Sweden gets organised to strengthen industrial participation in ITER

On 6 June 2019, Big Science Sweden and Vinnova, Sweden’s governmental agency supporting innovation, organised an industrial day on ITER. The more than 60 participants consisted of representatives from government, academia and industry (such as Sandvik, Skanskska, ABB AB Energy Industries, and Smarter Electronic Systems), many of which already contribute to the European Spallation Source located in Lund. The conference was opened by Stina Billinger, State Secretary for Enterprise and Innovation, emphasizing the importance of increased international cooperation on research and innovation, for a sustainable world, and reiterating Swedish commitment to large science projects such as ITER and ESS, as part of the vision to make Sweden the first nation free of fossil fuels.

The key messages from the seminar underlined the progress of the ITER project and highlighted the upcoming business opportunities. The discussions focused on how best to support industry and academia in making viable proposals in some upcoming areas of work, as well as the industrial sectors where Swedish industry may be well placed to make successful bids. Special attention was provided to the transfer of experience from the ESS construction (which is close to completion) to the ITER construction: this aspect was mentioned as a priority by both government and industry representatives.