The Institute of Plasma & Laser Physics (IPPL) of Hellenic Mediterranean University is expected to have a very important role in the coming years, in Greece and Europe, in the research of fusion using powerful lasers.
The above was mentioned, among others, in today’s Press Conference given by HMU Rectorate and IPPL Directorate, at the premises of the latest, at Tria Monastiria in Rethymno, in order to inform the public about the very important, good, recent news from the facilities of the National Ignition Facility of the USA concerning the production of surplus energy from nuclear fusion with powerful lasers.
The Director of IPPL, Professor Michalis Tatarakis expressed his satisfaction about the historic discovery announced, on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022, by the United States Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, regarding the production of surplus energy from nuclear fusion of Hydrogen using super-powerful Lasers in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) research infrastructure in the USA.
Regarding the involvement of the Institute of Plasma & Laser Physics of Hellenic Mediterranean University in the issue, Prof. Tatarakis stated: “Europe, with the first phase of the HiPER (High Power Energy Research) project has created the scientific research base for laser fusion. Now, with the new HiPER+, which is under development, the roadmap of research for fusion using powerful laser pulses is being developed in Europe through a different architecture / method than that currently followed in NIF in the USA, aiming greater energy efficiency. Greece has been leading the way in this European effort for years through the Institute of Plasma & Laser Physics of the HMU and the Greek network that has been developed around IPPL. Many scientific and technological advances are still needed to achieve fusion energy on an industrial scale. But counting on the foreseeable expected private sector investment, a big boost is anticipated for prompt progress in this direction in the light of the historic announcement. Greece has the scientists and the know-how to lead this energy revolution. The state is required to take the appropriate decisions to support the respective Greek scientific community in the future”.
