High-energy particles flow through a donut- shaped device
RAFAEL MARIANO GROSSI Rafael Mariano Grossi became director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2019. In 2013, he was appointed Argentina’s ambassador to Austria and representative to the IAEA and other Vienna-based international organisations. In 2019, he was president designate of the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and from 2014 to 2016 he served as president of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. He was chief of cabinet at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons from 2002 to 2007.
X-TWITTER @RafaelMGrossi @iaeaorg iaea.org
gaps and helping to establish a regulatory approach conducive to the growth of fusion energy. For example, we are coordinating the development of fusion key elements that will provide a common understanding of the considerations essential to progress. Moreover, we are committed to raising public awareness and helping to integrate fusion energy into the broader energy market. Fusion has been moved forward by advances in computational tools and scientific understanding, by the path paved by ITER in designing, fabricating and assembling components, and by recent breakthroughs, including achieving scientific energy gain. Recent progress in developing advanced superconducting magnets, in devising regulatory approaches, in getting new projects off the ground, and in the announcements of site locations has also provided momentum. The vital role of governments is clear. Strategic public investments and support for public-private partnerships are crucial to shifting fusion energy from the laboratory to the grid. Sustained funding, policy support and international collaboration are key drivers to success because there are still serious challenges to overcome. To demonstrate long-lasting operation or high repetition rates, progress is needed in fusion plasma confinement technologies. Engineers and scientists still need to develop the materials able to withstand the extreme conditions inherent in the process. The fuel cycle must be closed, safely and efficiently. And, finally, we need to be able to extract and harness the enormous amount of energy produced.
The IAEA already plays a key role in hosting the Fusion Energy Conference and creating other forums for the exchange of scientific and technological knowledge and ideas. At the 2023 Fusion Energy Conference, we launched the first World Fusion Outlook, a global reference on the latest developments in fusion energy. Our coordinated research projects bring together the public and private sectors on subjects of importance to the international fusion research and development programme. The IAEA supports research by providing and managing important atomic and plasma physics databases, and we serve researchers and operators by curating fusion data to make sure it is correct. We also publish the longest running academic journal on fusion. INTENSIFIED INVOLVEMENT Over recent years, we have intensified our involvement in the sector, resulting in the natural expansion of our activities. IAEA is now also active in the areas of fusion engineering and safety and in addressing environmental concerns, developing regulatory frameworks and examining socio-economic dimensions. The next leg of that journey will require a concerted effort from many sectors. We need to prioritise the development of enabling technologies and materials, strengthen public-private partnerships, and harness private capital to drive commercial viability. The IAEA and the World Fusion Energy Group are committed to facilitating and supporting these endeavours.
Fuelled by the urgency of the quest for net zero carbon emissions and energy security, there has been immense public interest in the recent
breakthroughs in fusion energy technology”
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2024 — G7 ITALY: THE APULIA SUMMIT
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