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 technology areas set out within 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 technology 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 the 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: actions funded under this topic are expected to address one of the following technology areas of relevance that are key to the development of future fusion power plants: tritium breeding; fuel cycle; high-power lasers and optical technologies for inertial confinement fusion; targets for inertial confinement fusion; fusion-grade materials; qualification of reactor components in a relevant operational plasma scenario (including high neutron load); digital technologies (including modelling and simulation); the engineering design of future key enabling fusion facilities; any other technology relevant to FPPs. Proposals should clearly indicate which one of these key areas they address and should, for this purpose and for the technology area(s) targeted: clarify the technology gaps / bottlenecks addressed by the proposed projects, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the needs and drivers towards viable FPPs, and of the state of the art for the technology area under consideration; set out the envisioned technology advances, making clear how the proposed innovation would make it possible to improve the performance of the components and/or systems developed, relying as much as possible on quantitative targets and / or key performance indicators; describe in detail the approaches to testing and demonstrating the components and/or systems developed, clearly indicating the technology readiness level targeted and the process by which technology maturation will be monitored; enable close cooperation between public research and private companies (start-ups, SMEs and industry). This should be reflected in the composition of the consortium and in the proposed project’s activities; demonstrate the business potential of the proposed innovation within and also (where rele…