Infrastructure: Infrastruktur för forskning och utveckling av fusionsreaktorer
Project title: Infrastructure for research and development of fusion reactors
Main applicant: Göran Ericsson, Division of Applied Nuclear Physics
Funder: Research infrastructures of national interest from the Swedish Research Council
We seek support for infrastructure aspects of the Swedish participation in the European program in fusion energy research. The long-term goal of the program is a demonstration power plant, DEMO, to provide fusion electricity to the grid by 2050. The medium-term focus is construction and operation of the international fusion reactor ITER, expected to start in the mid 2020’s.
ITER is supported by the EU through i) the procurement agency F4E and ii) a Cofund Joint Action Grant within the “Horizon 2020” framework for development of fusion energy. The Grant has been awarded to a consortium of 29 European fusion research institutions (EUROfusion), including Sweden. A Swedish fusion Research Unit (RU) has been formed to carry out the work within EUROfusion and towards ITER and DEMO. The RU provides expertise in a number of key research areas, e.g., plasma diagnostics, integrated modelling, plasma control and stability, heating and current drive, plasma-wall interactions and fusion technology.
EUROfusion gives Swedish researchers access to the facilities and financial instruments within the Joint Program. Membership also requires the participants to provide a number of administrative and technical services to maintain the infrastructure. These include, e.g., administration of the RU; participation in nine Project Boards; administration of experimental campaigns; maintenance and operation of instrumentation and facilities; software integration; user fees; in-kind contributions etc.
