Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RF2.0 (Research Facility 2.0: Towards a more energy-efficient and sustainable path)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-01-01 do 2025-06-30
Modern research increasingly depends on large-scale infrastructures, such as particle accelerators and computing centres, which are among the most energy-intensive scientific facilities. Their power consumption can be comparable to that of small towns, with usage levels reaching 100 megawatts or more. While these facilities are indispensable despite their high energy demands, society faces the enormous challenge of transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy, and minimizing both energy and material footprints.
Therefore, the RF2.0 consortium envisions a future where particle accelerators are designed and operated safely and stable anytime, powered by a 100% renewable energy supply with sustainable use of energy and materials.
The project aims to transform the way research accelerators are operated by targeting solutions from component to system level, both at experimental physics and energy engineering level. Its objectives focus on reducing energy consumption and enabling the integration of sustainable energy sources. At the component level, the consortium is developing more efficient permanent magnet solutions for dipoles and quadrupoles, and highly efficient Solid-State Amplifiers as radiofrequency sources for two common frequencies, 500MHz and 1.5GHz. Fast grid measurement systems, such as Phasor Measurement Units, are being integrated into accelerator distribution grids to detect major severe disturbances and allow faster and more effective countermeasures. At the system level, the integration of renewable energy sources, coordinated with energy storage solutions, allows improved use of local green energy, rather than relying solely on grid supply. Finally, the development of intelligent control algorithms and digitalization, such as Digital Twins, enables more flexible energy consumption during accelerator and connected data centres operations.
As a key expected outcome, the RF2.0 project will demonstrate these innovations in four demonstrator projects located in six leading research infrastructures for the acceleration of particles, supported by four SMEs focused on the effective (co-)development and technology transfer of new energy solutions.
Therefore, the RF2.0 consortium envisions a future where particle accelerators are designed and operated safely and stable anytime, powered by a 100% renewable energy supply with sustainable use of energy and materials.
The project aims to transform the way research accelerators are operated by targeting solutions from component to system level, both at experimental physics and energy engineering level. Its objectives focus on reducing energy consumption and enabling the integration of sustainable energy sources. At the component level, the consortium is developing more efficient permanent magnet solutions for dipoles and quadrupoles, and highly efficient Solid-State Amplifiers as radiofrequency sources for two common frequencies, 500MHz and 1.5GHz. Fast grid measurement systems, such as Phasor Measurement Units, are being integrated into accelerator distribution grids to detect major severe disturbances and allow faster and more effective countermeasures. At the system level, the integration of renewable energy sources, coordinated with energy storage solutions, allows improved use of local green energy, rather than relying solely on grid supply. Finally, the development of intelligent control algorithms and digitalization, such as Digital Twins, enables more flexible energy consumption during accelerator and connected data centres operations.
As a key expected outcome, the RF2.0 project will demonstrate these innovations in four demonstrator projects located in six leading research infrastructures for the acceleration of particles, supported by four SMEs focused on the effective (co-)development and technology transfer of new energy solutions.
The RF2.0 project achieved significant technological progress across multiple Work Packages.
In WP1, technologies and solutions with higher energy saving potential have been identified by means of a world-wide survey among accelerator operators and subsequently validated using measured data.
WP2 has designed and is currently implementing permanent magnet-based solutions for dipoles and quadrupoles, enabling a constant magnetic field without continuous energy input. A variable magnetic field is then achieved by hybridizing the magnet with electro-mechanical solutions, allowing precise beam control. Additionally, two Solid-State Amplifier solutions are currently under design in WP2 to replace klystrons as radiofrequency sources, aiming to improve substantially the system efficiency.
WP3 focuses on developing strategies for optimizing accelerator and data centre operations. The proposed artificial intelligence-based approaches enable online beam realignment during operations, decreasing energy waste caused by misalignment. Energy management strategies have also been proposed, including the integration of energy storage systems coupled with renewable sources, and the control of computation power in high-performance computing centres. The goal is to vary the power demand of accelerators and data centres accordingly with the renewable power production.
In WP4, the RF2.0 project is developing Digital Twins for accelerators and their connected high-performance computing centres, to integrate them in the energy management strategies of WP3 and the energy analysis of WP5.
Furthermore, 24 Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have been designed and installed at CERN, enabling time-synchronized reading of the electrical grid variables. This allows the detection of fast grid disturbances that conventional measurement approaches cannot capture.
In WP1, technologies and solutions with higher energy saving potential have been identified by means of a world-wide survey among accelerator operators and subsequently validated using measured data.
WP2 has designed and is currently implementing permanent magnet-based solutions for dipoles and quadrupoles, enabling a constant magnetic field without continuous energy input. A variable magnetic field is then achieved by hybridizing the magnet with electro-mechanical solutions, allowing precise beam control. Additionally, two Solid-State Amplifier solutions are currently under design in WP2 to replace klystrons as radiofrequency sources, aiming to improve substantially the system efficiency.
WP3 focuses on developing strategies for optimizing accelerator and data centre operations. The proposed artificial intelligence-based approaches enable online beam realignment during operations, decreasing energy waste caused by misalignment. Energy management strategies have also been proposed, including the integration of energy storage systems coupled with renewable sources, and the control of computation power in high-performance computing centres. The goal is to vary the power demand of accelerators and data centres accordingly with the renewable power production.
In WP4, the RF2.0 project is developing Digital Twins for accelerators and their connected high-performance computing centres, to integrate them in the energy management strategies of WP3 and the energy analysis of WP5.
Furthermore, 24 Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have been designed and installed at CERN, enabling time-synchronized reading of the electrical grid variables. This allows the detection of fast grid disturbances that conventional measurement approaches cannot capture.
The RF2.0 project aims to change the operational paradigm of research infrastructures, such as research accelerators, by introducing an innovative approach that spans both the system and component levels. It combines expertise from physics and energy engineering to develop solutions that reduce energy consumption and enable the integration of sustainable energy sources.
The consortium successfully distributed a survey on the components and systems with high energy-saving potential in facilities across the world, providing clear indications of where energy-saving measures are needed. To evaluate these measures, energy sustainability indexes have been proposed. These metrics will be used in the RF2.0 project to assess the achievements in terms of efficiency and sustainability of the developed solutions. The survey and the metrics have not previously been proposed for research infrastructures, and in particular for research accelerators, and they can serve as a reference point for current and future energy-saving measures in accelerators.
Furthermore, the integration of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) at CERN allows the detection of fast and severe events in the public grid. Since their initial installation, the PMUs have successfully identified a fast voltage drop caused by a fault near CERN´s connection to the public grid, as well as voltage and frequency swing during the Spanish blackout in April 2025. These measurements could not have been captured using conventional measurement systems.
The consortium successfully distributed a survey on the components and systems with high energy-saving potential in facilities across the world, providing clear indications of where energy-saving measures are needed. To evaluate these measures, energy sustainability indexes have been proposed. These metrics will be used in the RF2.0 project to assess the achievements in terms of efficiency and sustainability of the developed solutions. The survey and the metrics have not previously been proposed for research infrastructures, and in particular for research accelerators, and they can serve as a reference point for current and future energy-saving measures in accelerators.
Furthermore, the integration of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) at CERN allows the detection of fast and severe events in the public grid. Since their initial installation, the PMUs have successfully identified a fast voltage drop caused by a fault near CERN´s connection to the public grid, as well as voltage and frequency swing during the Spanish blackout in April 2025. These measurements could not have been captured using conventional measurement systems.