The Spanish Government earmarks 40 million for the development of fusion energy technologies for IFMIF-DONES
The Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities has launched the tender project to allocate 40 million euros to the development of fusion energy technologies for the IFMIF-DONES particle accelerator, a unique infrastructure being built in Escúzar (Granada).
This project has been launched through the pre-commercial public procurement instrument of the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), a tool for developing prototypes of first products or services in the form of test series that are technologically innovative and meet the needs of public administrations.
The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, stressed that ‘Spain has become a European benchmark in pre-commercial public procurement, a mechanism aimed at promoting innovation from the public sector to provide solutions to the day-to-day problems of citizens’.
Specifically, the project involves the development of two demonstrators, which will be validated by the IFMIF-DONES Consortium. The first demonstrator, with a budget of up to 25 million, will be used to test and validate hadron, linear, and high-intensity accelerator technologies, while the second, with a budget of up to 13 million, will test and validate experimental target technologies and irradiation areas.
These demonstrators involve a level of innovation beyond that of current technology. While particle accelerators using similar technologies exist in the world, none have been built that involve the IFMIF-DONES accelerator’s numbers in terms of beam current, space charge and beam power.
IFMIF-DONES, a new model for clean energy
IFMIF-DONES will be a novel scientific and technological facility where materials for future fusion power plants will be tested, validated and qualified as DEMO (a prototype demonstration fusion reactor).
Morant highlighted the Government’s commitment to IFMIF-DONES, which ‘will help to give birth to a new model of clean and unlimited energy, fusion energy, such as that produced at the centre of the sun and stars’.
‘This facility will help to address global challenges, such as how to overcome the energy crisis, and how to face future challenges, such as the transformation of our country, improving the quality of life of citizens from the momentum of science,’ she said.
IFMIF-DONES will mobilise 700 million euros for its construction and another 50 million euros for its start-up. In addition, the operating cost will be 50 million euros per year for the facility’s lifetime. Spain has committed to financing 50% of the construction and 10% of the operating costs.
