EU to Support ESS Construction through SREss Project

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) decided on December 17, 2015, to contribute SEK 96 million to the ESS project through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Together with SEK 96 million of Swedish co-financing of the EU-funded project, the total contribution to the European Spallation Source (ESS) for the first phase of the SREss project will be SEK 192 million.

"The SREss project enables laying the physical basis for the future instruments, which are also in construction phase," says Pia Kinhult, strategic advisor at ESS and project coordinator for SREss. "This funding is very encouraging and supports our schedule in a positive way."

The goal of the SREss project is to secure the basic physical infrastructure of the research facility under construction in Lund. The EU contributes with SEK 96 million to the project through the national regional fund programme managed by Tillväxtverket. Sweden co-finances SREss with the same amount. The contributions to the SREss project are part of the Swedish funding to ESS.

"We are to provide EU funding to ESS in Lund in order to strengthen research, technological development and innovation," says Gunilla Nordlöf, Director General at Tilllväxtverket. "The unique research effort enabled by the European Spallation Source ERIC means exciting collaborations that will attract researchers and businesses nationally, within the EU, and internationally."

The total duration of the SREss project is three years, divided into two phases. This first phase finalises in June 2016.