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Thermal Buffer Technology

Tender Overview

LOCATION

United Kingdom, United Kingdom

VALUE

Not disclosed

DEADLINE

March 27, 2026 at 00:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

71320000

REFERENCE

007051-2026

Project Timeline

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Contact Information

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View Original

Original Tender Description

The following summary is not intended as a complete or definitive specification of the requirement. A purpose of this engagement is to seek information from the market to help refine our understanding and aid the development of a future specification. UKIFS is seeking experts to support the design and development of a thermal storage system that integrates with the STEP power cycle. While the power cycle is designed to efficiently integrate heat from the tokamak device during a high power steady state scenario, the power cycle and cooling systems must also be highly flexible to adapt to uncertain prototypic operations e.g. the systems must have the ability to switch on and off and ramp up and down at the start and end of operational periods. Significant thermal power will be generated from the tokamak device during the ‘rapid density rise phase’ of the reactor plasma ramp up, lasting a few minutes. This is an effective ramp of 2GWth generated from the tokamak during these few minutes. To manage this very immediate and sudden generation of heat from the tokamak, a minimum amount of thermal storage will be needed to increase the thermal inertia of the primary coolant loops, allowing the power cycle to ramp up to 100% load in a timely manner. Further, thermal storage may be needed to enable partial operation of the power cycle during the transition between the initial pre-heat to part load operational period. The thermal storage system will be expected to extract heat from a hot CO2 primary coolant during the ramp up phase and deliver heat back to the CO2 primary coolant (or to a separate secondary working fluid) during the ramp down phase. The proposed technical operating conditions of the thermal storage system and load requirements are: -CO2 primary coolant operating pressure: 50 to 150 bar. -CO2 primary coolant operating temperature: 550°C to 650°C. -Thermal duty in the region of 800MW. -Required energy storage of 150MWh. -Required fast ramping duration in a few minutes. Systems of interest & key words: -Thermal energy storage -Latent heat storage -Sensible heat storage -Thermochemical heat storage -Thermal battery -Molten salt storage systems -Molten salt heat exchangers/ steam generators -Phase change materials -Metallic phase change materials -Solid state energy storage -Packed bed storage -Concrete battery -Sand battery For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Culham:-Engineering-design-services./ABT7JSP243 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/respond/ABT7JSP243
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MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are detailed in the provided preliminary market engagement information.
✓

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Respondents must be experts in thermal storage systems and related technologies.
  • Respondents should be able to provide information to help refine UKIFS's understanding and aid the development of a future specification.
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TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Expertise in the design and development of thermal storage systems.
  • Capability to propose solutions for managing significant, rapid heat generation (e.g., 2GWth ramp in minutes) from a tokamak device.
  • Ability to integrate thermal storage systems with a STEP power cycle.
  • Expertise in systems that can adapt to uncertain prototypic operations, including switching on/off and ramping up/down.
  • Knowledge of thermal storage systems capable of operating with CO2 primary coolant at 50 to 150 bar pressure.
  • Knowledge of thermal storage systems capable of operating with CO2 primary coolant at 550°C to 650°C temperature.
  • Ability to propose solutions for thermal duties in the region of 800MW.
  • Ability to propose solutions for energy storage of 150MWh.
  • Expertise in fast ramping thermal storage solutions (duration of a few minutes).
  • Knowledge of various thermal storage technologies, including but not limited to: Thermal energy storage, Latent heat storage, Sensible heat storage, Thermochemical heat storage, Thermal battery, Molten salt storage systems, Molten salt heat exchangers/steam generators, Phase change materials, Metallic phase change materials, Solid state energy storage, Packed bed storage, Concrete battery, Sand battery.
  • Capability to propose systems that extract heat from hot CO2 primary coolant during ramp-up and deliver heat back to CO2 primary coolant (or a separate secondary working fluid) during ramp-down.
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FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • No specific financial requirements are detailed for this preliminary market engagement.
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SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Responses must be submitted via the Delta eSourcing portal.
  • Responses must be submitted by the deadline of 2026-03-27T00:00:00.
  • Respondents should provide information to help refine UKIFS's understanding and aid the development of a future specification.

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HTM
Planning Notice
Administrative Documents007051-2026.html
Summary:
UKIFS is seeking experts for preliminary market engagement to design and develop a flexible thermal storage system capable of managing rapid heat generation from a tokamak device and integrating with a CO2 primary coolant STEP power cycle, requiring approximately 150 MWh storage and 800 MW thermal duty.
DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data007051-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
United Kingdom Industrial Fusion Solutions seeks market input for the design and development of a high-capacity thermal storage system (800MW, 150MWh) to manage rapid heat generation from a tokamak device for the STEP power cycle.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data007051-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
United Kingdom Industrial Fusion Solutions is seeking market input from experts to design a flexible thermal storage system for the STEP power cycle, capable of managing rapid heat generation from a tokamak device with specific CO2 coolant conditions, 800MW thermal duty, and 150MWh energy storage.
PDF
Official PDF Version
Administrative Documents007051-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
UKIFS is conducting preliminary market engagement to identify experts for designing and developing a high-capacity (150MWh, 800MW thermal duty) thermal storage system integrated with a STEP power cycle, capable of fast ramping and operating with CO2 primary coolant at 50-150 bar and 550-650°C.

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75
Good

Tender Quality Score

This is a clear and detailed preliminary market engagement for a highly innovative thermal storage system for fusion energy, effectively seeking expert input for future specification development. While strong in technical clarity and accessibility, it lacks formal procedure coding and explicit criteria for market input assessment.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender clearly states its purpose as preliminary market engagement, which is a legitimate pre-procurement activity. Deadlines are reasonable, and the CPV code is appropriate. However, the formal 'Type' and 'Procedure' fields are marked as 'None', which is a significant data entry deficiency, though the textual description clarifies the intent.

•Missing formal 'Type' and 'Procedure' codes in structured data
Clarity80/100

The description of the requirement is exceptionally clear and unambiguous, detailing the technical operating conditions and desired capabilities for the thermal storage system. The AI-extracted requirements are comprehensive and directly reflect the detailed technical needs. While formal evaluation criteria are not specified, this is expected for a preliminary market engagement.

•No explicit criteria for how market input will be assessed or utilized
Completeness70/100

The tender provides all basic information, including title, reference, organization, and detailed technical requirements. Deadlines and future contract duration are specified. All listed documents are available and summarized. The main gaps are the missing formal procedure type and the absence of explicit criteria for assessing market input.

•Missing formal 'Type' and 'Procedure' codes
•No explicit criteria for market input assessment
Fairness85/100

Full document access is provided via the Delta eSourcing portal, which also supports electronic submission, ensuring equal access. The two-month response period is reasonable for a preliminary market engagement. While the estimated value is classified, this is acceptable for an RFI. The technical requirements are highly specialized but appear generic enough within the niche, not tailored to a specific company.

•Lack of transparency regarding how market input will be assessed
Practicality80/100

Electronic submission is clearly supported via the Delta eSourcing portal, and direct URLs are provided for access. The future contract start date and duration are specified, offering a clear long-term outlook. The lack of specific financing information for the PME itself is typical.

•Estimated value for the future contract is classified
Data Consistency60/100

The primary inconsistency lies in the unpopulated 'Type' and 'Procedure' fields, which are fundamental structured data elements. However, other key dates (submission, contract start, duration) are logical and consistent with the nature of a preliminary market engagement for a long-term project. No disputes or suspensions are noted.

•Missing 'Type' and 'Procedure' codes
Sustainability70/100

The tender does not explicitly include green procurement or social aspects. However, the core subject matter—designing thermal storage for a fusion energy reactor (STEP power cycle)—is inherently highly innovative and contributes significantly to long-term energy sustainability and technological advancement.

•No explicit green procurement criteria
•No explicit social aspects

Strengths

Clear and detailed technical description and requirements for the thermal storage system.
Explicitly defined as a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to gather information.
Utilizes an e-sourcing portal for document access and electronic submission.
Addresses a highly innovative and strategically important energy technology.
Reasonable timeline provided for market engagement responses.

Concerns

Missing formal 'Type' and 'Procedure' codes in the structured data.
Estimated value for the future contract is classified.
Lack of explicit criteria for how market input will be assessed or utilized.
No explicit mention of broader green or social procurement criteria.
Contract start date is very far in the future, though understandable for a project of this scale.

Recommendations

1. Update the structured data to include the correct 'Type' and 'Procedure' codes for Preliminary Market Engagement or Request for Information.
2. Provide a brief outline of how market input will be evaluated or utilized to enhance transparency for participants.
3. Consider incorporating explicit sustainability (e.g., lifecycle assessment, material sourcing) or social value considerations into future specifications.

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B
Tender Quality Score
75/ 100 · Good
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