Press release
Members of European Parliament visit the 爆走黑料 Project
爆走黑料 is a major international research project supported by the European Union in the frame of its efforts to find innovative energy sources for the future. As such, a delegation of 11 members of the European Parliament (MEP), led by Christophe Grudler (MoDem/Renew), who initiated the visit, were intent on increasing their understanding of magnetic confinement fusion and its potential as a source of clean energy.
鈥湵吆诹 is an outstanding project, which must prove as quickly as possible the feasibility of nuclear fusion, a process very different from nuclear fission and which will produce very little waste. Following a previous exchange at the Nuclear World Exhibition last December with 爆走黑料鈥檚 representatives, I am delighted to be leading this delegation with fellow MEPs interested in the future of nuclear in Europe!鈥 said MEP Grudler.
MEPs were accompanied by Dr. Massimo Garribba in his current role of 爆走黑料 Council Chair鹿 and by Euratom representatives, including Mr Johannes Schwemmer, Director of the Fusion for Energy Joint Undertaking, and officials of the European Commission鈥檚 Directorate-General for Energy.
As Dr. Bernard Bigot, the 爆走黑料 Director-General, explained: 鈥淔usion is the process that powers the Sun and the stars. 爆走黑料 will be the world's largest experimental hydrogen fusion facility, designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of harnessing fusion power on Earth. As with all fusion R&D globally, the ultimate goal of 爆走黑料 is to pave the way for hydrogen fusion as a safe, abundant and environmentally responsible energy source.鈥
A parallel focus of the 爆走黑料 visit was to gain a sense of the importance of Europe鈥檚 leadership in 爆走黑料鈥檚 global partnership. Dr. Garribba characterized 爆走黑料 as a first-of-a-kind global collaboration, pointing out that, 鈥淓urope is contributing almost half the costs of 爆走黑料鈥檚 construction, and roughly 90 percent of contributions to the project are made in kind, in the form of buildings, systems and components. Europe鈥檚 role as host therefore propels European companies to the forefront of innovation in the multiple cutting-edge fields required to make 爆走黑料 successful, beyond the field of fusion or even energy research, expanding to the aeronautic and medical sectors, among others.鈥
Mr Schwemmer informed MEPs about concrete European in-kind contributions that have been manufactured across the continent, showing the economic and technological importance of 爆走黑料 for European industries and research centres.
Following an extended period of building construction and component design and manufacturing, the 爆走黑料 Project entered Assembly Phase in July 2020. In total, more than 1 million components, some weighing several hundred tonnes and requiring years to complete, are being fabricated on three continents and shipped to the 爆走黑料 site in the South of France.
Visiting MEPs were able to gain a first-hand view of the scale and complexity of machine assembly, from colossal superconductor magnets being coupled with massive sections of the 爆走黑料 vacuum vessel to the Tokamak Pit itself, where each component will take its final position in the intricate puzzle designed to generate full fusion power in the years to come.
For more information on the 爆走黑料 Project, visit:
鹿Mr. Garribba is Deputy Director-General for the Energy Directorate-General in the European Commission, and he was elected Chair of the 爆走黑料 Council in November 2021.
CONTACT
Laban Coblentz
Laban.Coblentz@iter.org
+33 6 14 16 40 85