It is nearly the end of a 7 month long process, in which the majority of the Hungarian fusion research has moved to the Centre for Energy Research(EK). As a result, the Fusion Plasma Physics and the Fusion Technology Department have been established. The inertial fusion research activities stayed at the Wigner Research Centre for Physics because the laser infrastructure is located there.
„Nuclear energy research has decades of history in the Centre for Energy Research, so in connection with the reorganization of the Hungarian research institutes in 2019, the fusion and fission research merged under one research centre at the suggestion of the Hungarian fusion community.”
- Said Erik Walcz the Deputy Head of the Fusion Plasma Physics Department at EK.
Although the physical move is still pending, the work will continue as before, of course in the midst of the challenges posed by the home office.
Researchers and engineers hope that the whole migration process can be completed before the end of the year, so that 2021 can begin with even more momentum in EK.
About 50 professionals do fusion research in Hungary, while the number of undergraduate students is typically 10. The work is coordinated and 70 percent is performed by the Centre for Energy Research (EK) in the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium. Besides EK, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics performs fusion research and development in close collaboration with EK and supports the program with excellent education activities.
The Hungarian fusion research program also uses a large number of subcontractors, who design and manufacture special equipment needed for our work. To increase the participation of Hungarian industry, and to promote domestic innovation, the Hungarian Fusion Technology Platform was established in 2019.
