OBJECTIVES

F4E is a dynamic organisation whose purpose is to promote the worldwide role of Europe in the development of fusion energy. The main task of this organisation, formally known as the European Union’s Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, is to manage the European Union’s contribution to the ITER international fusion project.

One of the main tasks of F4E is to work together with European industry, SMEs and research organisations to develop and provide a wide range of high technology components together with engineering, maintenance and support services for the ITER.

PROJECT'S DESCRIPTION

Fusion for Energy (F4E) is the European Union organisation responsible for Europe’s contribution to the ITER project.

ITER, which means “path” in Latin, is the largest partnership of its kind in the world, and is tasked with demonstrating fusion’s potential as an energy source. Its seven members represent half the world’s population: the European Union, Russia, Japan, China, India, South Korea and the United States.

The ITER Project aims to demonstrate that fusion can be a viable energy source. Fusion is the energy source of the sun and the stars. Fusion can provide a large-scale energy source with abundant fossil fuels, but without CO2 greenhouse gas emissions or long-lasting radioactive waste. The day-to-day functioning of a fusion power station does not require any radioactive material to be transported.

F4E also lends support to R+D fusion initiatives via the Broader Approach Agreement, a fusion energy partnership agreement with a duration of ten years which represents around 340 million euros of European and Japanese investment. Spain is one of the countries providing financial support.

F4E was created by a decision of the Council of the European Union as an independent legal entity and was established in April 2007 for a period of 35 years.

Its offices are in Barcelona, Spain.

TECHNICAL OR ECONOMIC DATA

Europe is the biggest shareholder out of the seven parties contributing to ITER, the largest international scientific collaboration in the field of energy bringing together 80% of the global GDP and 50% of the world’s population.  Europe's contribution to ITER is nearly half of the overall cost of the project, which is in the range of 6.6 billion €. Since 2008, F4E has awarded 400 industrial contracts with 250 companies and more than 50 laboratories for a value exceeding 3 billion €.

• F4E headquarters: District 22@ in Barcelona
• F4E personnel: 364 members
• Over 220 contacts, including collaborators from European industry and research organisations
• Over 30 Catalan companies have expressed their interest in taking part in the project
• The organisation offers a multicultural environment that brings together different professional spheres such as engineering and physics, management, administration, law and communications