UK-based Tokamak Energy has appointed former Rolls Royce civil large engines COO Jonathan Carling as its new CEO.
The vacancy opened after the previous CEO and co-founder Dr David Kingham became executive vice-chairman.
Having also held positions at Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover, Carling is expected to accelerate development at Tokamak Energy, which intends to commercialise the use of fusion power within eight years.
Kingham said: “Jonathan’s experience as a COO in world-leading engineering businesses will be immensely valuable as we aim to demonstrate the commercial potential of fusion power in a spherical tokamak with high-temperature superconducting magnets.”
Tokamak Energy is also involved in the development of the world’s first compact high-field spherical Tokamak, a doughnut-shaped chamber of magnetic coils.
Tokamak Energy’s fusion power production process plan comprises five stages including building a small prototype Tokamak, demonstrating the concept, and producing commercially viable fusion powers with the first ‘Fusion Power Module’ by 2030.
The company also expects to achieve 100 million degrees in plasma temperatures by next year, which is expected to be followed by a demonstration of fusion conditions within three years and another demonstration showing the commercial viability of fusion power by 2025.
Next year, Tokamak Energy is further planning to raise additional capital to deliver exceptionally high-temperature plasmas and fusion conditions.
