European Spallation Neutron Source

Objectives

 Specific objectives for the ESS-PP

 

1. A funding model taking into account the requirements of the various national partners and with options for the different possible sites, will be developed. Different possible sites, different cash-flow profiles in the different countries and different policies towards the funding of large scientific facilities represents a multi-parameter space for the overall financing (and hence the realisation) of ESS. We will report on a set of financial instruments which will be able to be adapted to the particular needs of interested countries and which will provide a dependable model for the overall financing of ESS .

2. We will address environmental compliance issues. Technically the ESS is feasible and can be built at a number of different locations throughout Europe. There are strategic issues however, such as the handling of safety, the question of risk management, and environmental compliance matters (e.g. target material) which are to a certain extent site-independent and which will therefore be studied thoroughly. 

 

3. Answers will be elaborated to the legal and governance questions concerning ESS as well as to relevant additional points. In many cases these answers will be site dependent The design of ESS is well-developed and the majority of studies in these fields has been done. However, we will update and collate the existing documents and carry out further studies remaining to be completed, such as governance matters.

4. We will update the costs for construction and operation and define the costs for decommissioning. This will include the development of an algorithm to maintain costs within a specified bandwidth. Accurate cost calculations have been done in the past for the construction and operation of ESS. These will be updated, and supplemented by site-specific costs. In a new initiative, decommissioning costs will be defined and quantified with the same thoroughness as the construction and operation costs. A detailed electronic tool will be developed where total costs can be simulated for many different parameters and scenarios which might vary during the process of construction, operation and decommissioning of ESS in order to obtain a realistic and reliable cost band for the facility.

5. We will aim to increase the awareness of ESS and the societal potential deriving from its research and development programme among potential scientific and industrial neutron users ESS is naturally well-known and eagerly awaited in the wide, multidisciplinary European neutron user community. There are, however, still scientific fields with outstanding untapped potential to benefit from neutron scattering, where these new opportunities are not yet fully appreciated. In addition, industry at large, is less aware of ESS but is expected to welcome such a facility which will require in excess of 1B€ of mainly public money. We plan to better inform these different audiences about the potential of ESS for research, development and society.

 

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