it moves the UK closer to a globally significant robotics cluster in Oxfordshire.”
Rob Buckingham said:
“This investment in the RACE building is a big deal for robotics because remote operation is mission-critical for a fusion power plant. In addition to supporting key international fusion projects, we are working on wider challenges in hazardous environments, including nuclear decommissioning and remote inspection.”