Particle accelerators, such as the LHC at CERN or Diamond in the UK, are tools of scientific research and discovery for the global community. However, building and operating these big machines uses a large amount of energy.
UKRI, the UK’s national science funding agency, has a stated goal to reach Net Zero by 2040. This means that we must investigate ways to reduce our consumption of energy and other natural resources.
We are currently working towards the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Accelerators (CESA), which will bring together many different strands of research and development into low-carbon technologies for particle accelerators. The centre will also act as a hub for sustainable design of our facilities, offering advice and consultation to STFC departments, universities, and UK SMEs on best practices for high-tech sustainable engineering design, procurement, and manufacturing.