The Norwegian government increased its 2011 budget allocation for its clean energy research council to 226 million Norwegian kroner ($38.11 million) in order to support about 40 research projects.
The RENERGI – Clean Energy program covers most of the energy-related research of the council, ranging from renewable energy sources, energy production and energy use to climate and energy policies.
RENERGI prioritizes new technologies that contribute to energy conversion, increase energy access and security and help reduce greenhouse gas emission and other pollutants. It aims to expand the local renewable market in order to open up more opportunities for Norwegian businessmen.
RENERGI is also central to the government’s strategy to advance efforts in developing hydrogen as the country’s energy carrier.
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“It is very encouraging to see that market participants have now come up with many good and well qualified projects in this round of applications,” said Terje Riis-Johansen, petroleum and energy minister.
SINTEF Energy Research, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Alfanor A.S., Aventa A.S. and Ingenium are among the applicants that will receive funding for research in hydrogen and fuel cells, smart grid applications, wind turbines, solar cells and wave technologies.
SINTEF received the highest amount of funding – 47 million Norwegian kroner – for several projects, including a competency project for fuelwood, a project on the utilization of resources in the network and a project on hydrogen and fuel cells.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology obtained 11.6 million Norwegian kroner for its energy efficiency project in buildings and smart grid competence, while Good Recovery Tech Inc. received 10.56 million.
EnSol A.S. was granted 9.8 million Norwegian kroner for next-generation solar cells, and Aventa received 4.26 Norwegian kroner for plastic solar collectors. OWC collected 7.5 million Norwegian kroner for wave energy research, while Wärtsilä Norway A.S. got 9 million Norwegian kroner for hydroelectric generators.
Lastly, Alfanor and Ingenium received 9 million Norwegian kroner and 3 million Norwegian kroner, respectively, for new wind turbine concepts and installation vessel for offshore wind.
Studies also received funding from the government, with a combined amount of 14.93 million Norwegian kroner given to energy policy research and about 22.7 million allocated for studies on silicon for solar cells.
