European Ministers of Science and Innovation meet IFMIF-DONES
The director of the IFMIF-DONES España Consortium, Ángel Ibarra, today took part in the informal ministerial meeting on Competitiveness and Research of the European Union, which took place today at the Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander, on the occasion of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
During his presentation to all the ministers of the European Union as well as Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, Ibarra presented the IFMIF-DONES project, which is being built in Escúzar (Granada) and which is one of the main pillars of the European roadmap that seeks to obtain electricity from fusion energy.
With the presentation of this initiative to the Ministers of Science and Innovation, the aim is to convey the opportunity that participation in the IFMIF-DONES project represents for these countries, thereby increasing the contribution of European partners and possible institutions interested in this international programme.
“The Ministers were very positive about the significance of the IFMIF-DONES project for Europe and the international community. They also consider that this infrastructure is fully aligned with the strategy of reindustrialisation and energy autonomy being promoted by the European Union,” said Ibarra. “Fusion energy is key to achieving a green and sustainable energy transition. Europe must remain in pole position in these policies,” he added.
Each country will now assess what future collaborations they can establish with IFMIF-DONES. The Director of the Spanish Consortium hopes that new countries can join the DONES Programme in the coming.
The DONES Steering Committee (DONES-SC), the highest governing body of the DONES Programme, held on 16 March in Granada, was attended by representatives from 16 countries, 15 European countries and Japan. In addition, EURATOM participated, which is also finalising its contribution to the project through the European agency F4E.
These 16 countries and EURATOM that are already part of the DONES-SC, as well as the countries that in the future want to continue taking steps towards their participation in the DONES Programme, will be able to attend and express their interest in the next DONES-SC meeting, which will take place in the city of Granada on 26 October.
