The Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, announced on Thursday that the Government of Spain has already reserved 93 million euros from the ERDF path of the 2021-2027 programming period for IFMIF-DONES, which shows the commitment of our country with this scientific and technological installation unique in the world, which will be built in Escúzar (Granada).
Morant closed in Granada the meeting to establish the highest governing body of IFMIF DONES, which included representatives from Spain, Croatia, Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Japan, the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), EUROfusion and Fusion for Enegy (F4E).
The minister stressed that in the coming years Granada will become one of the world capitals of fusion energy thanks to IFMIF DONES, a particle accelerator that will contribute to give light to a new model of clean and unlimited energy, fusion energy, which is produced in the center of the sun and the stars.
In this regard, it has advanced that it is planned that in the year 2025 the works will begin in Escúzar of the main building of the IFMIF DONES, which will house the particle accelerator and the rest of the systems of this scientific infrastructure.
"The Government of Spain demonstrates its firm and determined commitment to science and innovation from all territories and including all its potentialities," he said.
IFMIF DONES will provide 11,000 jobs in Granada
The minister stressed that IFMIF DONES will help to face global challenges, such as how to overcome the energy crisis, and how to face future challenges, such as the transformation of our country, improving the quality of life of citizens from the impulse of science.
It will also have a direct and indirect impact on employment in our country at national, regional and local levels. In particular, the current forecasts include an annual average of more than 1,000 professionals who will carry out their activity in Spain within the framework of this project during the next 40 years of construction and operation of the infrastructure. This will mean about 11,000 jobs in Granada alone during this period.
In addition, the minister has announced that the IFMIF-DONES Spain Consortium will present in the coming weeks a 'Strategic Human Resources Plan' that contemplates the direct hiring of at least 200 scientists, engineers and highly qualified personnel in the next three years to meet the needs of the project.
IFMIF DONES, the largest investment in Spain for an international science infrastructure
The minister, who also visited the works of IFMIF DONES in Escúzar on Thursday, stressed that the particle accelerator and the complementary infrastructures that will be built in Granada will represent the largest investment in Spain for an international science infrastructure.
The project will mobilize 700 million in its construction and another 50 for its implementation. In addition, the operating cost will be 50 million per year over the lifetime of the facility. Spain has pledged to finance 50% of the construction cost and 10% of the operating cost, while Croatia will finance 5% of the project and is moving towards closing the accession of more countries.
Spain, through the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) and IFMIF DONES Spain, is currently managing Innovative Public Procurement associated with prototypes of relevant components of the project, worth about 30 M million euros.