Hamburg says yes to DESY's new X-ray light source PETRA IV
DESY is planning PETRA IV, the world’s most powerful X-ray light source. It will provide unprecedented insights into the nanocosmos and accelerate research on materials, technologies, and pharmaceuticals – serving as the heart of the Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld.
With PETRA IV, DESY is planning the most powerful X-ray light source in the world. It will revolutionise the view into the nanocosmos as well as X-ray analytics. The goal of PETRA IV is to drastically accelerate the development of new technologies – including for example new materials or drug development – by using the extremely brilliant light to provide previously unattainable insights for science and technological applications. At the same time, PETRA IV will serve as a centerpiece and point of attraction in the emerging Science City Hamburg-Bahrenfeld.
In its meeting on September 27th, the Hamburg City Parliament provided an important milestone for realising PETRA IV: The politicians unanimously decided that the City of Hamburg will secure its financing share of ten percent of the total sum for the project. In addition, the city's parliament is committed to full financing from federal funds; the grant requirement is 1.37 billion euros (price basis 2022). The total cost will be 1.54 billion euros, of which DESY will use its own funds amounting to 170 million euros.
"The DESY campus in the middle of Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld is already a top-class research location and manifests Hamburg's reputation as a science hub in the world. PETRA IV, as the next generation of X-ray light source, would advance the work here tremendously – for science and research as well as for start-ups, companies and clinics. An important step in the success story of this unique neighbourhood. At the same time PETRA IV will be significant for the technological sovereignty of Hamburg, Germany and Europe," says Science Senator Katharina Fegebank, explaining why the city supports PETRA IV.
Hamburg's support sends a strong signal to German federal policy-makers and underlines the crucial importance of such a facility for Germany as a location for science and innovation, because PETRA IV will also enable research-based companies to accelerate their developments in a targeted manner.
Helmut Dosch, Chairman of the DESY Directorate, emphasises the relevance of PETRA IV and assures that the project will be carried out according to plan: "PETRA IV is being planned at DESY with the highest priority and utmost precision, so that we can guarantee a smooth implementation within the time and cost schedule we have calculated. We are extremely grateful for the great support we are receiving in Hamburg and accept the responsibility of providing a large-scale facility that can advance cutting-edge scientific research and innovation at the same time."
PETRA IV will facilitate unprecedented nano-control by making chemical and physical processes visible in 3D. A fact, which will enable innovations for new materials or drugs, as well as in the energy industry or for quantum materials.
"PETRA IV will be set up in such a way that this X-ray light source will provide insights as a data factory for a broad user base from science, clinics and industry," says Arik Willner, Chief Technology Officer at DESY and responsible for the collaboration with applied research and industry. "This is because the information gained from the nanocosmos will enable innovation for new products, therapies and processes."
Preparatory work is envisaged to take place in 2024 and 2025, so that the central construction projects can begin in 2026. With this timetable, commissioning of PETRA IV is envisaged as of 2029. For the upgrade from PETRA III to PETRA IV, there will be a two-year so-called "dark time" during which the accelerator facility will be rebuild and no X-ray experiments can take place.