At a livestreamed event in Brussels on 5 July 2022, EUROfusion will celebrate the start of conceptual design activities for Europe’s first demonstration fusion power plant DEMO. This first-of-a-kind fusion device would demonstrate the net production of 300 to 500 megawatts of clean and safe fusion energy to the grid by the middle of the century.

The Horizon EUROfusion event is the first in a planned annual series where the EUROfusion consortium celebrates European progress in fusion research, such as its recent fusion energy record and progress towards a heat exhaust for future fusion power plants. Speakers will also look ahead at EUROfusion’s new seven-year research programme and present collaborations to grow Europe’s fusion industry and spin-off new technologies.

In Hungary, the ELKH Centre for Energy Research participates in European and world fusion experimental programs, which we mostly access through the EUROfusion consortium. EK’s fusion laboratories contribute to the experiments of all major fusion devices in some way.

The Fusion Plasma Physics Department participates in research on the following equipment:

JET, MAST-Upgrade (United Kingdom), ASDEX Upgrade, Wendelstein 7-X (Germany), COMPASS (Czech Republic), KSTAR (South Korea), EAST (China), JT-60SA (Japan), ITER (France), IFMIF-DONES (Spain).

The DONES (DEMO Oriented Neutron Source) project conducts material irradiation tests designed to simulate radiation damage in DEMO cases. This will make it possible to test the materials for the effects created in industrial-scale fusion nuclear power plants. In the laboratory, engineering work related to the implementation of DONES is carried out, as well as the conceptual design of the DONES Test Cell. The Test cell is the central element of the project, in which the materials will be irradiated.

Developing fusion energy

Fusion is the process that powers stars like our sun and promises an inherently safe and near-limitless clean energy source for the long term here on earth. Fusion energy would generate immense amounts of energy from mere grams of abundant fuels found worldwide.

The EUROfusion research consortium brings together experts from across Europe in the world’s leading and most comprehensive fusion R&D programme. EUROfusion is co-funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme. From JET to ITER to DEMO, the European fusion roadmap lays out the consortium’s path towards industrial-scale fusion power plant technology by the middle of the century.

EUROfusion activities directly support the global fusion experiment ITER and work with European industry to develop the first-of-a-kind demonstration fusion power plant DEMO. Earlier this year, EUROfusion researchers showed the potential of fusion by setting a world record of 59 megajoules of sustained fusion energy at the Joint European Torus device (JET) in Culham, UK.

Horizon EUROfusion event

The Horizon EUROfusion event takes place from 10h – 12h30 CEST on 5 July 2022 at the Representation of the German State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern at the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium. The event is open to all via livestream and later a recording.

Programme:

  • Dr Lars Friedrichsen (State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany)
    Director, Representation of the State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern at the European Union
    Word of Welcome

  • Ms Bettina Martin (State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany)Minister for Science, Culture and Federal / European Affairs
    Introductory remarks

  • Ms Joanna Drake (European Commission)

Deputy Director-General, DG Research & Innovation
The European Fusion programme’s support to the EU climate goals

  • Prof Dr Sibylle Günter (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Germany)Co-chair of EUROfusion General Assembly

A look back at EUROfusion during Horizon 2020

  • Prof Dr Ambrogio Fasoli (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland)
    Chair of EUROfusion General Assembly

A look forward to Horizon EUROfusion

  • Dr Tuomas Tala (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland)
    Head of the Fusion Research Unit
    The impact of EUROfusion in Finland and its role in FinnFusion

  • Ms María Teresa Domínguez Bautista (Empresarios Agrupados energy engineering, Spain)
    Advanced Projects Director
    The role of industry in fusion

  • Dr Wouter Vijvers (Chromodynamics multispectral cameras, the Netherlands)
    Founder and CEO
    From public research in fusion to a start up
  • Ms Rosalinde van der Vlies (European Commission)

Director of Clean Planet Directorate, DG Research & Innovation

The Way Forward

About EUROfusion

The EUROfusion consortium coordinates experts, students and facilities from across Europe to realise fusion energy in accordance with the European fusion roadmap. EUROfusion is co-funded via the Euratom Research and Training Programme, managed by the Directorate-General for Research & Innovation of the European Commission.

The EUROfusion programme is preparing for experiments at the international ITER project and developing concepts for the European demonstration fusion power plant DEMO. The programme supports fusion education and training, and works with companies to develop the European fusion industry.

www.euro-fusion.org, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube

Introducing EUROfusion “video” available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

About Euratom

The Euratom Research and Training Programme (2021-2025) is a nuclear research and training programme with an emphasis on the continuous improvement of nuclear safety, security and radiation protection and fusion energy research. It complements the achievement of Horizon Europe’s objectives including in the context of the energy transition as well as contributing to the implementation of the European fusion roadmap.

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