On 13 January 2025, the contracts resulting from the Pre-commercial Public Procurement (PCP) of R&D Services for the development of innovative solutions in the field of validation of systems and materials in fusion energy, managed by the CDTI in collaboration with the IFMIF-DONES España Consortium, were initiated. This project is co-financed by the CDTI and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the 2021-2027 programme.

The aim of this initiative is to develop innovative solutions, currently non-existent on the market, that will meet the needs identified by the IFMIF-DONES España Consortium and can be validated in a pre-operational environment.

The prototypes resulting from these R&D services, called Integrated Technology Validators (VATI), bring together a set of highly relevant and innovative technologies in accelerator systems and lithium and test target systems. 

The tender for the VATIs was divided into two batchs:

•    Batch 1 (VATIAC): High-intensity hadron accelerator systems.

•    Batch 2 (VATIST): Experimental target systems and irradiation test areas.

Both projects will be executed in three phases: Solution design; Prototype development and testing; and Pre-operational validation.

The base tender budget amounted to a maximum of €40,000,000 (excluding VAT): 

Batch 1 (VATIAC), with a budget of €27,000,000, was awarded to the joint venture AVS ADDED VALUE INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, S.L. – BROAD TELECOM, S.A. and the joint venture EMPRESARIOS AGRUPADOS INTERNACIONAL, S.A. – SUPRASYS S.L. – EDAIR TECHNOLOGIES S.L. – HI-IBERIA INGENIERIA Y PROYECTOS S.L. – COMMTIA SYSTEMS, S.A. – ANTEC MAGNETS S.L.U.

Batch 2 (VATIST), with a budget of €13,000,000, was awarded to the joint venture ASTURFEITO S.A. – EMPRESARIOS AGRUPADOS INTERNACIONAL S.A. – INGECID S.L.

The total contract execution period for both lots is 40 months.

This ambitious project represents a key step in the development of fusion energy technologies, consolidating Spain’s position as a major player in the research and validation of systems and materials in this field.

More information: https://www.cdti.es/dones-cpplicitacion