A few words in spanish,
Es un honor compartir con V.E., Señor Presidente, la inauguración de este Foro científico y empresarial dedicado al Proyecto IFMIF-DONES, sobre todo, teniendo en cuenta la importancia que tiene hoy en día el tema que se debate. Precisamente, uno de los principales retos de nuestro tiempo es la búsqueda de una producción de energía eficiente, limpia, fiable y sostenible, capaz de cubrir nuestras necesidades actuales y futuras. Una de las vías más prometedoras para hacer realidad esta aspiración es la que ofrece la fusión nuclear.
I will now carry on in english,
The ambition and sheer complexity of this task requires a truly multinational effort. Particularly, the EU has recognized the importance and urgency of investing in the research of nuclear fusion, and has been at the lead of the ITER project −in which 35 countries participate−, with the objective to prove the feasibility of sustainable fusion reactions and a net energy production.
Furthermore, the establishment of what is colled the “Fusion for Energy” Joint Undertaking (the EU Agency with the biggest budget), the support to the EUROfusion Consortium and the inclusion of the IFMIF-DONES project in the road map of the “European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures” are additional proof of this European commitment.
The support from the EU institutions is indispensable, but it requires also the involvement of Member States and other partners. That is why It is certainly an enormous source of pride for us today, precisely when we are laying the foundations of this magnificent project (the IFMIF-DONES), to highlight such an ambitious and technologically advanced program as the hallmark of our bilateral cooperation with Croatia.
"...In 2017, Spain and Croatia united their candidatures for hosting the IFMIF-DONES facility, agreeing on Granada as the ideal location. This facility will be a complementary project to ITER, and will focus on identifying, testing and validating materials that can resist extreme temperatures and can be used in the future construction of an electricity producing fusion plant. This program is proof of the importance we both −in Croatia and Spain− give to the research on viable energy sources for the future, and, at a bilateral level, it is a brilliant example of cooperation and partnership at its best between our two countries...."
In 2017, Spain and Croatia united their candidatures for hosting the IFMIF-DONES facility, agreeing on Granada as the ideal location. This facility will be a complementary project to ITER, and will focus on identifying, testing and validating materials that can resist extreme temperatures and can be used in the future construction of an electricity producing fusion plant. This program is proof of the importance we both −in Croatia and Spain− give to the research on viable clean energy sources for the future, and, at a bilateral level, it is a brilliant example of cooperation and partnership at its best between our two countries.
The MoU that our respective Ministers will sign later today will lay the basis of the IMFIF-DONES project and, perhaps, serve as model for later agreements with additional participants. Let us not forget that, although Spain and Croatia, together with the EU Commission, are giving this project its initial impulse, it is meant to be a multinational project open to all members of ‘Fusion for Energy’, as well as for other partners who have shared our path in the research of nuclear fusion.
As it is often the case in scientific research, we should not measure the benefits and success of this endeavour solely by the achievement of its final objective —which of course remains crucial. Along the way, the capacity to generate collateral innovation and technological developments, applicable to other areas of science or industrial uses, is also a very important measure to judge both the success and cost effectiveness of such effort or investment.
As a final remark, allow me to revisit the idea I expressed at the beginning of my speech, which –in fact− lies at the heart of the DONES project:
The challenges of today’s world are immensely complex and truly global. Hence, we can only meet them effectively by gathering a truly collective effort, harnessing and sharing our knowledge and creativity, and bringing together all our resources. We trust that the IFMIF-DONES project will represent a true and excellent showcase of this.
I wish you a fruitful discussion in today’s form and vow for the success of the IFMIF-DONES project.