Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme abbreviated English version
1. Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Background ......................................................................................................................................... 2
What is new since the RENERGI work programme was revised in 2009? ...................................... 3
3. Objectives of the programme ............................................................................................................. 4
4. Priority research tasks......................................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Thematic priority areas ................................................................................................................. 7
4.2 Funding instruments ..................................................................................................................... 9
4.2 International cooperation ........................................................................................................... 11
6. Budget ............................................................................................................................................... 12
Attachment: Thematic priority areas .................................................................................................... 14
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
1. Summary
This preliminary work programme establishes the formal framework and focus of
the RENERGIX programme and provides guidelines for R&D players seeking
funding under the programme.
Calls for proposals for funding for R&D projects will be based on the content of
this work programme, together with the national budget, the appurtenant
allocation letters from the funding ministries, the annual analysis of the
programme’s project portfolio, and the state-of-the-art and development trends
in the thematic priority areas.
Purpose:
The RENERGIX programme is designed to help to achieve the Government’s
energy and climate policy objectives, as well as to advance objectives in other
important areas such as transport policy, industrial policy and research policy.
The programme is targeted towards Norwegian companies and research and
educational institutions that can enhance long-term competence-building that
will further the development of the energy industry and related industries, such
as the energy processing industry and the supplier industry.
The programme is a key instrument in the implementation of Norway's national
RD&D strategy, Energi21, as well as for achieving other energy policy objectives.
The programme will also promote the broadest possible range of research
activities to open the door to new thinking and innovative concepts.
Most of the funding for renewable energy research at the Research Council of
Norway will be channelled via the RENERGIX programme. The programme will
provide funding for long-term basic research, competence-building, applied
research and technology development.
2. Background
The programme Clean Energy for the Future (RENERGI) was one of seven
programmes under the Research Council’s Large-scale Programme initiative,
spanning the 10-year period from 2004 to 2013.
National and international policy is continually evolving, due in part to ongoing
developments and changes in conditions within today’s society. This long-term
research programme is based on the policy currently in place at this point in
time. Over the course of a decade, shifts may be expected to occur in terms of
research policy in general and energy, industrial and environmental policy in
particular.
Thus, a work programme that covers a 10-year period must be adaptable, must
stake out a clear course, and must identify pressing challenges as well as
promising opportunities.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
What is new since the RENERGI work programme was revised in 2009?
The RENERGI work programme was revised in 2009 to reflect changes in the
energy sphere and to adapt the direction of the programme accordingly.
Additional political guidelines in the energy sphere have emerged since that time
and special weight must be given to these when designing a new energy
research programme for the next 10-year period. The RENERGIX programme
is a new large-scale programme. Therefore, this new work programme
involves more wide-ranging changes than a revision of an existing work
programme. Nevertheless, the RENERGI work programme represents an
important part of the basis for this work programme. Key policy documents
underlying the new work programme include:
 Energi21 – the National Strategy for Research, Development,
Demonstration and Commercialisation of New Energy Technology (2011) –
which sets out strategic priorities and recommendations and places
particular focus on flexible energy systems.
 Official Norwegian Reports 2012:9 Energiutredningen – verdiskaping,
forsyningssikkerhet og miljø (“Report on Energy – Value Creation,
Security of Supply and the Environment”), which focuses on value
creation based on Norway’s renewable energy resources as well as on
raising energy efficiency and promoting sustainability. (Norwegian only)
 Report No. 21 (2011-2012) to the Storting: white paper on Norwegian
climate policy, published in April 2012.
 Research strategy for the Ministry of Transport and Communications,
2011-2014 (2011). (Norwegian only)
 Official Norwegian Reports 2011:6 Et åpnere forskningssystem (“A More
Open Research System”), which addresses the intensified reporting and
measurability requirements for R&D investments. The broad-based
political agreement on climate policy achieved in the Storting in 2008
identified R&D as a key policy instrument, which has resulted in stricter
requirements for documenting results. (Norwegian only)
 Report No. 30 (2008-2009) to the Storting: Climate for Research, and the
Research Council of Norway’s input for the new white paper on research to
be published in 2013.
Other relevant documents and processes that have been taken into
consideration when designing the programme include:
 The evaluation of the RENERGI programme and the programme Optimal
Management of Petroleum Resources (PETROMAKS) (February 2012).
 The evaluation of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy’s allocations to
R&D via the Research Council of Norway (April 2012).
Additional factors that have influenced the design of the programme include:
 Allocations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and transfer of
funding from the now-concluded Research Programme on Nature-based
Industry (NATUROGNAERING), giving the RENERGIX programme overall
responsibility for research on the value chains for biomass heating,
bioenergy, biogas and biofuels.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
 The EU’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan), and activities
relating to drawing up the new EU Framework Programme, Horizon 2020.
A detailed description and discussion of key documents that have provided
guiding principles and important input for determining the RENERGIX
programme’s strategic focus, objectives and thematic priority areas may be
found in the Norwegian-language version of the work programme.
3. Objectives of the programme
Renewable energy and raising energy efficiency in connection with power
production and consumption, heating/cooling and fuel have been identified as
the most important means of solving global climate challenges while ensuring
secure access to energy. Virtually all activity under the RENERGIX programme is
designed to promote this through the development of global technological
solutions and advancement of the knowledge base for sustainable social
development.
The RENERGIX programme is a large-scale, high-profile programme in an area
of strategic importance for the long-term restructuring needed to achieve
Norway’s aim of becoming a carbon-neutral society by 2050.
Activities under the RENERGIX programme will strengthen existing research
communities and further refine their expertise. Efforts will be made to foster
innovative thinking and create new opportunities. Among other things, this will
involve the constructive use of funding instruments to facilitate the emergence
of new players with fresh ideas.
Based on current national policy and the possibilities inherent in the research
itself, the following primary objective and targets have been formulated for the
RENERGIX programme:
Primary objective:
The RENERGIX programme is designed to provide support for the long-term,
sustainable restructuring of the energy system in order to accommodate a
greater supply of new renewable energy, improve efficiency and flexibility, and
facilitate closer energy integration with Europe, with due consideration given to
environmental perspectives. The programme will help to generate new
knowledge and cutting-edge solutions aimed at achieving five primary targets,
which are presented and elaborated on below.
The programme will work to:

Ensure Norway’s security of supply in light of the increasing
integration and internationalisation of the energy system by developing
new knowledge, technology and solutions for:
 ensuring sound management, secure production and optimal
consumption and transmission of energy;
 improving the robustness and flexibility of the energy system.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
 Achieve sustainable1 utilisation and consumption of Norway’s
renewable energy resources in the short and the long term by
developing new knowledge, technology and solutions for:
 using energy properly and using the proper energy;
 exploiting Norway’s particular advantages with regard to value
creation.

Reduce Norwegian and global emissions of climate gases by:
 enhancing knowledge relating to the use of policy instruments,
market development and altering energy consumption;
 developing new knowledge, technology and solutions in areas in
which Norway has special expertise to facilitate reductions in global
emissions;
 learning more about how to design effective planning and decisionmaking processes, establish constructive framework conditions and
implement useful instruments for the production and consumption
of and systems for clean energy.

Develop Norwegian trade and industry in areas in which Norwegian
players have specific competitive advantages by:
 developing new knowledge, technology and solutions to boost
companies’ national and international competitiveness;
 ensuring that Norwegian players have access to international
knowledge production and open opportunities for innovation in
Norwegian trade and industry.
-In this context, Norwegian players mean companies that contribute
to value creation in Norway, either through Norwegian ownership or
a presence in the country.

Develop Norwegian research communities in priority areas by:
o enhancing technological and social science-related knowledge about
challenges relating to the long-term restructuring of the Norwegian
energy system;
o facilitating innovative research on future conditions and
development trends that are not yet known and to answer
questions that have not yet been asked.
The framework within which these targets are to be met is continually shifting to
reflect economic and industrial developments, environmental, social and cultural
circumstances, and national and geopolitical conditions, among other key
factors. Thus, an understanding of this complex overall context will be essential
to ensuring that the research activities adequately target the implementation of
new knowledge and application of results.
1
Sustainable development is built on three pillars: 1) the economic, 2) the social, and 3) the environmental.
The term sustainable development came into widespread use at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg. (See Official Norwegian Reports 2009:16 Globale miljøutfordringer – norsk
politikk (“Global Environmental Challenges – Norwegian Policy”) (Norwegian only)).
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
4. Priority research tasks
The key documents that provide important guiding principles for the programme
are described in Chapter 2.2 of the Norwegian-language version. Of particular
importance are the six priority focus areas identified in the Energi21 strategy
report:






Solar energy
Offshore wind power
Improved utilisation of resources using balancing power
Flexible energy systems – smart grids
Conversion of low-grade heat into electricity
CO2 capture, transport and storage (CCS)
The thematic and scientific perspectives of the RENERGIX programme are
summarised in the figure below.
The Energy21 strategy identifies six
priority focus areas
In addition, the RENERGIX programme will
focus on:
Transport
Energy markets and policy
Raising energy efficiency
Bioenergy
The figure illustrates the Energi21 strategy report’s recommendation to intensify
efforts across the board (green boxes), with targeted efforts in six priority focus
areas (blue boxes). In addition, the RENERGIX programme will encompass the
areas of transport, energy markets and energy policy, raising energy efficiency,
and bioenergy.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
The mandate of the Energi21 strategy is limited to stationary energy production
and consumption, while the RENERGIX programme will also address energy
production and consumption relating to transport and agricultural biomass. The
Official Norwegian Report on energy and the Government white paper on climate
policy both emphasise the importance of raising energy efficiency in buildings
and industry alike. Energy markets and energy policy are integral topics in the
Energy21 strategy report of 2011, and are brought further to the fore in more
recent strategy documents.
The RENERGIX programme has the additional responsibility of promoting the
broadest possible range of research activities to open the door to new thinking
and innovative concepts.
4.1 Thematic priority areas
The thematic priority areas of the RENERGIX programme are designed to
address the priorities described above. The focus of research activities must lie
within the operational value chain and on the problems that exist there.
Research activities must also view energy systems as an integrated whole and
social science-related research must be an integral part of the general energy
research.
The programme will also promote the broadest possible range of research
activities to open the door to new thinking and innovative concepts.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
RENERGI.X skal utvikle ny kunnskap og løsninger
for:
Energipolitikk, samfunn og økonomi
Fornybar
energi




Vann
Vind og hav
Sol
Bio
Energisystem




Overføring
Balansetjenester
Konvertering
Lagring
Nye konsepter
Figure 0-1. Thematic priority areas of the RENERGIX programme.
The RENERGIX programme will generate new
knowledge and solutions for:
Energy policy, society and economics
Renewable energy
Hydropower
Wind and marine energy
Solar energy
Bioenergy
Energy systems
Transmission
Balancing services
Conversion
Storage
Efficient use of energy
Buildings
Industry
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Effektiv
energibruk
 Bygg
 Industri
 Transport
Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
Transport
New concepts
The programme encompasses technological, natural science, social science and
humanities-related research activities with a broad thematic scope. Many
research questions will include topics from more than one thematic priority area.
Importance is attached to establishing a framework that encourages projects
addressing research questions that extend across several thematic priority
areas.
Please refer to the attachment to this work programme for a more detailed
description of the thematic priority areas.
4.2 Funding instruments
The overall objectives of the allocations from the Ministry of Petroleum and
Energy to energy research are to promote greater long-term value creation and
ensure the efficient, cost-effective and sustainable utilisation of Norwegian
energy resources. Funding for energy research is intended to reinforce
investments in R&D in both the public and private sectors, as well as to support
the establishment of and bolster independent research projects on topics not yet
prioritised by industry. Funding is to be awarded to projects with major
economic benefits that would not have been realised without this support, or at
the very least would have been realised on a smaller scale or over a longer
period of time. Funding is also to be used to meet the energy sector’s and
society’s needs for long-term competence-building.
The RENERGIX programme is to provide public funding to projects within the
thematic priority areas on the basis of identified needs and opportunities.
Financial resources must therefore be administered in a way that ensures that
public funding generates research that would not otherwise have been given
priority.
Long-term objectives and stable framework conditions will be given high priority
under the RENERGIX programme. At the same time, the programme must
maintain the flexibility required to adapt to changing needs and opportunities
over time. Such flexibility will also be crucial when prioritising funding
instruments/types of projects. For example, it may be best to promote long-term
competence-building in one area for a certain period of time, while promoting
industrial innovation in another. The programme board will weigh such
considerations on an ongoing basis, while striving to ensure that the need for
stability is met.
It is equally important that the programme seeks to create new opportunities by
facilitating cooperation between public and private players. In certain cases, such
cooperation – combined with public funding – may result in projects of greater
scientific merit and with a longer timeframe than would otherwise be possible.
Differences between branches of industry, technological maturity, the degree of
basic research being conducted and the amount of researcher training are all
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
elements that will play a role when determining which thematic priority areas to
select, how much of the public funding to allocate and which instruments to
employ. The trend towards increased international research cooperation may
also be of importance when setting priorities for the use of national funding.
As a general rule, the RENERGIX programme will employ three types of funding
instruments: Researcher Projects, Knowledge-building Projects for Industry
(KPN), and Innovation Projects for the Industrial Sector (IPN). Together with
other public funding instruments, these provide support for fundamental
knowledge development, development of strategic competence, and research for
innovation in the first segment of the innovation chain. (Please refer to the
illustration entitled Hvordan henger vi sammen (“Relationship between the public
sector players”) in Chapter 7 of the Norwegian-language work programme.)
Interaction with the other public agencies within the research and innovation
system is crucial to generating high-quality results of significant relevance and
benefit to the various stakeholders, to providing the stability and reliability users
need over time, and to ensuring a high degree of achievement of the objectives
of public investment.
Ongoing strategic planning and assessment are essential to striking the right
balance of research activity on various technologies, branches of industry and
topics. Different technology areas will require the use of different funding
instruments. Such considerations comprise an important part of the strategic
planning efforts of the responsible programme board.
The figure below provides an historical overview of the distribution of funding
among the various project types under the RENERGI programme. This
distribution provides a natural foundation on which the new programme can
build.
Researcher Projects
Knowledge-building Projects
Innovation Projects
International cooperation
Ph.D. pool
Administration, etc.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
4.2 International cooperation
According to the Research Council of Norway’s Strategy on International
Cooperation, the objectives of Norway’s participation in international research
cooperation are to:
 Help to address global challenges to society.
 Enhance the quality and capacity of Norwegian research.
 Secure Norway access to international knowledge production.
 Boost the competitiveness of Norwegian trade and industry.
 Promote Norway as a leading research and innovation nation in selected
research areas.
Knowledge generated under the RENERGIX programme will constitute an
important component of Norway’s knowledge base both in terms of
strengthening and exploiting the country’s competitive advantages as well as
promoting Norwegian industrial development in an international market, and in
terms of helping to address global challenges. International cooperation will be
an important tool for:
 further developing Norwegian research communities of high scientific
calibre in an international perspective;
 enhancing the level of expertise in industry-oriented and applied R&D;
 improving the position of Norwegian research communities by highlighting
their efforts and increasing their visibility;
 participating in advancing the international research front in areas in
which Norway has particular advantages.
There is an increasing trend towards co-financing of research projects and
programme cooperation across national boundaries. This is accompanied by the
emergence of new funding instruments and extends to a growing number of
arenas for cooperation.
The RENERGIX programme will serve in an advisory capacity, provide a meeting
place and offer targeted support for researcher mobility. Such efforts will be
directed towards enhancing the Norwegian research community’s awareness of
and access to networks, and facilitating cooperation with leading international
research groups.
Support for institutional cooperation may be constructive in helping Norwegian
R&D institutions to gain a foothold on global research markets and serve as a
springboard for establishing concrete research cooperation. Emerging
economies, such as China, India and Brazil, represent potential markets for
Norwegian industry but will also take part in setting the agenda for research and
technological development. Thus, they are also potential partners in R&D efforts
to address global challenges.
Resolving energy poverty and poor security of supply in many countries calls for
the development of sustainable, renewable energy solutions internationally.
Expertise developed in Norway could become sought-after in many parts of the
world, representing new research and market opportunities for Norwegian R&D
players, consultants and industry. The Research Council has proposed the
establishment of a separate initiative in the area of energy security and
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
development that would be tangential to but not overlapping with the RENERGIX
programme.
6. Budget
The 2012 budget for the RENERGI programme is NOK 386 million, comprising
allocations from seven ministries. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy provides
around two-thirds of the overall allocation and is clearly the most important
stakeholder in the programme.
Overall financing for the RENERGI programme, 2012: NOK 386 mill.
Ministry of Petroleum & Energy
Ministry of Education & Research
Ministry of Agriculture & Food
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of Trade & Industry
Ministry of Transport & Communications
Ministry of Education & Research
Ministry of Agriculture & Food, bioresources
Ministry of Fisheries & Coastal Affairs, bioresources
The budget framework for the RENERGIX programme will not be finalised until
the national fiscal budget for 2013 has been approved; i.e. after approval of the
final work programme. Allocations for the coming years will be made over
coming national budgets.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
A high level of allocations to the RENERGIX programme must be continued if we
are to meeting the coming challenges in the energy and climate sphere. The
Energi21 strategy report recommends increasing the amount of funding to be
channelled via the programme to NOK 500 million annually.
Application assessment process
With regard to application processing, Researcher Projects and Knowledgebuilding Projects for Industry (KPN) will primarily be assessed by international
referees. When feasible, the referees will be convened in a panel for consensus
discussions. The consensus process will provide the formal basis for application
assessment.
Innovation Projects for the Industrial Sector (IPN) will be assessed by national
referee panels convened for discussion. The programme administration will
incorporate the referee assessments into its recommendation to the programme
board. Applicants who wish to have their applications for innovation projects
treated confidentially must explicitly request this. In such cases applicants will
have the opportunity to comment on the proposed referees.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
Attachment: Thematic priority areas
Energy policy, society and
economics
Background
State-of-the-art
Research-based knowledge on society, economics and policy provides an important basis for the longterm energy strategies of the authorities and trade and industry. To date, a number of dynamic
research groups have been established in this area, with extensive expertise in among other things:
analysis of energy and environmental policy and public instruments in a national and international
context; knowledge about the energy market in Norway, the Nordic countries and Northern Europe;
and development trends in household consumption of energy in daily life and in homes. Social science
and economic research on human-related factors underlying the framework for restructuring of the
energy system comprise a key component in achieving a development towards more environment- and
climate-friendly energy.
Opportunities and challenges
Renewable energy is an important element of transition strategies towards a more sustainable society.
The point of departure for such a transition must be the prevailing economic, industrial, social and
cultural conditions. A broader understanding of how societal framework conditions pose barriers to as
well as opportunities for change is needed. Research must address the following areas, which also
should be viewed in relation to one another:
Public policy and instruments
There is a need for knowledge about public policy and instruments as a basis for achieving overall
energy and environmental policy objectives. Research activities in this area will typically include studies
on how policy and management are manifested in the form of investments and financial instruments
(taxes, subsidies, quotas), as well as studies of the statutory framework, directives and standards, and
information and competence-building to help to alter patterns of energy consumption. In this context,
it is vital to analyse the impact of institutional and political shifts in the international arena –
particularly in the Nordic countries and the EU, but in other parts of the world as well – on
developments in Norway. Research activities will also include generating knowledge to improve
governance principles, processes for granting concessions, and cooperation between public agencies
and between public and private players.
Technology analysis, innovation and diffusion
A better understanding is needed of the characteristics of innovation processes for development and
diffusion of different energy technologies, and of the interaction between technology and
environmental, social, cultural and societal factors. Market imperfections often have an impact on
innovation and diffusion, so gaining an understanding of this mechanism is vital to providing a basis for
designing instruments. A basis for greater insight into the effect of uncertainty/risk on public and
private investment in R&D, demonstration and commercialisation activities is also essential. The
development of models to determine which investments offer the most commercial and economic
benefits in various scenarios of demand and technology development is also a research activity in this
area (roadmap). A better understanding of the processes of democratic dialogue and public
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
Approved by the Research Board of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment,
15 June 2012
engagement in relation to the role of renewable energy technologies in society is needed as well.
Market design for production, sale and supply of renewable energy
Effective market design is crucial to promoting increased, efficient and secure production, distribution
and sale of renewable energy. In recent years, research has focused on regional, national and Nordic
power market-related questions. Given that in the years to come the energy system will have to
accommodate more unbalanced power as well as international needs, agreements and regulations,
knowledge should be developed on how markets that operate differently and use different
technologies can function together. There is also a need to analyse how investment signals work, and
how they can be designed to encourage various markets to focus more towards improving the
efficiency of resource use and increasing production and consumption of renewable energy.
Sustainability and efficiency of resource use
This area encompasses issues relating to efficiency of resource use, lifecycle perspectives and
discussions of sustainability in the interface between local and global climate and environmental
challenges. Renewable energy resources are not evenly distributed geographically, and patterns of
energy consumption vary from place to place around the world. There is a need for knowledge about
the degree to which various individual technologies and/or energy technology mixes are sustainable in
the context of the available resource base and of their effect on the environment. Projects in this area
would model typical resource use and emissions from the energy system, and would develop indicators
for climate impacts (carbon cycle and radiation balance) and impacts on biological diversity and human
health. There is also a need to shed light on, assess and compare various types of environmental
impacts.
Targets
Within this thematic priority area the programme will seek to:
 Develop new knowledge about the prerequisite economic, social, political and cultural factors and
framework conditions that will facilitate the long-term restructuring of the energy system.
 Develop a research-based foundation for long-term, knowledge-based resource management on
the part of the authorities and the industry.
 Develop practice-oriented solutions in collaboration with relevant public and private players.
 Cultivate an informed public, equipping private individuals with the information they need to
understand and tackle energy-related challenges.
 Assist in establishing new knowledge and analysis services in the energy sector.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
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Renewable energy
Background
Renewable energy
-Hydropower
-Wind and marine energy
-Solar energy
-Bioenergy
Fornybar
energi




Vann
Vind og hav
Sol
Bio
Sustainable production of renewable energy is a cornerstone of the Norwegian energy system. Fully 96
per cent of Norway’s electricity production comes from hydropower. While Norway has developed
much of its potential for expanding large-scale hydropower, the potential for increased value creation
through enhanced utilisation of existing hydropower plants and small-scale plants still remains. There
is also potential for new wind power. There are opportunities available for Norwegian industry players
to deliver new technology for hydropower and offshore and land-based wind power. Marine energy
may represent additional industrial opportunities. In the field of solar energy (photovoltaic solar
energy), a significant industry based on materials expertise and industrial and research experience has
been established in Norway; this can be further developed to target a rapidly growing market. In
utilising thermal solar energy and bioenergy, there is potential related to even better utilisation within
the Norwegian energy system. For utilising geothermal energy, heat pumps are currently most used.
Deep geothermal energy could gain importance in the future.
Research in these areas must help to increase the sustainable utilisation of renewable energy
resources in Norway – while preserving the natural environment and ensuring security of supply – as
well as contribute to industrial development in areas where Norwegian players have competitive
advantages.
Hydropower
Norway had a leading role in the development of hydropower, and now plays a leading role in
hydropower operations. In recent years, few large-scale hydropower plants have been built in Norway,
but maintenance-related reinvestments are increasing. Research related to upgrading and expansion
may lead to substantial new production and provide both commercial and economic benefits.
Norwegian players have to some extent maintained their high competency in hydropower
development by participating in international projects, and refine their operational expertise by
managing Norway’s hydropower resources. It is important to maintain and renew this vital expertise
through e.g. research and development.
Wind and marine energy
Norway has considerable potential for developing offshore wind capacity. Steady wind conditions give
Norwegian turbines significantly more operational uptime than those of other European countries. In
recent years, offshore wind power activities in Norway have increased markedly; two research centres
have been established in addition to a substantial upsurge in the number of other relevant research
projects. Norway also has in-depth expertise in installing and operating offshore installations.
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Preliminary work programme for the RENERGIX programme
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Wave energy remains an immature technology. No particular concept or technology stands out thus
far.
Tidal power is somewhat more mature; several different prototyping and demonstration facilities have
been in operation for years, but there is still a need for further R&D efforts.
Solar energy
The solar energy industry has grown dramatically over the last 15 years, and this international market
is expected to continue to grow. Currently, the solar energy industry is facing the challenge of high
production capacity (particularly from Chinese players) and falling prices; this has had the largest effect
on the European and US industries. The market is undergoing rapid growth, however, and is expected
to stabilise as the industry matures. Norwegian players have great opportunities within the segments
of the value chain where they have competitive advantages.
Bioenergy
Biomass can be utilised and processed for transport-oriented applications and stationary-sector
applications. There is potential for increased production and better utilisation of bioenergy within the
Norwegian energy system. In contrast to neighbouring countries, bioenergy in Norway is primarily
utilised for heating purposes. There is thus a need to develop new solutions for utilising biomass on a
wider scale. It is important to consider the factors of efficiency, profitability, and not least
sustainability, taking care to preserve biodiversity while maximising CO2 uptake and binding over time.
This requires more knowledge about sustainable extraction of biomass resources in Norway.
Greater utilisation of Norwegian bioenergy resources will help to increase the use of available natural
resources and energy resources and lead to higher resource efficiency, reduced emissions and
enhanced security of supply – all while helping to create new, green jobs.
Opportunities and challenges
Wind and marine energy
 Offshore wind power and marine energy must be strengthened, and costs must be reduced
significantly. These will be the main challenges in the short and medium term.
 Norway has considerable experience in constructing and operating offshore installations. Several
major Norwegian players are investing in wind power. Development of offshore wind power in
deeper waters is still immature; Norway has great potential to succeed in this area.
 The Norwegian power production industry is strong and is in an excellent position to participate in
wind power development.
 Land-based wind power is more mature; a key topic is enhanced knowledge about environmental
and social impacts of establishing wind farms.
Hydropower
 Identify environmental impact of utilising hydropower, both large and small-scale.
 Generate knowledge and solutions that promote environmental design for sustainable and
efficient production.
 Increase use of hydropower as balancing power.
 Take advantage of the potential of small-scale plants.
 Develop a hydropower-related supplier industry.
Solar energy
 Large potential and strong growth in markets ahead, and Norway has significant expertise and is
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well positioned. How can we secure and enhance these?
Consumption of solar energy, including in Norway, is now relevant. How can we optimise its use in
Nordic areas and integrate solar cells into buildings?
Development of processes for more efficient production throughout the entire value chain.
Bioenergy
 Identify opportunities and barriers for increased, sustainable harvesting of forest-based biomass.
 Devise harvesting and logistical solutions for waste from agriculture, domesticated animals,
households and industry.
 Find new bioenergy raw ingredients such as algae and other marine biomass.
 Carry out environmental analysis.
Targets
Hydropower
 Ensure and further develop expertise for supporting export-oriented trade and industry.
 Optimise energy production at existing facilities.
 Develop Norwegian hydropower to be capable of supplying balancing power to Europe.
 Contribute to sustainable development and efficient utilisation of hydropower resources.
 Generate knowledge about environmental impact and develop environmental design to reduce
negative effects.
Wind and marine energy
 In the short term (5-10 years) help Norwegian trade and industry to become a significant player in
wind and marine energy.
 Provide a knowledge base for developing Norwegian suppliers of products and solutions for an
international market.
 Help to lower the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) for wind and marine energy.
 In the longer term (10-20 years) help to develop concepts for offshore wind power in deeper
waters and expand offshore wind and marine energy on the Norwegian continental shelf.
 Generate knowledge about environmental impact and develop environmental design to reduce
negative effects.
Solar energy
 Provide a knowledge base within solar energy for further developing the Norwegian solar energy
cluster and new industry.
 Help to ensure that Norwegian players maintain a leading position through e.g. enhanced
understanding of silicon as a solar cell material and related production processes.
 Introduce new materials, processes and concepts that can raise efficiency of solar cells and panels
and reduce overall cost per installed kWh.
Bioenergy
 Enhanced value creation by using bioenergy from all forms of sustainable biomass.
 Efficient, sustainable value-chain development for harvesting and logistics.
 Contribute to successful technology development that yields more application areas.
 Generate knowledge about environmental impact and develop environmental design to reduce
negative effects.
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Energy systems
Background
Energy systems
-Transmission
-Balancing services
-Conversion
-Storage
The thematic priority area of energy systems encompasses transmission, balancing services, conversion
and storage of energy in the form of electricity, thermal energy, and liquid and gaseous fuel. The
development of new infrastructure – including transmission systems, energy conversion facilities and
storage depots – is critical for utilising renewable energy, raising the efficiency of energy use and
restructuring energy for transport.
Investments on the order of several tens of billions of kroner must be made in the Norwegian power
system to achieve sufficient capacity and functionality in accordance with the EU’s SET Plan 20-20-20
targets, under which Norway has also undertaken commitments.
Norway alone houses nearly 50 per cent of Western Europe’s total hydropower reservoir capacity.
However, Norwegian hydropower has primarily been developed for satisfying Norwegian energy
demands rather than for supplying flexibility. Thus the average uptime of Norwegian hydropower
exceeds 4 100 hours, in contrast to the roughly 1 750 hours of the Union for the Co-ordination of
Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) system. Europe must be prepared to find its own solutions to this
challenge. Norwegian hydropower and reservoirs are one possibility.
Norway’s annual heating and cooling needs amount to 45-50 TWh. Increased development and
restructuring to energy-flexible heating and cooling will mean more use of available natural and energy
resources, higher resource efficiency, reduced emissions and enhanced security of supply, and will help
to create new, green jobs.
Annual consumption of liquid motor fuel in Norway is approximately 80 TWh – nearly all of which is
fossil energy. Consumption of petrol, diesel fuel and other motor fuels accounts for over 25 per cent of
national CO2 emissions. Restructuring the transport system to non-fossil transport energy will also have
implications for the stationary energy system. Many new challenges will emerge that involve the
transmission grid system, for instance: charging of electric vehicles; production, storage and
distribution of hydrogen; phasing in stationary production from small-scale power plants, wind
turbines and solar cells; the use of heat pumps/geothermal energy; and heat integration with various
sources such as biofuel production plants of the future.
Relevant topics for R&D activity:
Transmission
 Transmission solutions for electricity, including offshore grids.
 Smart grids: interactive power system, control systems, safety systems, demand-side management
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including vehicle charging, coordination with district heating.
Integration of customers as both consumers and producers.
District heating/cooling: distribution systems with integration of different sources of heat and
energy storage, including communications and balancing.
(Gas distribution with integration of different sources of gas and gas storage, including
communications and balancing.)
Balancing services
 Facilitating the sale of system services (balancing power) to Europe by integrating tomorrow’s
energy systems with the Continent, first via expanded HVDC connections and, later, by developing
a single integrated offshore power system in the North Sea.
 Developing frameworks for a power market and insight into the size of the European market for
balancing power.
 Devising models for determining the environmental impacts of short and long-term balancing
power.
 Developing technological solutions and systems for pumped-storage capacity.
 Identifying the environmental impacts of rapid discharges and major changes in reservoirs.
 Enhancing understanding of turbine and electromechanical stresses from increased power output
and dynamic operation.
Conversion
 Centralised heat production (district heating) from bioenergy and waste.
 Other thermochemical conversion processes.
 Biochemical conversion processes.
 Biogas processes.
 Hydrogen conversion (reformation, electrolysis, fuel cells).
Storage
 Electric batteries and charging systems and solutions.
 Hydrogen and biomethane: stationary storage, storage in gas infrastructure, storage in vehicles,
filling and tapping solutions.
 Heat storage: geothermal storage, storage of heat and cold in compact units, manufactured heat
storage tanks, storage in district heating systems, filling and tapping solutions for thermal energy.
 Other energy storage methods: air pressure, chemical storage, etc.
Opportunities and challenges
Transmission
Realising energy systems of the future will require major restructuring in relation to expertise,
technology, personnel and organisation – but the opportunities for Norwegian trade and industry are
great. Norwegian component and systems suppliers are advanced in certain key areas, and R&D
players have a high level of expertise in component technology, grid analysis, operation and
management. Since 1991 the Norwegian grid regulatory regime has provided few incentives for
innovation and development. Grid owners’ R&D activities targeting tomorrow’s grid solutions have
been in steady decline, with only a few exceptions, and implementation of expertise has progressed
slowly. The SET Plan’s European Electricity Grid Initiative (EEGI) and the Energi21 strategy both
acknowledge that efforts must primarily focus on innovation, testing and demonstration between now
and 2020. On the transmission side and in the longer term, there may be greater need for basic
competence-building. According to EEGI, in 2012 the EU will double its R&D activities relating to energy
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systems. This includes environmental design as well as proper placement of new grids to reduce social
conflicts.
Norway has the infrastructure, technology, logistics and expertise to utilise available natural resources
and produce and distribute heating and cooling efficiently, integrating it into a smart energy system
that offers end users many choices.
Norway has smart solutions which utilise a variety of energy sources and technologies (biomass
heating, heat from surroundings, geothermal, solar, waste heat, heat pumps) that complement each
other. Heating will play a nationally strategic role in a secure future energy supply; combined heat and
power (CHP) can also play a part.
District heating and district cooling grids represent large-scale solutions for utilising local energy
resources. A future energy system that comprises greater variation on both the consumption and
production sides must place greater emphasis on system-integrated production solutions and costeffective distribution systems. Development of local heating and cooling infrastructure must be viewed
in context with the other regional energy systems as well as access to local energy resources such as
biomass (including waste), geothermal energy and waste heat which can be upgraded with adapted
heat pumps.
Balancing services
Utilising Norwegian hydropower is attractive both technologically and cost-effectively, but it requires
the development of new European solutions for regulation and market design which ensure sufficient
security of supply at all times. Nevertheless, Norway could clearly play a role in this market by making
the most of the capacity of existing Norwegian hydropower reservoirs to supply a significant share of
the large demand for flexibility in Europe’s power system.
Conversion
In combustion of both waste and virgin biomass, Norway has substantial expertise and a rapidly
growing industry targeting district heating. Higher efficiency and lower emissions can be facilitated by
intelligent fuel mixtures, more extensive monitoring and control of combustion, and refinement of
combustion chamber technology.
In the area of transport-oriented conversion, Norway has competitive companies and dynamic,
industry-oriented research groups for materials research that are relevant for reformers,
electrocatalysts, fuel cells and catalysts for biofuel conversion.
Norwegians have acquired a great deal of relevant expertise from their lengthy experience with oil and
gas refining, wood processing, and other processing industries. The use of hydroelectrolysis, for
example, dates back more than 80 years in Norway. This opens up opportunities to establish
internationally competitive research groups on biofuels and hydrogen.
Storage
Developing an efficient energy system for the future will entail extensive expansion of thermal energy
systems. This will better utilise scarce, costly and/or variable renewable energy resources, free up
much of the electricity directly applied for heating (and cooling), and make it possible to phase out the
use of fossil energy for heating and industrial processes.
Norwegian energy companies and affiliated research groups have in-depth expertise in hydropower
technology. This will be a valuable commodity as Norway’s hydropower reservoirs are increasingly
used to store energy for Norway and the rest of Europe, which will entail more use of hydropeaking
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and the construction of more pumped-storage plants.
Another important area is storage of gaseous energy carriers such as hydrogen and methane.
Norwegian companies and research institutions have expertise in compression, cooling, and
liquefaction as well as storage in metal hydrides. In the Norwegian context this is particularly relevant
when oriented towards the transport sector.
Underground storage of thermal energy is another area in which Norway has valuable experience, in
part originating from research groups working in the petroleum industry. Storage of heat and cold in
compact units could substantially help to reduce peak loads in the industry.
Explosion safety is vital knowledge applying to conversion, filling, tapping and storage of hydrogen, and
is another area in which Norwegian companies and research groups have already delivered
outstanding research results.
For electric batteries, Norway also has first-class expertise in materials research relating to cathode
materials and battery systems.
Targets
Transmission
 Technology that facilitates a smarter, sufficiently reliable transmission and distribution system.
 Cheaper transmission solutions that enable Norway to supply more balancing power to
Europe.
Balancing services
 Technology and solutions that facilitate efficient, environment-friendly hydropeaking and
pumped-storage capacity at Norwegian hydropower plants.
 Sufficient knowledge about instruments and market design.
 Realisation of the value of hydropower by developing flexibility services.
Conversion
 Important advances for more energy-efficient, environment-friendly bioheating centres and
waste combustion plants.
 Applicable thermochemical conversion processes for production of second-generation biofuels.
 More biochemical conversion processes useful in fuel production and other biorefining.
 More efficient biogas processes which can also utilise new fractions of biomass and waste.
 Applicable hydrogen processes, including advances in hydrogen safety.
Storage
 Sufficient systems knowledge (including environmental and resource knowledge) for costeffective development and operation of heating and cooling systems.
 Optimised storage solutions for district heating, local heat production centres and
heating/cooling solutions for individual buildings.
 Optimised technology for large-scale storage of gaseous energy carriers.
 Optimised solutions for underground storage of thermal energy.
 New materials and solutions for more efficient electric batteries.
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Efficient use of energy
Background
Efficient use of energy
-Buildings
-Industry
-Transport
Effektiv
energibruk
 Bygg
 Industri
 Transport
Buildings
Together, Norwegian residential and commercial/industrial buildings account for roughly a third of the
nation’s total energy consumption – in fact, when energy for materials and equipment are included,
this ratio climbs to 40 per cent. Norway’s total needs for heating and cooling amount to 45-50 TWh.
Construction and renovation of buildings is being carried out for more than NOK 100 billion annually.
To a large extent, these are the investments that will determine Norway’s future energy situation.
Ambitions relating to the energy efficiency of buildings are steadily rising, as evidenced by increasingly
stringent technical requirements in regulations for managing energy use in a building. Yet some
uncertainty has arisen concerning existing technologies and whether they are properly adapted for
Norwegian climate, whether they offer the end user sufficient flexibility in using the building, whether
the solutions promote health, and whether actual energy consumption is as low as that being sought.
Buildings will be increasingly integrated into the energy system as part of the development of smart
energy grids, in which buildings of the future will be “prosumers”, i.e. producers as well as consumers
of energy. Surplus energy from smart low-energy buildings, together with building-based energy
production, will be transmitted back to the grid. This will apply to both electricity and district heating
and will open up new technological, economic and regulatory potential and challenges with regard to
the energy system.
Already, plus-energy buildings are being planned and built in Norway. These are buildings whose
energy performance surpasses passive-house standard and which in the course of their lifetime will
generate more energy than they consume. Moreover, it is a key ambition for the construction industry
to succeed in realising “zero-emissions buildings” which emit no climate gases throughout their
lifetime, including the construction and operation phases. These are buildings that will basically need
to be energy-neutral or at least zero-energy standard.
Buildings rarely stand isolated; they are normally part of the structure of a neighbourhood in an urban
or village setting. A building’s energy consumption is thus affected by its surroundings in terms of
energy supply, infrastructure, utilisation of solar energy, degree of shelter from wind, land use, etc.
Qualitative aspects of an area’s design (such as adaptation to locality, architectural quality, identity,
green areas, combination of functions, social diversity and sense of community) also greatly affect the
use and attractiveness of an area and in turn either help or hinder involvement in and acceptance of
energy-friendly solutions in and around buildings.
Industry
Of all the energy consumed in Norway, land-based industry accounts for roughly a third. More than
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half of this is in the form of electricity. Industrial energy consumption has remained level since the
1990s, while industrial production has increased. There is substantial potential for further raising
energy efficiency, but significant barriers stand in the way. The high level of Norwegian expertise
coupled with good availability of renewable energy resources could lay the foundation for developing a
new energy-refining industry and promote increased value creation based on national energy
resources. This energy-refining industry would produce for a global market. Norwegian industrial
production could replace coal-based power production in other regions, representing a
complementary way of exporting Norwegian renewable energy. With a central role as a provider of
flexibility in the energy system, the industry would have to use energy efficiently and properly.
Transport
Annual consumption of liquid motor fuel is approximately 80 TWh – nearly all of which is fossil energy
– comprising roughly a third of all energy consumed in Norway. Consumption of petrol, diesel fuel and
other motor fuels accounts for roughly 28 per cent of national CO2 emissions. Achieving national
emissions reduction targets will require substantial changes in the transport sector. Reduced transport
needs, changes in modes of transport, and conversion to more environment-friendly transport
technology will be essential elements in an integrated solution. Increased use of both hydrogen and
biofuels and a transition to electric vehicles represent three parallel, complementary initiatives that
would help to cut emissions.
Opportunities and challenges
Buildings
The new white paper on Norwegian climate policy submitted on 25 April 2012 signals a tightening of
building regulations to passive-house standard in 2015 and close to zero-energy standard by 2020. R&D
activities in this area should be targeted towards providing support for these advances in order to
design cost-effective methods of constructing good buildings and urban areas, and not least to achieve
solutions that facilitate the primary reconditioning of existing buildings that must be carried out to
ensure compliance with applicable regulations. A substantial boost in the construction industry will be
required to realise the ambitions of the new white paper on Norwegian climate policy. It will also be
necessary to develop planning processes and a system of measures and instruments that promote
urban and area development that helps to achieve the targets for far more energy-efficient buildings.
There is a great need for more knowledge in relation to the planning, construction and operation of
low-energy and low-emissions buildings – not least in relation to energy production and grids. This
applies to building-integrated energy production, energy plants in buildings, and consumer behaviour
involved in actually realising a building’s calculated level of energy use. Research on buildings in the
energy system will require an interdisciplinary approach – combining analyses of energy technology,
construction technology and framework conditions. Furthermore, much more knowledge is needed to
better understand energy use in buildings and how users deal with more technologically advanced lowenergy and plus-energy buildings.
Efficient spot heating based on e.g. bioenergy must be adapted to needs in passive housing and plusenergy buildings. The low output requirement in this type of building puts new demands on heating
while at the same time maintaining low emissions, high efficiency and comfort.
R&D activities in this area must also take into account a building’s significance and role within the
complex energy system. The “Smart Cities” line of thinking, which is prominent in the EU context, must
be reflected in Norwegian activities as well. As part of this, the R&D projects are encouraged to
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incorporate coordination with other energy-related thematic priority areas (smart grids, smart
electricity, energy markets, production of renewable energy). The user aspect must also be considered
and addressed. In many areas it is interdisciplinary cooperation and exchange of expertise that
generates innovation in this field. Energy consumption depends just as much on user behaviour as on
technological solutions. Greater attention must be given to this when developing new solutions.
Industry
Industrial R&D activities must target both industry-specific as well as pan-industrial challenges. New
and/or improved solutions must be cost-effective and maintain a focus on industry’s substantial
opportunities for value creation. R&D activities must be targeted towards:
 more energy-efficient production methods and processes;
 process development/conversion for phasing in renewable energy carriers while phasing out fossil
fuels;
 automation and control systems;
 better utilisation and upgrading of waste heat, including cooling and heating methods.
Transport
Although Norway does not have an automotive industry per se, it is home to an extensive industry for
automotive parts as well as related industry-oriented research groups. This gives Norway some
interesting opportunities to help to develop technology for raising energy efficiency in vehicles and
transport systems.
When it comes to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, Norway is at the forefront and is an
important demonstration arena – due in part to very favourable incentives for purchasing and using
such vehicles, and in part to the country’s climate and topography, which make it an attractive test
arena for producers of cars and other vehicles.
In the area of social science-related research, Norway also has some dynamic, internationally-oriented
groups of relevance for analysing the pending economic and social impacts associated with a largescale energy-system conversion within the transport sector, and for helping to develop effective
instruments designed for new markets.
Targets
Buildings
Research activities for the planning and construction sector should focus on replacing current
uncertainty with knowledge and expertise. This in turn will make it possible for future new and
renovated buildings to satisfy technical requirements, including for a healthy indoor environment, as
well as the requirements of end users for attractive, user-friendly buildings and urban areas in a sound,
cost-effective manner. At the same time, buildings overall must function optimally with other
components as an integral part of the energy system.
Industry
Norwegian industry must continue to create value and hone its competitiveness on the international
market. In order to accomplish this, it will be essential that the industrial sector maintains a focus on
energy-efficient operations through the introduction of new, innovative solutions and processes.
Transport
R&D activities must be carried out to establish technology and a knowledge base that provide a
foundation for phasing in new environment-friendly transport technology and solutions. While this
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encompasses Norway-based solutions to some degree, increased user competence in implementing
the best solutions developed around the world will be equally important.
In this context one of the objectives is to facilitate Norwegian value creation targeted towards the
rapid emergence of new transport technology in areas where Norwegian players may have
comparative advantages.
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New concepts in the energy sphere
Background
We are facing major challenges in the energy sphere, nationally and globally. Looking towards the
future, it is clear that tackling these challenges will involve gradually improving current technology and
solutions as well as developing entirely new technology and concepts. New solutions may arise from
both basic research and applied research in which solutions from various sectors are combined in new
ways.
Research conducted under the RENERGIX programme must be directly applicable to the energy sector.
Basic research projects that focus directly on some of the topics specified by the programme will
belong under this thematic area; there is, however, room for basic research projects that extend
between or across sectors as well. Close, effective collaboration with other basic research programmes
at the Research Council will be essential in such projects.
Challenges within the energy sector are global, and energy systems are linked in such a way that
researchers from a number of countries will have to work together to develop ideas and solutions.
Norwegian research groups must therefore be given the support they need to become attractive
partners in high-calibre international research cooperation. The RENERGIX programme should also
provide support for international institutional cooperation between top Norwegian and international
R&D environments.
Targets and instruments
The RENERGIX programme will span a 10-year period. It is impossible to identify all of the research
topics and questions that will lead to tomorrow’s solutions and breakthroughs in a work programme.
This thematic area is designed to provide the latitude to cultivate new ideas and concepts in areas in
which too little is currently known to be able to set firm targets.
This thematic area will give researchers the opportunity to work on projects involving solutions whose
contours have not yet emerged. An important task here is to encourage promising ideas and projects,
and this may require the use of a greater number and/or different instruments or project types than
those generally employed under the programme. Therefore, the design of funding announcements and
the choice of funding instruments within this thematic priority area may differ from those used in the
other thematic priority areas.
Targets
The RENERGIX programme seeks to nurture truly innovative thinking and concepts within the energy
sphere. The programme will also further refine instruments and methods to support R&D communities
in their efforts to achieve international excellence.
Opportunities and challenges
 Basic research that can lead to new solutions in the energy sector
The RENERGIX programme will provide funding to strategic basic research projects that apply to
the energy sector but fall between or outside of the subject areas encompassed by the work
programme. This may include research projects on generic technologies such as materials
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technology, biotechnology and ICT or in other disciplines. There may be a need to develop new
knowledge relating to basic method development, measurement techniques (data and technology)
and modelling (physical and numerical) as well.

New innovative concepts
Major breakthroughs in the energy sector may also come from radical new thinking and innovation
that extends across existing branches of industry and markets. The RENERGIX programme will
provide an open framework for research projects involving new concepts and fresh thinking in the
energy sector. Such projects, however, must be targeted towards developing solutions that
support the achievement of the programme’s primary objective and targets.

International excellence – a world-class Norwegian “team”
Building and strengthening strong research communities will be the most important means of
achieving the programme’s primary objective and targets. To succeed in a globalised world,
Norwegian researchers must be of top international calibre. The RENERGIX programme will
promote research excellence with the use of ordinary project funding, but it will also have to
develop other funding instruments to facilitate the entry of research teams and institutions into
the international arena. Such instruments may comprise support for institutional cooperation,
grants for visiting researchers to conduct a stay in Norway, mobility funding for researchers, and
support for researcher recruitment in cooperation with international research communities.
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