VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Tampere University of Technology (TUT) will jointly develop and maintain critical parts of the ITER-test power plant project.
The ITER-test power plant aims to prove the feasibility of fusion, a promising option for large scale energy production, with practically unlimited fuel resources.
A full-scale research platform to develop and test the maintenance robot and remote handling operations for ITER will be used on 29 January in Finland.
The EU, Switzerland, India, Japan, China, South-Korea, Russia and United States are all ITER partners.
European contributions to ITER are managed and contracted by Fusion for Energy.
The development of the remote handling system is one of the most significant development projects within the Tekes-funded fusion areas, where virtual simulation and modelling know-how are forwarded for the utilisation of the industry.
The DTP2 research environment was chosen to be part of VTT and Tampere University of Technology international Remote Operation and Virtual Reality Centre ROViR.
The DTP2 facility and related projects are funded mainly by Fusion for Energy and Tekes.
Remote operation and virtual reality have a core role in the maintenance of the ITER reactor.
ITER enables the possibility to build the machine, plan conventional power plants and develop maintenance.
The goal is to implement top research results of the energy project through ROViR for the use of companies to enhance competitiveness and productivity.
Fusion for Energy (F4E) is the European Union's organisation responsible for providing Europe's contribution to ITER.
F4E also supports fusion research and development initiatives through the Broader Approach Agreement, a pact on fusion energy signed with Japan that will last for 10 years and represents about EUR340m of European investment.
F4E will ultimately contribute towards the construction of demonstration fusion-reactors.
F4E was created on 27 March 2007, will last for 35 years and will manage a budget of about EUR4bn for the first decade.
It is situated in Barcelona.
Building the Global ITER fusion reactor is expected to cost EUR5bn over the next ten years.
Europe has a significant role in the ITER project and the EU will cover 45 per cent of the building costs of the test plant.
The 500 MW test plant is currently being built in Cadarches in the south of France.
