In the core of the sun, it is the fusion reaction which produces light and warmth which the human race has been pursuing. Nowadays, under the pressure of energy crisis and global climate change, to create a sun on the earth has become a promising – even though challenging - way of realizing sustainable, safe and clean energy. In the sun, the combination of high density and high temperature conditions allows hydrogen atoms to fuse to form a heavier element, helium, releasing tremendous energy. The enormous outward pressure due to the combination of high density and high temperature is balanced by gravity which provides the inward balancing force.
These extraordinary conditions cannot be created on Earth. To mimic the sun's fusion reaction, scientists have built different types of devices, among which tokamak uses powerful magnetic field to confine plasma in the shape of a torus. Tokamak is today the most promising candidate for practical fusion reactor.
Fusion energy on Earth for peaceful use is a complex and difficult way to go both on scientific and technical aspects, almost impossible to be realized with the effort of any single country. This has led mega international cooperation to emerge like ITER project as well as much important bilateral cooperation to support ITER and prepare next steps forward.
Based on history of more than 20 years' fruitful cooperation between China and France, SIno-French Fusion Energy centeR (SIFFER) was established between French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) in 2017. SIFFER organization gathers fusion research institutes together from both countries dedicated to only 1 mission, which is to bring the dream of human's ultimate energy one step closer to reality.
Through joint research activities, based on the current fusion devices (EAST, HL-2A, WEST), we have achieved great success in plasma heating system, robots for fusion, high heat flux components, plasma diagnosis, joint experiments and fusion science. SIFFER was created to make further progress together for supporting ITER, developing our domestic programs and designing next step machines for making fusion energy on Earth a reality.
Delong LUO, Pascal BAYETTI,
Chairman Executive Director