The European Contribution: Fusion for Energy

In order to manage and provide their contribution to the ITER project, each of the partners established its own domestic agency, which is responsible for the delivery of the components to ITER. The European domestic agency is called "Fusion for Energy" (the full name being the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy), and is located in Barcelona, Spain. Fusion for Energy was created by the Council of the European Union on 27 March 2007 for a period of 35 years.

Fusion for Energy has a total budget of €4 billion for the first 10 years of its operation. The members composing it are: the 27 members of the European Union, Euratom (represented by the European Commission) and associated third countries (currently Switzerland).

According to its statute, Fusion for Energy (F4E) has three main objectives:

First, F4E will provide Europe's contribution to the ITER international fusion energy project. F4E will pool resources, working closely with European industry and research organisations to develop and manufacture the components that Europe, as ITER's Host Party, has agreed to provide to the device– around 45% of the total (the other 6 parties will each contribute 9%). Most of the components will be contributed 'in kind' (i.e. by providing directly the components themselves, rather than financing them). F4E's role is to mobilise industry and R&D laboratories to deliver high tech components and ensure the successful operation of ITER.

Second, in the framework of the international agreement between Euratom and Japan, known as the "Broader Approach", Fusion for Energy will support projects to accelerate the development of fusion power. More specifically, the Broader Approach is made of three projects: IFMIF/EVEDA (Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility); the development of a Satellite Tokamak Project (JT60-SA) and the set-up of an International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC).

Third, F4E should also implement a programme of activities to prepare for the first demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO), on the path to commercial fusion energy.

More information on Fusion for Energy can be found here.