the Executive Director of the Magurele Science Park (MSP) Association
talked to BR about the next edition of the Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp for startups and explained how Magurele could attract more startups once the new on-site science and technology park is completed
What were the highlights of this year’s Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp and what are your plans for next year
the event was better planned and attracted more participants (over 120) and more innovative ideas (more than 15) compared to the 2023 edition
Thanks to the increased recognition of the bootcamp from stakeholders in the research, development, and innovation (RDI) ecosystem, the teams were able to present more developed ideas to the jury, moving beyond the “on-paper” stage. At the end of the event, we had 10 teams in front of the jury, with three prizes awarded.
and my team has already planned specific support for all participating teams: meetings with private business representatives to validate their ideas
training sessions with MSP community mentors to better understand the opportunities and obstacles of startup creation
n 2023, the bootcamp led to the creation of one startup—SeedPods, which took first place. This year, we’ve already seen one startup established by the first-place winners, TechIdeas. We also expect two more startups to be launched soon, by the teams that secured 2nd place (RoBlueEngineers) and 3rd place (Partial Eclipse).
We plan to hold the next edition in 2025 and increase the number of participants by inviting people from other regional ecosystems
as well as invite more industry representatives to participate as mentors and/or jury members
we aim to help all the teams created during the events access training and mentorship in order to launch new innovative startups
How is the MSP Association integrated into the Romanian startup ecosystem
MSP’s involvement in startup development is just one of our many activities
Our main goal is to create a strong community with all relevant RDI stakeholders (national RDI institutes
and other support organisations) in the region and establish cooperative relationships between them
We collaborate with various actors involved in startup development in Romania by developing joint activities to support the startup ecosystem through training
How do you build bridges between the research community and startup teams
and how can we turn more innovative research into marketable products and services
we meet with both research and business representatives to understand what they can offer and what they need
This information is promoted through our channels (newsletter
social media) and specific events (S2B – Science2Business
the networking sessions at the end of any MSP event are the most valuable tool for bringing researchers and the business community together
We can turn more research results into marketable products by creating a real framework for cooperation between researchers as knowledge providers and businesses as market connectors
Researchers need to understand business/market needs to provide solutions
while businesses need to be informed about available research offers
This is the most important aspect to address
even before the often-cited issue of funding
How can Magurele attract more startup founders considering the presence of a strong research platform spearheaded by the ELI-NP laser
Startup founders will be more attracted to Magurele because a Science and Technology Park will be built there
This strategic investment project by the Ilfov County Council
developed with EU funds and partners (Magurele City Hall
will be completed within the next three years
This project will provide a space for stakeholders to meet
combining the experience of researchers in Magurele with the creativity of founders
Which industries have room for innovation from local startups
Based on the MSP community’s business structure
With the expertise available within the national RDI institutes on the Magurele research platform
new startups and spinoffs could have potential in photonics
Are regional startup teams interested in joining projects based in Magurele
and modern technologies have reduced distance barriers in communication and partnership creation
Magurele’s research platform in physics (five national RDI institutes) and the world’s largest laser (ELI-NP) make it unique
the upcoming Science and Technology Park will attract startups from other countries in the region and beyond
How can Romania attract more investment for the Magurele-based Laser Valley
establishing a strategic approach for the Science and Technology Park’s functionality
Big industry players should establish their HQs and testing capabilities there
attracting SMEs (including startups) to their research projects
MSP should also act as a magnet for schools and universities
providing dedicated spaces for educational
strategic regional investment projects should exploit the area’s powerful elements:
Madalin Ionita is an experienced consultant with over 20 years in management and business development
He graduated from the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute as an Engineer (1991) and holds a Master’s Degree in project management (2010)
he has been the Executive Director of the Magurele Science Park Association
a strong RDI community with over 300 members
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The proposed Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol hydropower complex on the Danube entered the EU’s List of Renewable Energy Cross-border Projects
Bulgaria, Romania
Vladimir Spasić
0
Bulgaria’s power utility National Electricity Company (Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD – NEK) said its joint project with Romania’s Hidroelectrica for the Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol hydropower complex has successfully passed the evaluation stage
The 840 MW hydropower project, on hold for decades, was revived back in 2022
It is one of three projects that won the status required by the European Commission to be put on the CB RES list
The other two are PONTIS (Progressing On reNewable energy Transfer for International Supply in a connected Europe) and BEI – Bornholm Energy Island
launched in August 2022 and updated in September 2023
the Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol Hydraulic Structures Assembly would use the hydropower potential of the Danube river while focusing on environmental sustainability
renewable energy generation and meeting community and industrial needs
The eight projects with the CB RES status are eligible for financial support for studies and works under the CEF Energy Programme
The proposed hydropower plant is expected to generate 4.4 TWh per year
the complex envisages two hydropower plants using state-of-the-art technologies and a large reservoir
Romania and Bulgaria would have 420 MW of installed capacity each or 2.2 TWh apiece
The idea for Romania and Bulgaria’s hydropower project originated back in the 1960s
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02 May 2025 - The project is located in Constanța county
recognized for its superior yields in green energy production
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02 May 2025 - The Sunčana (Sunny) Vipava project envisages installing solar power plants with a combined capacity of 20 MW
Region/EU
30 April 2025 - OMV put into operation its 10 MW green hydrogen plant at the Schwechat refinery
30 April 2025 - It is the second time this year that MVM contracted gas-fueled and hydrogen-ready power plants at sites of former fossil fuel facilities
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Dozens of international environmental organisations have declared the European Commission-backed Danube Hydroelectric Project dangerous
which involves the construction of a dam and power plant on the Danube between the Bulgarian town of Nikopol and the Romanian town of Turnu Magurele
either observed and verified directly by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Bulgaria and Romania plan to jointly build two hydropower plants with a total capacity of 840 MW
The preliminary estimate of the project is around €2 billion
The planned construction period for the hydropower hub is between eight and ten years
Another scientific miracle of Romania is the testing of the most powerful laser machine in the world
which produces an incredible ten petawatts of energy
This enormous achievement at the Magurele Laser facility near Romania’s capital
breaks new grounds in laser development and ushers in a brighter future in various research areas and disciplines
It is an exciting new ultra-high-power laser system that took years for scientists and engineers to achieve
and it has expanded the limits of laser science
When this achievement becomes known to the scientific community of researchers and engineers worldwide
everyone expects that this powerful tool will open up new frontiers and bring significant advancements in the coming years
The Magurele Laser is part of the larger European Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics project and is comprised of two laser wings that
It is equal to one-tenth the power received on Earth from the Sun
which makes it by far the most sophisticated research facility of its kind anywhere in the world
Some of the notable features of the laser include a very bright laser beam that reaches up to 19.5 MeV
with peak power that only sustains itself for 25 femtoseconds at a thickness of mere three micrometres
Explaining these truly impressive specifications sheds light on the level of precision and intensity attainable in laser science with the help of this groundbreaking technology
Their creation of such a potent and accurate gadget is a giant step in principle outlined to venture into probing and controlling matter on atomic and subatomic particle levels
The prospect of having such extraordinary power in the Magurele Laser makes it possible to apply this in various scientific fields and industries
Some helpful realizations include the nuclear industry
operation with nuclear materials and utilization of radioactive wastes
The application of the laser also spans the medical sector
the technology could take out space junk and shorten the time nuclear waste stays radioactive
The multipurpose utility of this formidable lasing system is expected to spur creation in a range of sectors
thereby transforming the scientific world and ushering in groundbreaking methods of approaching acid test problems and finding innovative and effective technological remedies to traditional issues in various spheres
The Magurele Laser plays an active role in the cooperation of European nations and is part of the pan-continental ELI project
which also includes facilities in the Czech Republic and Hungary
It would also positively impact establishment of an international scientific research centre as the facility sits inside a technical-scientific park
the project described here puts Romania on the map of laser technology
which opens up numerous opportunities for the further development of various fields where lasers are used
The success of this project contributes not only to the improvement of the scientific potential of Romania but also to the European scientific potential as a whole
which proves the importance of international cooperation in the development of innovative technologies and the expansion of the boundaries of scientific knowledge
and the advancement of scientific technology today is beyond incredible
Romania stands tall as the world’s most advanced Laser Technology Nation
With previously unmatched performance capability
this dazzling work will open fresh horizons of inquiry and innovation in various disciplines
do not stop experimenting and expanding the uses of these already revolutionary technologies
and the entire world awaits more awesome inventions and the change that this beautiful human creation may bring
and the Magurele Laser is an allegory of the optimism of collaborative global effort and the tireless quest for the best into the otherwise monotonous grey clouds of the future
The joint project of the "National Electric Company" EAD and the Romanian company "Hydroelectrica" for the construction of the hydrotechnical complex "Turnu Magurele - Nikopol" has successfully passed the evaluation stage and is included in the List of cross-border renewable energy projects of the European Union
The final approval of the list and its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
The project is one of three approved for the whole of Europe in 2024
Its inclusion in the list and the prospect of obtaining the status of a cross-border renewable energy project are a significant stage in its development
opening up opportunities to support the project through the Connecting Facility Europe
This was announced today by the National Electric Company
The project "Construction of the hydrotechnical complex "Turnu Magurele - Nikopol" is an important cross-border initiative between Romania and Bulgaria
aimed at the optimal utilization of the hydropower potential of the Danube River
The complex envisages two channel hydroelectric power plants using state-of-the-art technologies and a large-capacity storage tank
The project emphasizes environmental sustainability and renewable energy production while meeting the needs of the local population and industry
The implementation of this project will support the joint commitment of Bulgaria and Romania to accelerate the achievement of EU goals in the field of sustainable energy and promote regional cooperation
serving as a model for international cooperation in the field of sustainable infrastructure
Additional complex benefits of the project are road
improved navigability and flood prevention
The project will apply for feasibility study funding to the European Climate
Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
The list of cross-border renewable energy (CB RES) projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in the field of energy was launched for the first time in August 2022 and already includes eight projects
The implementation of the cross-border projects will contribute to the achievement of the ambitious goals in the field of renewable energy within the framework of the European Green Deal
as well as to the objectives of the REPowerEU plan
the eight projects are eligible for financial support for studies and works under the CEF Energy Programme
increased certainty for investors and stronger support from Member States
Some of the projects have already received funding in 2023 and 2024
CB RES projects are defined by the Connecting Europe Facility Regulation and aim to promote cross-border cooperation between EU countries (and between EU and non-EU countries) in the field of planning
development and cost-effective exploitation of renewable energy sources
CB RES projects can facilitate the integration of RES through energy storage or hydrogen production facilities in order to contribute to the EU's long-term decarbonisation strategy
CB RES projects must be established through a cooperation mechanism as defined in the text of the Renewable Energy Directive
The project was implemented with the financial support of the Agency for People with Disabilities Contract 6 - StN / 10/06/21 анд Contract № 2 - StN / 23.05.2023 г
3E-news.net by Dir.bg © 2025 All rights reserved
in our capacity as judicial liquidator of the company DONAU CHEM SRL
registered with the Trade Register under no
announces the sale through direct negotiation of the “Donau Chem S.R.L
Industrial Asset,” a chemical fertilizer production plant located in Turnu Măgurele
The deadline for finalizing the direct negotiation is November 20, 2024.
The starting price for the direct negotiation is the one resulting from the evaluation carried out in the procedure
The applicable VAT provisions in force at the date of sale will apply
The conditions for participating in the direct negotiation
as well as the documents required from bidders to register in the direct negotiation procedure
which can be purchased from the office of the judicial liquidator in Bucharest
The price of the tender book is 15,000 Euros + VAT and must be paid into the judicial liquidator’s account at Banca Transilvania S.A. with the following IBAN: RO80BTRLRONCRT0520972801. A deposit of 10%, namely 8,944,812 lei, from the starting price of the direct negotiation, must be paid into the debtor’s insolvency account opened at Libra Internet Bank with the following IBAN: RO47 BREL 0002 0011 1685 0100.
Brief description of the “Donau Chem Industrial Asset”:
The real estate property consists of immovable assets, including land with a total area of 1,433,710.00 square meters, located in Turnu Măgurele, Portului Street no. 1, Teleorman County, on which buildings and special constructions are erected that serve the production process or house the technological installations and equipment.
The movable assets consist of fixed assets such as equipment
The production installations include the urea plant
Detailed information about the components of the industrial asset
and the technological flow can be found in the tender book
Purchasing the tender book is not required for studying it
Interested parties can request additional information and schedule a viewing of the asset by emailing: office.bucuresti@sierraquadrant.ro
I arrived in Magurele where a futuristic white building contrasts with a deep blue sky
It is a very warm day and the only sound we hear on the wide campus comes from the sprinklers
we could easily believe that we were on a Californian campus
The building is the Romanian part of the European Extreme Light Infrastructure ELI
It comes with the extension NP for Nuclear Physics
as this is the direction in which the scientists here want to go
ELI NP with its 200+ staff is part of the larger the Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH)
which is one of Romania’s major scientific institutions with a total of 800 people
ELI NP hosts the most powerful laser in the world with a power of 10 PW
The ELI project itself was initiated by Nobel Laureate Gérard Mourou and funded by the host nations as well as the European Regional Development Fund
Magurele is located on the outskirts of Bucharest
the capital of the Central European state of Romania
A city where new office towers alternate with old residential buildings
And where the palace of the dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu is still enthroned above the center
Once the second biggest governmental building in the world
The whole discussion is now elevated to a governmental level
The new ERIC will be crucial for the future financing of the common infrastructure
told me “After a decade of planning and construction
the newly formed ELI ERIC will organize the joint scientific user program and begin to coordinate the technical operation.”
Germany and the United Kingdom are founding observers
“Romania with ELI NP should become part of ERIC
"There is an ongoing political discussion about how Romania can become an ERIC member and in parallel the ELI-NP facility is together in the EUR 20 Million European project IMPULSE with the other facilities to determine how to best cooperate on the scientific operations."
When I read the nature news about a month ago I was wondering what people do there and what the status of the laser is
head of the Laser Systems Department at ELI NP
And he drove me through the lively traffic of the Romanian capital
Ioan is a laser physicist who remained there
even when a scientist’s salary was down to 50 USD per month
This has changed for quite some time already
The payment is fair now and other Romanians return home
Ioan has responsibility for one of the most exciting laser systems in the world now
just the final parabolas were replaced by a beam dump
And we reached 10 Petawatt with one shot per minute.” That is currently the highest laser power in the world
The High Power Laser System HPLS at ELI NP has two huge arms with three main amplifier stages
Each stage can be used as beamline with chirp-compensated outlet for powers of 100 TW
The system has been built by the French company Thales
which also signed a 40 month warranty starting on January 1
When Ioan showed me the NASA-style control room of the HPLS
the team was doing experiments with the 100 TW beam
with the front end and the first amplifier chain running
The whole system is based on TiSa-crystals
the frequency is reduced to 1 Hz (1 PW) or to one shot per minute (10 PW)
the systems had been tested to deliver their nominal power throughout the entire amplifier and the 10 PW compressor in one arm
The missing off-axis parabolas will be delivered in November 2020 (1 PW) and mid 2021 (10 PW)
enabling a series of commissioning experiments with all amplifier stages
Such commissioning experiments have been selected from a number of international submissions and the respective colleagues from abroad will participate in this next stage of tests
they will enable exciting and entirely new science
Such as measuring intensities beyond 1022 W/cm²
gave me an introduction to this fascinating scientific challenge
Kazuo is a well-known expert for laser fusion research
After retiring from his professorship at Osaka University he took a new job on the other side of the world at ELI NP
Here we open new horizons for laser nuclear physics,” he is enthusiastic about his new appointment
For measuring the truly extreme intensities
he has plans for three different experiments
Based on simulations and data from lower intensities
they will test and compare results from accelerated electron
He expects results of these measurements for Summer 2021
While commissioning experiments start later this year
the regular operation of the user facility with two 10 PW beams is currently scheduled to begin in 2022
So the laser development at ELI NP is on schedule
a range of experimental halls are fully equipped
Their walls are made from huge concrete “bricks” which allow for easy reconfiguration
the main laser hall offers plenty of space for future additions
But what will the future at ELI NP look like
At first one has to see that the organizational crisis is serious
which can occur in countries which haven’t had such a large-scale research infrastructure before
it is up to all involved parties to solve the issues
Several hundred million of European development support and scarce Romanian funds have been invested and it would be a disaster for all involved people to see ELI NP shut down
There is one more perspective that I would like to share: Ioan Dancus showed me what he calls “The laser playground”
These are two labs where students have the opportunity to receive hands-on training on real laser systems
Backed by such essential knowhow they can work as fully skilled laser operators
Is Ioan concerned that they will go abroad
“I am more afraid that they go to other places around,” he confesses
Exchange of skilled people with other research institutions or even industrial companies is essential to grow and strengthen the local high-tech community
And that would have positive effects far beyond what we see now
“Current status and highlights of the ELI-NP research program“, K.A. Tanaka et al. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5093535
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marked a world premiere after reaching the highest power
The laser was designed to reach 10 PT of power through two laser arms
completed by a very bright laser beam that can reach up to 19.5 MeV
ELI-NP is the most advanced research infrastructure in the world that focuses on the study of photonuclear physics and its applications
consisting of a high-intensity laser consisting of two lasers with ultra-short pulses of 10PW and the brightest beam adjustable gamma rays
This unique combination of experiments will allow ELI-NP to address a broad spectrum of research topics in the fields of fundamental physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics as well as materials science, nuclear material management and life sciences.
ELI-NP was selected by the most important scientific committee in the field of Nuclear Physics in Europe – NuPECC – in the Long Term Plan of Nuclear Physics in Europe as major infrastructure
The laser at Magurele is the most powerful of its kind in the world and it could help in areas like discovering new radioactive isotopes to treat cancer or test materials used in space missions
ELI-NP is the most important scientific research center in Romania and in the region
with a total investment of EUR 356 million
of which the European funds were EUR 311 million
Nobel Prize-winner for Physics, Professor Gerard Mourou recently highlighted the major role that the construction of this system in Romania has contributed to this award.
this success – the world’s most powerful laser – will be marked on Wednesday at an event organized at ELI-NP Magurele
Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) is the world’s largest research project on lasers and is part of a pan-European project. The total cost of the Magurele laser project is 356.2 million euros. The project is co-financed by European funds with 311 million euros.
“It is possible to create the conditions for an efficient technological transfer process,” says academician Nicolae Zamfir
the general manager of the Horia Hulubei National Institute of Research and Development in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH)
the ELI-NP team counts over 150 researchers and support from Romania and 27 other countries
We are in a continuous process of evaluation and employment so that by the end of the implementation more than 100 researchers
engineers and technicians will be employed,” says Zamfir
The Magurele Science Park project will span 5 hectares – targeting a final area of 16 hectares – with a budget of EUR 17.5 million
of which EUR 2 million have recently been obtained in European funding
The year 2020 brought a profound change to the Romanian business environment due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus
so that the business strategies of the companies were adapted to the new context
Magurele Science Park has developed a series of new collaborative projects in the area of business relations and education programs
The business environment learned in 2020 to adapt to the new reality, it gradually and carefully learned to network online, to organise virtual presentations and remote events.
the Magurele Science Park Association continued the activities to community growth in the business environment in 2020
and raised the interest of companies with potential for technological development and innovative projects
thus reaching 29 collaboration agreements signed
Smart Lab: robotics courses, webinars and 3D modeling sessions for 1,000 students
More than 1.000 students from schools and high schools attended during 2020 the SmartLab Magurele
the first intelligent digital educational laboratory in Ilfov County
the Smart Lab program Magurele adapted to the pandemic and offered students online 3D modeling sessions
They were able to familiarise themselves with the concepts of cloud modeling through Tinkercad
more than 540 students attended the online sessions organised by the Magurele Science Park Association
in the field of robotics Smart Lab Magurele offered online robot-help sessions
attended by over 150 students from Ilfov and offered 70 robotics kits for participants in the national contest NextLab.tech
have so far expressed interest in the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project
which will mark a premiere in physics: the intersection of a high-power laser beam and a brilliant high-energy gamma beam
ELI-NP is one of the three pillars of ELI, or Extreme Light Infrastructure. It will be built near Bucharest, at the premises of the Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (HHNIPNE). The other two pillars will be built in the Czech Republic (the ELI Beamlines Facility) and Hungary (the Attosecond facility).
The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency are also interested in some nuclear applications
“This infrastructure we hope will not only stop the brain drain but will reverse it
I’m waiting for the moment when the German authorities complain that too many Germans are leaving for Romania,” joked Zamfir during a conference organized by KPMG on the subject
Romania was chosen to host ELI-NP because of the know-how available here. “There is expertise in Magurele both in the domain of lasers and nuclear physics. After Germany, France and Great Britain, the best expertise in nuclear physics can be found in Romania. You cannot build something in a place where you don’t have expertise,” Zamfir told BR.
The project is expected to make Romania an important scientific hub for talent and know-how
It should also bring international visibility
and create 214 new high-qualified jobs in research and tech support
The center will be based in Magurele, near Bucharest. “Why the Bucharest-Ilfov region? If a research infrastructure is built in the middle of nowhere, no scientists will want to go there. You also need infrastructure and a social life. A capital offers this kind of thing,” said Zamfir.
“There is a chance that the Romanian government will not approve the project and also that our project is not good enough
the chances are close to nil because we have already sent the draft project for a preliminary evaluation in January-March
It was scrutinized and all the results were extraordinarily positive.” This was carried out by JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions)
The total cost of the ELI-NP project in Romania will be EUR 280 million
the state has to cover 17 percent from its budget
“The project in Romania is the most important of the three because it is the most complex and has the highest value,” said Zamfir
The EUR 280 million will be divided as follows: buildings EUR 65 million
contingences EUR 15 million and other expenses about EUR 30 million
“We are limited by two factors: one is that structural funds at this stage should be spent by 2015
what this project requires in terms of tools – the laser and the gamma beam – have to be conceived
The time that physicists believe is necessary to develop these instruments is at least three and a half years,” said Zamfir
there will also be operational costs to cover
“This infrastructure needs to be maintained
The feasibility study stipulates a green source of energy with 100 heat pumps around so that the energy is provided via heat exchange
This would be the first time in Europe when you can do this kind of thing at industrial level,” Zamfir told BR
The high costs will be covered by national and European funds
“This started and will remain a European project and the European Commission needs to get involved in it
One third would be covered from the state budget
a third from Brussels and one third from private projects where companies would need to carry out certain experiments and pay for them,” he added
While expected to produce groundbreaking research across a wide range of fields
the Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project based in Magurele has not yet benefited from the Romanian authorities’ support in developing the infrastructure around it
tells BR about the current stage of implementation of the around EUR 300 million cross-border project that will host the most powerful lasers in the world
the EC approved the second stage of the ELI-NP implementation
What is the stage of the infrastructure works that should connect the facility to key communication points
What investments have been made in the ELI-NP so far
How many people are working on the project and what type of specialists do you need
over 120 specialists are working on the implementation of the project from the management
The more than 100 researchers were hired following an extensive selection process
from senior researchers to research assistants
are advertised all over the world and we have received hundreds of applications
After looking at the applications and conducting the interviews
we selected Romanian specialists returning from countries where they had worked in last-generation labs or research facilities
The selection is ongoing and it is an extremely rigorous process using top performance criteria
we are constantly focused on the new generations of physicists from Romanian universities
we launched an internship program in which students in their final year
have the opportunity to undertake a research internship at the ELI-NP
We thus offer students the chance to work with a first-rank multinational team in the field of lasers
What are the next medium-term steps to complete the project
When will the laser become operational and what research will take place after that
The laser system will become operational in 2018
The planned experiments target the study of the interaction between laser and matter
the nuclear reactions induced by photons and a whole series of applied research
Since this is a research infrastructure at unique parameters that is using new and high-performance tools
it is very likely that we will witness the discovery of totally new phenomena
some of them only suspected of existing in the universe
there will be several main directions of exploration
such as the interaction between intense laser beams and matter
the study of photonuclear reactions (the nuclear reactions produced by photons via a gamma beam)
the possibility to create matter out of a void with the help of intense radiation fields and so on
What collaborations do you have with other research institutes or companies
Eight of the projects approved are newly introduced
Among them are Turnu Magurele – Nicopole Hydrotechnical Complex on the Danube River and Tarnita – Lapustesti Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (PSHPP)
Turnu Magurele – Nicopole Hydrotechnical Complex would ensure the long-term economic development of Turnu Magurele city as well as the water supply of nearby towns and villages so they are no longer dependent on the Danube’s levels
The future hydropower installed capacity will be about 400 MW
that will help increase the energy security of Romania and lower dependence on imports
this could be a new way of communication and railway land between Romania and Bulgaria
Another objective by creating Turnu Magurele – Nicopole Hydrotechnical Complex will be regulating the Danube
with positive effects for flood protection by embankments and drainage works or port raising works
the government relies on the economic revitalization of the region of Turnu Magurele
creating new jobs and benefitting from infrastructure modernization
Tarnita – Lapustesti PSHPP is an objective of national interest
considering the essential role that it will have in the participation to the necessary frequency-power ratio
upon the commissioning of the 3 and 4 CNE Cernavoda groups
the construction of hydroelectric pumped storage pumping Tarnita – Lapustesti represents a priority to short and medium-term strategy for development of the Romanian energy sector in the period 2007 – 2020
600 power plants with accumulation through pumping are operated
while 60 more are being either built or designed
the Government of Romania approved the investment needed for the pumped storage hydropower plant (PSHPP) Tarnita – Lapustesti through the company HIDRO TARNITA SA
The PSHPP Tarnita – Lapustesti hydro power plant with accumulation through pumping will be built in Cluj county
on the left mountainside adjacent to the Tarnita reservoir
The superior accumulation will take place in the area of the Lapustesti plateau
The plant’s design provides four reversible groups
and its construction is provided to take place during two stages
Being a plant with accumulation through pumping
it will ensure a safety increase in the operation of the electric energy system
The construction of the Tarnita – Lapustesti PSHPP means a green-field investment valued by ISPH PD Designer
who conducted the feasibility study of the Romanian side at about 1 billion euros (excl
The investment required for connection to the National Power System (NPS) includes lines Tarnita – Gadalin
new cells in Cluj – Gadalin and Mintia stations
the output power station from PSHPP and will be secured by CN Transelectrica SA
Romanian authorities have announced the completion of the feasibility study for Magurele Science Park
a socio-economic platform that will serve as a business incubator and research facility with the purpose of offering development opportunities for the entrepreneurial environment in the Bucharest and Ilfov area
The first phase of the project will be built on a 5-hectare space in Magurele town
located on the south-western edge of Bucharest
close to the ELI-NP (Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Power) research center
which is the home of the well-known “Magurele laser”
with a total investment of EUR 300 million
The project’s website reads: “Magurele Science Park will encourage the convergence between the most competitive sectors of Romanian research and innovative entrepreneurship. It will contribute to the development of an attractive ecosystem for national and international knowledge-based companies and institutions, and as a result it will bring an important contribution to the regional and national economic development.”
told BR that the MSP is modelled after the Science Parks in Barcelona and Malaga
which both initially started with 5 hectares and developed into major innovation and technology centers as big as 200 and 400 hectares respectively
He says that the main objectives of the Science Park is to put a stop to the talent exodus that Romania is experiencing as educated young people keep leaving the country
as well as to encourage a culture of innovative entrepreneurship
“MSP will allow us to compete with the world of tomorrow.”
The president of the Ilfov Council told BR that in about a week a decision will be made regarding the auction procedure for the projection and execution of the first phase of MSP, which will be built on the initial available space of 5 hectares using the current available budget of EUR 17 million from the Ilfov Council.
“A realistic estimation for the completion of this first phase of MSP would be at least two years
since the project is quite complex,” says Petrache
the timely delivery also depends on the quality of the contracted companies
The Ilfov Council president hopes that the World Bank will agree to hold the auction for both projection and execution
as it can attract more trustworthy companies than the Council
because an institution like the World Bank can impose stricter criteria for the companies participating in auctions and can thus ensure more efficiency from contractors
“We’re building a platform that will be able to open up a dialogue between research, academia, the economic sector and society. It will be open to everyone, to companies and researchers in Romania and abroad, who can take part in creating things we can’t even imagine right now,” said Marian Petrache about the Magurele Science Park.
President Klaus Iohannis congratulated the local authorities involved in the project and said it is an important step for increasing connectivity between the academic and private sectors
and that it will allow the development of an attractive environment for the type of interdisciplinary research that contributes more and more to the transfer of good practices and innovative methods between various branches of sciences
Klaus Iohannis also noted that a project like MSP also needs to be supported by good road and rail transport and infrastructure
which are currently lacking in the Magurele area
Marian Petrache told BR that there are many ways in which the infrastructure issue could be resolved
and that authorities just need to understand the importance of the Science Park and how much value it can bring to the community
“Of course the platform will be even more competitive if there’s a motorway nearby
as well as if there’s a transport corridor between Otopeni and Magurele,” he said
The European Commission has approved the second phase of the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project
Over EUR 140 million will be disbursed from the European Regional Development Fund in order to ensure the continuation of works started in 2013
The ELI-NP project is a European center for ultra-high intensity lasers
where research will be conducted into laser matter interaction
nuclear science and material science by means of laser driven radiation beams
started in 2006 as a proposal on the roadmap of the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) and later received funding through the European Union FP7 Programme
According to European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu
as well as “the first EU investment in the research infrastructure of the new member states
a product of European excellence that redesigns the boundaries of knowledge through the use of high technology.”
The European project ELI-NP (Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics) will start with the construction of the compound will host the highest laser in the world
The construction of the compound starts today and will be completed in 2014
The compound will be built on a seismic shock absorber in order to avoid the disaster that might be produced by vibrations
“What is important about this compound is that the main building will be unique, in the sense that it will be disconnected from the ground, because no vibration whatsoever is allowed. It is placed in its entirety on a set of shock absorbers,” said Mihnea Costoiu, delegate minister for Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technologic Development, quoted by Mediafax.
The European Commission has funded the second ELI pillar
which is focused on laser-based nuclear physics
of 4,406 square meters and one for the gamma rays
There will also be a space for laboratories with a surface of 2,396 square meters
The construction of these buildings will be carried out by a consortium led by the Austrian group Strabag. The consortium also includes Zublin and Aedificia Carpati.
Romania and Bulgaria have agreed to build two hydropower plants on the Danube
which should be operational within the next five to six years
Mihajlo Vujasin
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Romania’s state-owned company Hidroelectrica will be the main contractor on both projects
The construction of the two hydropower plants could take an estimated five to six years
The first power plant will be located between Turnu Măgurele in Romania and Nikopol in Bulgaria
Feasibility studies have already been produced for this project
The second hydropower plant will be near Silistra on the Bulgarian side and Călărași on the Romanian side
The feasibility study for this project is only in the initial stage
The two plants will be used jointly by the two neighboring countries based on the model of HPPs at the Iron Gate, operated jointly by Romania and Serbia, Balkan Insight reported
citing a document published on Tuesday by the Bulgarian government
The first studies for the Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol complex were made in the 1960s
Romania and Bulgaria signed the first agreement in 1975
but the HPP project has been on hold for decades
as the Bulgarian side has so far been reluctant to support the construction of the hydroelectric power plant
The hydropower system consists of two hydropower plants that are identical in equipment and power
Hydropower complex Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol will provide 4.4 TWh of electricity a year
The hydropower complex Turnu Măgurele – Nikopol should provide 4.4 TWh of electricity annually
The facility will have substations on both river banks
interconnected by a transmission line across the Danube
The project also envisions the construction of two bridges over the dams in this complex
and it will have two locks for river traffic navigation
The energy ministers of the two countries, Virgil Popescu and Rossen Hristov, have already discussed these projects
Representatives of the two countries are expected to sign a memorandum of cooperation on the joint projects next month
Bulgaria plans to develop a total of 870 MW of new hydropower projects by 2030
Bulgaria expects the two new hydropower plants to increase its energy independence. The projects are also an integral part of Bulgaria’s 2053 energy strategy
Bulgaria plans to develop 870 MW of new hydropower projects by 2030 and 1.27 GW by 2050
A study recently prepared by the Bucharest-based Energy Policy Group (EPG) cites the construction of a joint artificial energy island in the Black Sea as the potential for cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria
which would allow further development of offshore wind projects
The study notes that developing offshore wind farms is one of the best ways to decarbonize the energy sector in the two countries
In the past several months, Romanian companies revived a string of abandoned hydropower projects
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Still, for Romania’s scientific community and, in the recent years, for scientists all over the world, Magurele is one of the most important points in the world. Because the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering in Magurele (IFIN-HH) is carrying out the project Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)
it can be mistaken for someone’s nickname on messenger or a car registration number in an unknown country
this sequence of letters has a completely different meaning
Besides the fact that it is the largest research projects in the history of Romania
It’s difficult to imagine for someone who is a stranger to research what this means
But translating the technical specifications of this facility
we can get an idea of the role this laser is meant to play in everyday life
The use of very intense laser beams and gamma rays could have significant effects in nuclear physics
the laser in Magurele will allow the study of physical phenomena that are just theoretical for now
Such a laser could help treat cancer without
subjecting patients to the pain of chemotherapy as we know it now
with applications in the field of space travel
the production of materials resistant to cosmic radiation
Such research could make its own contribution to finding a new home for the human species
mankind doesn’t have long to stay on Terra
we can only hope that the researchers at ELI-NP will find such materials
50 are Romanians who decided to return to the country
the laser in Magurele will have a team of 300 researchers
this high-power laser could be used for the disposal of radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plants
Such an application might have the gift of changing the opinion of a minority on nuclear energy
making its use no longer be seen with skepticism
this would relieve Nuclearelectrica of a significant investment in the Saligny radioactive waste repository
The fact that it consists of two components: two high-power lasers (two arms of 10-petawatt each
10-petawatt meaning 10% of the Sun’s power) and a gamma ray generator with performance characteristics
an important moment in the existence of this project occurred in May this year
when the laser in Magurele was subjected to a first test
It will operate at its rated capacity in less than two years from now on
Cea de-a șasea ediție a Școlii de Vară de Știință și Tehnologie de la Măgurele (MSciTeh) a început
21 august 2023 și a avut tema „Aplicațiile științei și cercetării pentru sănătate”
Școala de Vară s-a desfășurat sub patronajul Ministerului Cercetării
Programul își propune să le facă accesibile participanților laboratoarele de cercetare
experiența cercetătorilor de la institutele de pe Platforma de Educație și Cercetare din Măgurele
a cadrelor didactice din Universitatea din București și ale invitaților acestora pentru stimularea și creșterea interesului față de știință
care a avut loc începând cu ora 12:00 în Sala de Festivități a Institutului de Fizică și Inginerie Nucleară „Horia Hulubei” (IFIN-HH) (Strada Reactorului nr
au fost anunțați să ia cuvântul ministrul Cercetării
directorul proiectului Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics al IFIN-HH
directorul Consiliului Studiilor Universitare de Doctorat al Universității din București
directorul general al Institutului de Fizică Atomică
directorul general al Institutului Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizica Pământului
Sesiunea de deschidere a evenimentului a fost moderată de lect
cadru didactic la Facultatea de Jurnalism și Științele Comunicării a Universității din București
6 facultăți și 7 institute colaborează pentru Școala de Vară
Școala de Vară de Știință și Tehnologie de la Măgurele este un eveniment organizat în consorțiul ReCoNnect – Noaptea Cercetătorilor
Institutul de Fizică și Inginerie Nucleară „Horia Hulubei” (IFIN-HH) și Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizica Pământului (INFP)
Pe lângă cercetătorii celor două institute
sunt implicate cadre didactice și studenți de la Universitatea din București
Facultatea de Geologie și Geofizică Facultatea de Jurnalism și Științele Comunicării și Facultatea de Psihologie și Științele Educației
institutele de fizică de pe platforma Măgurele
Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizica Laserilor
Institutul Naţional de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizica Materialelor
Institutul de Fizică Atomică și Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Optoelectronică
Mai multe detalii cu privire la ediția din 2023 a MSciTeh pot fi consultate pe https://msciteh.educatiepentrustiinta.ro
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ELI-NP (Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics) will consist of the most powerful laser beams and the most advanced gamma beams in the world
who is director general of the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering
noted in the KPMG Research & Innovation Guide
“The ultrahigh power and intensity of pulses will produce electric fields so strong that they may alter and sense the texture of the vacuum itself.”
While the laser beams will have 10 PW of power each but the duration of the laser pulse is extremely brief
Scientists involved in the project explained that 10PW means 1,000 times the cumulated power of electrical power plants from all over the world
“If such a powerful laser pulse lasted for just one second, it would require all the electrical energy produced in the world for two weeks to fuel it,” they said, quoted by Mediafax newswire.
Construction of the facility that will host the lasers and gamma beams has begun in Magurele
The ceremony for the inauguration of the works took place in the presence of Johannes Hahn
representatives of the R&D institutes and others
The compound that will host the ELI-NP project will be built on seismic shock absorbers
“The main building will be unique, in the sense that it will be disconnected from the ground, because no vibration whatsoever is allowed. It is placed in its entirety on a set of shock absorbers, because at that kind of power, it would spell disaster if even a pair of high heels were felt,” said Mihnea Costoiu, delegate minister for scientific research, quoted by Mediafax.
There will also be a space for laboratories with a surface of 2,396 sqm
The construction of these buildings will be carried out by a consortium led by Austrian group Strabag, which also includes Zublin and Aedificia Carpati.
The European Commission has granted the Magurele pillar nearly EUR 356 million of funds
It creates a platform for technological applications and an industry with high added-value and potential for exporting technologies
as well as creating jobs and an environment for a cluster of development in which SMEs grow in a certain field of activity
The economic development will generate income for the state budget
The project can be expected to be financially self supporting within a few years
this is how success is measured for public investments,” Serban Toader
The project is estimated to create 13,000 new jobs
Top researchers from all over the world can apply for the 1,000 available positions
“ELI should not only encourage Romanian specialists to stay
but also be an incentive for the Romanian scientists who have already left the country to return
It should also attract specialists of all nationalities from around the world,” says Razvan Nan
ELI-NP will have a value of EUR 356 million
the European Commission has come up with structural funds of EUR 180 million
the ELI-NP project has the potential to generate total investments of around EUR 3-4 billion,” says Toader
the Romanian authorities need to come up with the infrastructure around the project
Magurele is just 18 kilometers away from Bucharest
A ring road is under construction and there are also plans for a new ring railway
Magurele already hosts top national research organizations such as the Institute of Atomic Physics
the National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering
the Faculty of Physics of the University of Bucharest and 8 out of 19 strategic research facilities
it will become a hub which should spell opportunities for transportation and cab companies
The research carried out in Magurele will have applicability in medical sciences – especially imaging and cancer treatments – pharmaceuticals
nuclear materials and radioactive waste management
“ELI-NP will provide a great boost to Romanian scientific research
bringing it to the forefront of global innovation
I would like to think that one day a Nobel Prize winner will emerge from ELI-NP’s activities
Let’s hope that he or she will be a Romanian!” says Toader
otilia.haraga@business-review.ro
The undersigned, SIERRA QUADRANT BRANCH BUCHAREST SPRL, headquartered in Bucharest, Str. Traian no.2, Ans.Unirii, bl.F1, section 3, Fl.1, apt.3, sector 3, registration number RFO II-0393, CUI RO 25852407, email office.bucuresti@sierraquadrant.ro
as the judicial liquidator of DONAU CHEM SRL
registered with the Trade Register Office under no
for the sale of the “Donau Chem Industrial Asset”
The starting price at the auction is 89,448,120 lei without VAT. The legal provisions regarding the VAT regime in force at the time of sale apply.
it is necessary to pay a participation guarantee of 10% of the starting price of the auction
This amount must be directly deposited into the bank account of the selling company
with the IBAN RO47 BREL 0002 0011 1685 0100
The remaining price difference must be guaranteed through a bank guarantee letter
and the bidder must also purchase the bid book
The cost of the bid book is 15,000 Euro + VAT
and it must be paid into the liquidator’s bank account
with the following IBAN: RO80BTRLRONCRT0520972801
The participation conditions in the auction
and other details regarding the sale and auctioning can be found in the bid book
which potential participants can consult by making a prior appointment at the liquidator’s office
Short description of the “Donau Chem Industrial Asset”
The “Donau Chem Industrial Asset” is composed of real estate consisting of land with a total surface of 1,433,710.00 sqm located in Turnu Măgurele
on which there are buildings and special constructions serving the production process or in which the technological equipment and installations are incorporated
The mobile assets consist of fixed assets such as equipment, installations, machinery, etc., stocks, and goods held by third parties.
The production facilities consist of an urea plant
Detailed information about the industrial asset’s components
and the technological flow can be found in the bid book
Interested parties can request additional information and schedule a viewing of the asset by email at: office.bucuresti@sierraquadrant.ro
in partnership with the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH) and with the National Institute of Research and Development for Earth Physics (INFP)
organizes under the patronage of the Education Community for Science
the first edition of the Măgurele Science and Technology Summer School
Aimed both for highschool pupils as well as for teachers teaching STEM disciplines in gymnasium and highschool secondary education
the classes will take place from 27th of August to 3rd of September 2018 and shall be organized in two sections
highschool pupils shall have the occasion to perform different laboratory exercises and get used to scientific methods and research techniques used in Măgurele laboratories
teachers teaching STEM disciplines in gymnasium and highschool secondary education will learn different alternatives to teach and will have the opportunity to discover the resources they will use for the teaching process
The Măgurele Science and Technology Summer School aims to introduce its pupils into scientific instruments and critical thinking and offer them the opportunity to initiate research projects together with scientists from Măgurele
school is an opportunity for teachers to be formed in the spirit of innovative pedagogical methods and stay in touch with the latest news in which regards STEM education
Research themes for pupils and teachers are in the field of physics and engineering
life sciences and environment and digital technologies in research
Out of the subjects aimed for pupils’ research experiments and projects
can be reminded: development assembly with interface Internet of Things (IoT) for experimental facilities
observations of medicines effects on tumoral cells exposed to ionizing radiations; analysis regarding communication in animals world; applications of artificial intelligence in the analysis of scientific data; preparing and characterizing nanometric structures with applicability in electronics and optoelectronics; astrophysics – galaxies and black holes; behavior of ground-structure system during earthquakes; processing systems with plasma for modification of surfaces etc
The partners of the event are the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics research (ELI-NP)
the National Institute of Materials Physics (INFIM)
the National Institute of Research and Development in Optoelectronics (INOE)
The project benefits of the financial support of the Bucharest Științescu Fund
administered by the Bucharest Community Foundation
More information regarding the event may be accessed on the site of Măgurele Science and Technology Summer School, as well as on Facebook page