The NEXT symposium is a follow-up to the initial symposium on emerging nuclear technologies and their broader context held in Raitenhaslach, Germany, 2024. NEXT now aims to develop a concrete, technology-agnostic European roadmap for clean and affordable energy. NEXT will discuss demonstrator projects that are scientifically and technically necessary to achieve these goals and establish a stable, integrated energy network, with Germany serving as the main testing ground.
NEXT brings together experts in storage, system simulation, fission, transmutation, fusion technologies, economics and finance, and political road mapping. The symposium is supported by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation.
Following the Dahlem format, NEXT will consist of short keynote addresses, concise statements, in-depth discussions in small groups, and plenary sessions. Attendees will collaboratively draft a preliminary summary at the end of the conference. Participation is by invitation only, and attendees should submit an abstract or statement in advance reflecting their role in the symposium. These will be provided to participants before the symposium begins, which will shorten the time allocated to personal introductions during discussion rounds.
Not all invitees will present. Contributions to discussions and 75- to 90-minute breakout sessions are expected to be as important as presentations, the results of which will be reported and discussed in plenary.
Keynote presentations (25' + 5') will be followed by several 15-minute impulse talks. Each keynote-impulse presentation block will be followed by a 30-minute discussion session. We recognize that it is difficult to cover the breadth of certain topics in a 15-minute presentation. The key messages that can be explored in greater depth during the discussions and breakout sessions are what is important.
The outcome of the symposium will be a commented roadmap with suggested demonstrators.