Green light for world’s largest research microscope

Construction of one of the world’s largest and most advanced research facilities the ESS (European Spallation Source) can soon begin. ESS will function as an extremely large and very advanced microscope, which can take incredibly precise images and film sequences of structures and processes that are otherwise hidden under the surface of various materials.

The German research ministry announced in a press release that Germany will participate in the ESS project, contributing 11 per cent of the projects construction budget of EUR 1.84 billion. Germany’s contribution, coupled with that of the other partner countries, means that the funding of the ESS is now in place.

- Research gives us solutions to the challenges facing us, and will eventually help sustain and develop our welfare society. ESS will attract companies and a highly educated workforce from around the world, and Danish jobs will be created. The news that the financing is in place and that construction can begin is welcomed. The establishment of the ESS means that the Øresund region will develop into one of Europe’s leading centres for the development of advanced materials, and that Denmark will be a focal point for some of the best international researchers, says Minister for Higher Education and Science Sofie Carsten Nielsen.

ESS will function as a large and very advanced microscope, making it possible to examine materials at an atomic level. Researchers and business will benefit from the ESS when they need to analyse new materials or biological processes to be used in the development of new products. Whether they be wind turbines or mobile telephones or new energy. The ESS will be located in Lund and is hosted jointly by Denmark and Sweden. It is expected to be ready by 2019.

The ESS Data Management and Software Center (DMSC) will be located in Copenhagen, and its establishment at the University of Copenhagen has already begun. The centre will be assisting researchers in analysing and interpreting data from experiments carried out at the ESS facility in Lund.

- The construction of the ESS Datacenter in Copenhagen makes it easier for Danish universities and companies to have access to a highly educated workforce and provides unique opportunities to place Denmark at the forefront of the material and biotechnology field, says Minister for Higher Education and Science Sofie Carsten Nielsen.

Now that the basic negotiations about the ESS have been completed, the overall negotiation result must be confirmed by all of the European partner countries. Thereafter, the Danish parliament’s Finance Committee will be advised of the result of the negotiations. Construction of the ESS is expected to begin in late 2014.  

European Spallation Source (ESS)

Denmark and Sweden are hosting the ESS facility, which is one of the world’s largest and most advanced research facilities.

ESS is a neutron scattering facility, which functions as an extremely large and very advances microscope ESS will allow researchers to take very precise images and film sequences of structures and processes that are otherwise hidden under the surface of materials. It could be compared to an X-ray technology which is well known from the health care system.

The ESS facility will be established in Lund, while the ESS Datacenter with 65 employees will be built in Copenhagen.

It is expected that between 2,000 and 5,000  researchers will visit the ESS annually to carry out experiments.

The total construction costs are EUR 1.84 billion, with Sweden covering 35 per cent and Denmark contributing 12.5 per cent. The remaining costs are being covered by the other 14 European member countries.

For further information please contact:

Head negotiator Bo Smith tel. +45 21 69 39 15, e-mail: bosmi@fi.dk
Press and communications adviser, Steen Bruun Jensen tel. +45 41 32 60 30, e-mail: sbj@fi.dk