Europe and Japan linked in fast connection

A leading high speed research and education network will be providing data links to the International Fusion Energy Research Centre in Japan.

GÉANT, operated by DANTE in Cambridge, UK, is supplying a 10Gbps link to connect the Helios supercomputer with scientists involved in ITER and DEMO (the demonstration fusion reactor considered to be the follow-on project to ITER). It’s hoped that DEMO, an industrial demonstration fusion reactor, will lead to full-scale fusion energy reaching the commercial market by the second half of the century.

Commenting on the new partnership, Roberto Sabatino, GÉANT business solutions consultant, said: “The combination of major new scientific projects like IFERC and the use of supercomputers like HELIOS is creating an explosion of data for which we need to be ready. The provision of a 10Gbps link is a first and crucial step to support the data networking needs in the global search for cleaner, sustainable energy and to assist scientists in their groundbreaking work.”

The GEANT-provided link will enable researchers in Europe to access the dedicated supercomputer in Japan. It’s thought it could also be used to complement network resources allocated to other large scale projects, such as the CERN LHC experiment.

The investment in fusion research is in line with Horizon 2020 to find new, long-term solutions to the societal challenge of secure, clean and efficient energy.  GÉANT is considered as an essential component in driving European ICT and for Europe to remain competitive in dealing with society’s grand challenges.