Energy research and expansion of DIFFER into FOM Institute for fundamental energy research

Last update: January 2012

In accordance with these ambitions, FOM decided in March 2010 to expand its Institute DIFFER (former FOM Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen), the Dutch base for research into nuclear energy, into a FOM institute for fundamental energy research with a national coordinating role. The institute shall be set up along the same lines as the Nikhef partnership of FOM with the universities, with the universities housing focus groups. With this approach a focus group can be the driving force behind a specific energy theme within the Netherlands.

In addition to this, FOM has introduced a new grant in 2010: Fellowships for Young Energy Scientists (YES!). This allows highly promising young postdoctoral researchers to submit a proposal to work for several years abroad on a challenging energy problem, which they can continue to work on in the Netherlands for one more year so as to deploy their knowledge and shape their scientific career.

FOM Institute DIFFER
FOM's new institute for fundamental energy research will be located at a university campus: in a complex yet to be designed at the Science Park of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). The new institute will collaborate closely with existing energy research institutes, both at TU/e and at other Dutch universities. Collaboration with other universities will be realised in the form of so-called focus groups, which will act as satellites of the institute. At the same time collaboration will also be sought with other disciplines, such as chemistry, the life sciences and the technical sciences in order to facilitate the expansion of the institute.

During its board meeting of 14 December 2010, the Executive Board of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter formally approved the relocation of the FOM Institute DIFFER to the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). This happened after FOM and NWO had signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding about the financial agreements. Shortly before that FOM's Central Works Council (COR) had approved FOM's intended decision to relocate DIFFER to Eindhoven. These decisions mean that FOM can now officially start to develop the current institute into a new FOM institute for fundamental energy research.
The relocation will be jointly funded by FOM, NWO, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Eindhoven University of Technology and the Province of North Brabant. The new institute is expected to open its doors on the Eindhoven campus in 2015.

FLARE, FELIX & FELICE
The user facility FELIX/FELICE is the only part of Rijnhuizen that, in principle, will not relocate to TU/e. The free electron infrared laser will become part of the Faculty of Science at Radboud University Nijmegen. The free electron laser FLARE is currently being built there. FELIX produces 'customised laser light', modulated with respect to wavelength, energy and pulse duration according to the specific wishes of researchers in the fields of physics, chemistry, materials science and biomedical sciences.

On 7 July 2011 FOM and the Radboud University Nijmegen signed the agreement about the collaboration and relocation of the free electron lasers FELIX and FELICE from the FOM Institute DIFFER to Nijmegen. The Radboud University is building a new underground laser lab, Free Electron Lasers for Infrared eXperiments (FELIX). Apart from a new terahertz free electron laser, it will feature the user facilities FELIX and FELICE. FOM employees working on the two free electron lasers received a hospitable welcome by the president of the executive board, toured the city they will be working in, and visited the construction site of their new laboratory. The relocation is planned for 2012.

For further information, please see the news item of 25 January 2012.

FOM has appointed two focus groups for fundamental energy research
The Executive Board of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter decided in February 2011 to appoint two FOM focus groups for fundamental energy research in Amsterdam and Groningen. The focus group under the leadership of Professor Kees Hummelen has the theme 'Next generation organic photovoltaics' and will be based at the University of Groningen. The focus group with the theme 'Light management in new photovoltaic materials' will be led by Professor Albert Polman at FOM Institute AMOLF in Amsterdam. The initiative to set up these two FOM focus groups fits within the Strategic Plan FOM/N 2010-2015, in which energy research is one of the most important lines of action. Both focus groups will also collaborate closely with the new FOM institute for fundamental energy research that will have a national coordinating task and will be set up by FOM at the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology. The focus groups will each have a budget of more than 5 million euros and accommodate about 30 researchers.

Click here for further information about the focus groups.

Fellowships for Young Energy Scientists (YES!)
YES! is targeted at young, highly promising, postdoctoral researchers with innovative ideas in the area of energy generation, storage and transport, who aspire to a career in fundamental energy research. 

Additional information about the relocation of Rijnhuizen
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