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| Ministers strike key fusion deal | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An international consortium has signed a formal agreement to build an experimental nuclear fusion reactor. | |
| The multi-billion-euro project known as Iter - or "the way" in Latin - will aim to produce energy from nuclear reactions like those that fuel the Sun. | |
| The deal, which was finalised in Paris, follows years of talks between South Korea, Russia, China, the EU, the US, India and Japan. | |
| The project will be based at Cadarache, France, and run for more than 30 years. | The project will be based at Cadarache, France, and run for more than 30 years. |
| If all goes well, officials then intend to build a demonstration power plant before rolling the technology out to the world. | If all goes well, officials then intend to build a demonstration power plant before rolling the technology out to the world. |
| If successful, it could provide a souce of energy that is both clean and limitless. Iter says within 20 years, the electricity could be available on the grid. | |
| Big reward | Big reward |
| "This truly global endeavour gives an indication of how seriously this research is being taken by governments of countries in all stages of development," the Iter Director-General Nominee, Kaname Ikeda, wrote in last week's Green Room on the BBC News website. | "This truly global endeavour gives an indication of how seriously this research is being taken by governments of countries in all stages of development," the Iter Director-General Nominee, Kaname Ikeda, wrote in last week's Green Room on the BBC News website. |
| "Fusion powers the Sun and stars. Our own Sun is an extremely large fusion reactor, but imitating the process down on Earth is far from easy." | "Fusion powers the Sun and stars. Our own Sun is an extremely large fusion reactor, but imitating the process down on Earth is far from easy." |
| Fusion: Necessary investment In a fusion reaction, energy is released when light atomic nuclei - the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium - are fused together to form heavier atomic nuclei. | Fusion: Necessary investment In a fusion reaction, energy is released when light atomic nuclei - the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium - are fused together to form heavier atomic nuclei. |
| To use controlled fusion reactions on Earth as an energy source, it is necessary to heat a gas to temperatures exceeding 100 million Celsius - many times hotter than the centre of the Sun. | To use controlled fusion reactions on Earth as an energy source, it is necessary to heat a gas to temperatures exceeding 100 million Celsius - many times hotter than the centre of the Sun. |
| The technical requirements to do this, which scientists have spent decades developing, are immense; but the rewards, if Iter can be made to work successfully, are extremely attractive. | The technical requirements to do this, which scientists have spent decades developing, are immense; but the rewards, if Iter can be made to work successfully, are extremely attractive. |
| "One of the attractions of fusion is the tiny amount of fuel needed. The release of energy from a fusion reaction is 10 million times greater than from a typical chemical reaction, such as burning a fossil fuel," Mr Ikeda said. | "One of the attractions of fusion is the tiny amount of fuel needed. The release of energy from a fusion reaction is 10 million times greater than from a typical chemical reaction, such as burning a fossil fuel," Mr Ikeda said. |
| Lead partner | Lead partner |
| Cadarache is situated about 60km (40 miles) from Marseille in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region. It currently hosts Tore-Supra, one of the existing European centres for fusion research. | Cadarache is situated about 60km (40 miles) from Marseille in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region. It currently hosts Tore-Supra, one of the existing European centres for fusion research. |
| Efforts to build "a star on Earth" have been technically very challenging More details | Efforts to build "a star on Earth" have been technically very challenging More details |
| Work to clear a wooded area for the Iter buildings will begin in the spring. Ancillary and power facilities and a visitors' centre will go up in 2008. The reactor itself will start to take shape in 2009. | Work to clear a wooded area for the Iter buildings will begin in the spring. Ancillary and power facilities and a visitors' centre will go up in 2008. The reactor itself will start to take shape in 2009. |
| The French site was chosen after a long period of bartering between the Iter parties; and the EU, as the host bloc, is shouldering 50% of the five-billion-euro construction costs. | The French site was chosen after a long period of bartering between the Iter parties; and the EU, as the host bloc, is shouldering 50% of the five-billion-euro construction costs. |
| The deal to be signed by ministers on Tuesday puts those negotiations into effect, establishing the international organisation that will implement the Iter fusion energy project | The deal to be signed by ministers on Tuesday puts those negotiations into effect, establishing the international organisation that will implement the Iter fusion energy project |
| The signature will take place at a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, hosted by the president of France, Jacques Chirac, and by the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso. | The signature will take place at a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, hosted by the president of France, Jacques Chirac, and by the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso. |
| After the signature ceremony, the first meeting of the Interim Iter Council will take place. | After the signature ceremony, the first meeting of the Interim Iter Council will take place. |