Heading to Elettra 2.0 Events Elettra Highlights 2024–2025 182 In November 2024, Elettra celebrated an international milestone with the delivery of 26 Radio Frequency Power Stations (RFPS) to the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund. Built with Italian industrial partners, the transmitters amplify a 352 MHz signal with a peak power of 400 kW, playing a key role in proton acceleration. Project manager Cristina Pasotti and coordinator Alessandro Fabris highlighted the technological achievement and Italy’s €30 million in-kind contribution to ESS, one of the world’s largest research infrastructures. The past year marked decisive progress for Elettra 2.0, the next-generation synchrotron designed to deliver higher performance with lower energy consumption. In February 2025, the Machine Advisory Committee (MAC) assessed the progress of Elettra 2.0 during its annual visit (1,2). Members inspected prototypes of power converters, advanced magnet measurement benches, and insertion device laboratories, witnessing firsthand the innovations shaping the new storage ring. Shortly after, in March, Friuli Venezia Giulia President Massimiliano Fedriga inaugurated the LB building, home to the magnet characterization laboratory. The event also addressed the rising cost of energy, which has reduced operations since 2022. Supporting infrastructure also advanced. In April, the RP building (3) for temporary storage of dismantled accelerator components was completed, while May saw the overhaul of Building X’s electrical cabin, streamlining mediumvoltage distribution and improving energy efficiency. Energy Manager Andrea Galimberti presented the broader sustainability strategy, including trigeneration and the upcoming solar plant, aligning Elettra 2.0 with ambitious green goals. International collaboration remained strong. In May, experts from Europe, Asia, and North America gathered at Argonne National Laboratory for the fourth PAU-RI workshop on accelerator removal and installation—an initiative launched by Elettra to share expertise on dismantling and upgrading light sources. Meanwhile, preparations for the 2025 shutdown progressed. A portfolio of offline laboratories—including SISSI-Bio, SISSI-Mat, IUVS offline, and TomoLab among others—will ensure continuity of research through peer-reviewed access, complementing existing platforms such as TeraFERMI and CITIUS. A major technical milestone was reached in June 2025 with the delivery of 190 quadrupole magnets (4) by Danish company Danfysik. Their compact design, refined with CERN prototypes, meets demanding tolerances below 20 μm. These, together with forthcoming sextupole and octupole magnets, will undergo rigorous testing in the LB laboratory before assembly. Through these achievements, Elettra 2.0 has moved from design to tangible realization. With construction and commissioning scheduled for 2026, the project is set to redefine synchrotron science by combining cutting-edge performance, sustainable energy solutions, and international collaboration. 3 1 4 2
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