ESS BILBAO SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT OF THE EUROPEAN SPALLATION SOURCE

Abstract

ESS Bilbao is an internationally renowned strategic centre for Neutron Technologies which generates knowledge and added value through the In-Kind contribution that it makes to ESS European project, a research infrastructure currently being built in Lund (Sweden). ESS Bilbao is a consortium in which two Public Administrations each hold a 50% stake: the Spanish Government and the Basque Government. ESS Bilbao is the only Spanish institution representation in the European Spallation Source ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium), a partnership of European Nations committed to the goal of collectively building and operating the world's leading facility for research using neutrons. Spain has approved a Letter of Intent confirming its commitment to holding a 5% stake in ESS during the construction phase, a 4% of this will be an In-Kind contribution and only a 1% in cash. The two Administrations have agreed to grant ESS Bilbao with a budget of 178M€ to ensure the success of the different work packages under contract to ESS. This budget also includes the operations phase from 2020-2025. With a workforce of 60 professionals, ESS Bilbao will contribute with the European project through the In-Kind contribution valued at 73M€. The Lund project is under 28% of execution and the total amount is 1.843M€