The Ministry of Innovation and Growth (MIG) announced support for an ambitious research project, funding a project by the Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) with a substantial 10 million leva. The announcement from the ministry comes as a signal of the country's determination to invest in scientific progress and stimulate innovation in the field of energy.
The research, which will receive funding, focuses on laser-induced controlled nuclear fusion – an area that promises a breakthrough in global science and a revolution in the production of nuclear energy. Financial support will be provided through the "Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Intelligent Transformation" Program. MIG clarifies that the funds will be used to create the necessary laboratory conditions, providing the basis for conducting the scientific work.
Globally, scientists have long focused their efforts on mastering nuclear fusion, a process that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines as a source of almost unlimited, safe and clean energy. This process is the engine of the stars and our Sun.
Recently, an experiment was conducted in the ISSP laboratory, which may prove to be key to the development of this technology. For the first time in the world, a nuclear fusion reaction was achieved by femtosecond laser radiation. This innovative technology uses ultra-short but powerful pulses for a short period of time. Behind this breakthrough is a team of four scientists working at the Institute of Solid State Physics and the Institute of Electronics of the BAS, the ministry adds.
Support for this key project comes from prominent names in the scientific community. Former Academy Chairman Acad. Nikola Sabotinov and the director of ISSP Assoc. Prof. Ekaterina Yordanova will be key figures in the implementation of the project. With funding under the research program, they will strive to develop and optimize this innovative Bulgarian method for nuclear fusion. According to experts, this will be a unique experiment not only for Bulgaria, but also on a global scale. The method developed by the BAS is distinguished by more compact dimensions, lower energy consumption and higher safety compared to the technologies used in the USA and the European Union.
If successfully implemented, this project could lead to a real revolution in the production of nuclear energy, opening doors for the use of smaller and more efficient reactors. This will enable the country to develop its own technologies, patents and industrial partnerships, including the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises and scientific organizations. MIG notes that this could put Bulgaria among the leaders in avant-garde research and contribute significantly to the European green and energy transformation.