Since the beginning of January, Radomír Pánek, Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, has been leading the European scientific consortium EUROfusion. The consortium coordinates an international research programme to ensure a safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly source of fusion energy in Europe. The Czech scientist was elected to the position of chairman of the consortium's general assembly in December, Martina Spěváčková of the Academy of Sciences told ČTK.
The EUROfusion consortium brings together nearly 5,000 scientists from 193 European scientific institutions, universities and companies involved in providing energy using thermonuclear fusion reactions. It manages a budget of almost €1 billion, provided by the European Commission and the Member States.
"This prestigious position represents for me, on the one hand, a unique opportunity to participate in the leadership of one of the key scientific programmes for mankind, but also a major challenge in terms of coordinating a very large international research programme. In any case, I am convinced that my election to this position is also a reflection of the high level of fusion research we have achieved in the Czech Republic over the last 15 years," said Pánek.
In thermonuclear fusion, light atoms such as hydrogen combine at extremely high temperatures to form nuclei of heavier elements such as helium. In the process, huge amounts of energy are released. Fusion experiments are carried out in devices called tokamaks. The first fusion power stations are to use this principle.
According to Pánek, the development of a fusion power plant is crucial because it will provide an inexhaustible, completely safe, almost emission-free and very powerful source of energy. "Fusion energy offers a solution to many of the problems associated with traditional methods of energy production and will play a key role in a sustainable and secure energy future for humanity," Pánek added.
Pánek is a leading expert in fusion physics research and technology. At the Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS, which he has headed since 2015, he has led the COMPASS tokamak installation project and also the ongoing project to construct the new COMPASS Upgrade tokamak.
In 2020, Radomír Pánek became the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Agency Fusion for Energy (F4E). The Barcelona-based organisation is responsible for the European part of the delivery for the ITER tokamak - the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor at the Cadarache Research Centre in France.
Source: ČTK
Photo source: EUROfusion
