Key enabling technologies for fusion power plants (European Partnership on Fusion Energy)

Expected Outcome: The action is expected to mature and demonstrate (TRL 6-8) innovative technologies in one of the key areas set out under the scope of the topic: developing and advancing the technology readiness of innovative individual components and/or integrated systems that perform the key functions of fusion power plants (FPPs), in line with the key area targeted; testing the innovative components and/or systems developed in close-to-real-life conditions, demonstrating the ability to deliver fusion-grade components and/or systems; providing a credible business case, clarifying the potential and perspectives for commercialisation of the components and/or systems developed, and showing the benefits for the competitiveness and growth of EU companies from the fusion field. Scope: to ensure a successful transition to commercially viable fusion power plants, the Commission is establishing a co-programmed public-private partnership, maximising the convergence of publicly funded action and privately led initiatives. This European Partnership on Fusion Energy is being established with the support of a coordination and support action funded under the Euratom programme. It will contribute to the EU’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness. The EU can build on an extensive record of scientific endeavours and achievements in the field of fusion. The EU’s major contribution to the ITER [1] project and the successful development of the EUROfusion [2] co-funded partnership clearly illustrate this record. However, despite recent advances and encouraging results (notably in the field of magnetic confinement [3] ), further innovation is needed in key areas with a view to the commercial deployment of FPPs. Delivering innovation in these key areas is not only an opportunity to help the fusion sector consolidate in the EU but will also increase the maturity of technologies (e.g. plasma heating and current drive, high-temperature superconducting magnets, advanced monitoring and control solutions, and robotics) that could be applied in other fields. Actions funded under this topic are expected to address one of the following key technology areas [4] : plasma heating and current drive; high-temperature superconducting magnets; diagnostics and control. Proposals should clearly indicate which one of these key areas they address. Actions funded under the topic should perform activities to address critical gaps in the selected key area: heating and current drive: delivering and demonstrating high-performance, compact, efficient and cost-effective heating and current-drive tech…