The construction of the experimental reactor ITER , which was decided recently by the Ministers of the six ITER Parties (China, EU including Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Russia and USA) will be a major step in the realisation of fusion as a sustainable, safe energy source. ITER will be able to deliver more than 500 MW of fusion power in pulse of 500s. After a brief introduction to the physics of fusion plasmas and the importance of fusion as a sustainable source of electrical energy, the talk will review some important aspects of a “burning” plasma (i.e. a plasma in which a substantial part of the heating power is provided by the He particles from the fusion reactions between D and T) and the technological development performed. The foreseen international structure of the ITER project will be outlined.
In the roadmap towards a fusion reactor, materials science and technology are major components. Structural materials, under the irradiation by 14 MeV neutrons from the fusion reaction will experience transmutation and mechanical defects. Low activation materials are being developed and tested using existing fission reactors or accelerators. However, in order to qualify the materials under the irradiation conditions of a fusion reactor a dedicated 14 MeV neutron source, the International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), is required.
In the final part of the presentation, the results of power plant conceptual studies and of socio economic studies will be presented. In particular, the socio economic studies of fusion confirm that fusion, as a large base load electricity supply, can play an important role in a future energy mix.

Vortragssprache: englisch