Established in 2001, the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) was created as a co-operative international endeavour seeking to develop the research necessary to test the feasibility and performance of fourth generation nuclear systems, and to make them available for industrial deployment by 2030.

The GIF brings together 13 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Japan, Korea, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States), as well as Euratom – representing the 28 European Union members − to co-ordinate research and development on these systems.

The GIF has selected six reactor technologies for further research and development: the gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR), the lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR), the molten salt reactor (MSR), the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), the supercritical-water-cooled reactor (SCWR) and the very high-temperature reactor (VHTR).

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) serves as technical secretariat to GIF.

This thirteenth edition of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Annual Report covers 2020.

In 2020, the GIF, as have all, had to adapt its way of working to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic situation. In the face of this, all GIF members made their best efforts to produce deliverables and fulfil their objectives in an optimized manner.

In 2020 the GIF organization started its transition towards a new communications approach through a rebranding of its logo and website. This transitional phase will lead the Generation IV International Forum to a new approach in line with the current situation: more virtual meetings and exchanges; a powerful and updated GIF website to ease and simplify interactions between members; and regular communication through high standard monthly webinars and newsletters. Thus the GIF is ready to enter its third decade of existence in the particular context of a new energy paradigm and an unpredictable sanitary situation.

GIF 2020 Annual Report (Full version)

Foreword from the Technical Director

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. GIF membership, organization and R&D collaboration

Chapter 2. Highlights from the year

Chapter 3. Country reports

Chapter 4. System reports (Full version)

   - Gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR)

   - Lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR)

   - Molten salt reactor (MSR)

   - Supercritical water reactor (SCWR)

   - Sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR)

   - Very-high-temperature reactor (VHTR)

Chapter 5. Methodology working groups (Full version)

   - Economic Modelling Working Group (EMWG) 

   - Education & Training Working Group (ETWG)

   - Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection assessment methodology Working Group (PRPPWG)

   - Risk and Safety Working Group (RSWG)

Chapter 6. Task force reports (Full version)

   - Advanced Manufacturing and Material Engineering Task Force (AMME TF)

   - Research & Development Infrastructure Task Force (RDTF)

Chapter 7. Market and industry perspectives and the GIF Senior Industry Advisory Panel report (Full version)

-        Market issues

-        Senior Industry Advisory Panel report

Appendix 1. List of abbreviations and acronyms

Appendix 2. Selection of GIF publications (2020)

Dear members of the GIF Family,

The February issue of the GIF Newsletter is out!

In this issue you will find:

• Editorial, by Fiona Rayment, PG Member
• The Energy White Paper and the Role of Advanced Nuclear, by Nicholas Barron, SFR.SC member (Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Steering Committee) and Caroline Longman, UK Government Account Director, National Nuclear Laboratory
  
• Advanced Nuclear Reactors and the UK Hydrogen Economy, by Nicholas Barron, Caroline Longman and Dave Goddard, UK Observer in the SFR.AF PMB (Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Advanced Fuels Project Management Board)
• The 2021 GIF targets as seen and shared by the Technical and Policy Directors, as well as the Head of the Technical Secretariat, respectively Gilles Rodriguez, Nobuchika Kawasaki and Philippe Guiberteau
• Newcomers in GIF: Geordie Graetz and Frédéric Nguyen

Download the GIF Newsletter #7 – February 2021

Enjoy!

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