The Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) is under construction at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, China. Designed as a compact high-field tokamak, BEST aims to explore burning plasma physics, achieve advanced steady-state plasma performance, and develop high-Q fusion operations.
EUROfusion experts have recognized BEST’s potential to complement the European fusion programme and support ITER and DEMO. As part of a new collaboration, a group of EUROfusion experts met in Garching this week to kick off the joint development of a BEST Research Plan. Their goal is to deliver the first version of the plan by the end of 2025.
Dr. Marco Wischmeier, head of EUROfusion’s Plasma Science Department, highlighted the importance of this collaboration:
“The fusion landscape is rapidly expanding with new devices and opportunities. EUROfusion has a strong position as the main hub to provide scientific and technological expertise. We must capitalize on this strength to validate our R&D solutions and advance the European roadmap in support of ITER and the delivery of an EU-DEMO.”
The teams will meet again later this month in Hefei to further plan their collaborative activities.
The list of the Research Plan Coordination team is the following:
| Name | Beneficiary | Topic |
| Yevgen Kazakov | LPP-ERM-KMS | Overall coordination of the research plan and the strategy for the exploitation of BEST |
| Emmanuel JOFFRIN | CEA | Plasma scenarios |
| Julien HILLAIRET | CEA | Physics of heating, current drive and fuelling |
| Jonathan Graves | EPFL | MHD, disruptions and control |
| Rui Coelho | IST | Energetic particle physics |
| Paola Mantica | ENEA | Transport physics and integrated modelling |
| Ou Pan | MPG | Divertor, SOL physics and plasma-wall interactions |
| Matteo Valerio Falessi | ENEA | Theory and simulation |
| Rosaria Villari | ENEA | Fusion technology developments |
| Richard Kamendje | PMU – contact point with Fusion technology departments in EUROfusion | Fusion technology developments |