As part of the effort towards decarbonising as much as possible energy emissions, Europe is implementing an ambitious roadmap for fusion research beyond ITER, involving all EU fusion laboratories, Universities and Industry. One of the main objectives is the implementation of a staged-design approach for a Demonstration Fusion Power Plant (DEMO), due to come into operation around the middle of this century. The main aims of DEMO are to demonstrate the production of few hundred MWs of net electricity, the feasibility of operation with a closed-tritium fuel cycle, and the adoption of maintenance systems capable of achieving adequate plant availability.
At present, the DEMO reactor design has not been formally selected and there are still several design choices that are open and technology solutions that are under investigation at a time where the project is transiting from a pre-concept to a concept design phase. The critical goals of the present design and R&D efforts are to develop/establish: (i) realistic technical and operational plant requirements; (ii) a sound scientific basis (physics and technology) for a feasible design, benefitting as much as possible from the lessons learned with ITER; and (iii) a targeted technology R&D that responds to critical design feasibility, performance and integration risks.
A Gate Process has been established to assess and validate the results throughout the development cycle. Technology readiness assessments (TRAs) are conducted with regular frequency to assess the progress of the multi-year technology maturation plan, embedding experience from experts from industry, the ITER Organisation ITER and Fusion for Energy.
This talk presents the status of the design and R&D activities for DEMO in Europe and the implementation plans in Horizon Europe (2021-27). The pre-concept design activities concluded in 2020 were essential in facilitating the identification of the main design and scientific challenges and to carry out a preliminary assessment of the foreseeable technical solutions. In addition, the adoption of a more systems-oriented design approach has brought clarity to R&D priorities and, as a result, a targeted technology R&D that responds to critical design feasibility, performance and integration risks has been defined and implemented.
The Gate G1 that took place in November 2020 reviewed all activities conducted during the DEMO Pre-Concept Design Phase and validated that plan moving forward into the Concept Design Phase. The Gate strongly supported the adopted approach and endorsed the implementation plan for the DEMO design activities and technology R&D beyond 2020.
