Norway launches major wind power research centre

December 11th – Today the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tina Bru, announced an investment of 120 million NOK (11.3 million EUR) in a new wind power research centre in Norway. The NorthWind research centre will be at the cutting edge, working on innovations to make wind power cheaper, more efficient, and more sustainable. One of the centre’s main priorities will be offshore wind research.

“Rapid growth in offshore wind power internationally offers great opportunities for Norwegian businesses. Research and development is crucial to secure lower costs, less environmental impact and improved operating models for such projects. I believe a longterm research centre with industry partners, the research community and the government will contribute to further development of offshore wind power in Norway”, said Tina Bru, Norway’s Petroleum and Energy Minister.

Northwind will bring together over 50 partners from research institutions and industry all around the world. It will be led by the research institute SINTEF, with partners NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), NINA (The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), NGI (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) and UiO (University of Oslo).

“The Centre’s innovations will benefit Norwegian industry and the world at large,” said Alexandra Bech Gjørv, CEO of SINTEF. “Offshore wind has the potential to meet the world’s electricity needs many times over and innovations cutting its costs will help bring this renewable energy to the market even faster.”

The centre will draw on Norwegian research and industry’s long-standing expertise in offshore projects. “It will provide an important launching pad for students in the field aiming to become the experts of tomorrow”, said the rector of NTNU, Anne Borg.

About NorthWind

NorthWind is financed by the Norwegian government through The Research Council of Norway. NorthWind is a Centre for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) and will be in operation from 2020 to 2028. The Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research carry out long-term research targeted towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and social science aspects of energy research.

Research partners: 

SINTEF, NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), NINA (The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), NGI (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) and UiO (University of Oslo).

International associated partners: 

DTU, TNO, Fraunhofer, University of Strathclyde, NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and North China Electric Power University

Industry partners:  

• 4Subsea

• ABB

• Aker Offshore Wind

• Amon

• Aibel

• Baker Hughes

• Cognite

• DNV-GL

• Dr. Techn. Olav Olsen

• Dof Subsea Norway

• EDRMedeso

• Energi Norge

• Energy Innovation

• Equinor

• ESVAGT

• Finnmark Kraft

• Force Technology Norway

• Fred Olsen Renewables

• Fugro

• GFMS

• Hafslund Eco

• Havyard Design &Solutions

• Hitachi ABB Power Grids

• Impello

• Kongsberg Maritime

• Lundin Energy Norway

• Lloid’s Register

• Nexans Norway

• NKT HV Cables

• National Oilwell Varco Norway

• NORWEP Norwegian Energy Partners

• Norconsult

• NorSea Group

• NORWEA

• Norwegian Offshore wind cluster

• RENERGY cluster

• SAP Norway

• Sogn og Fjordane Energi

• Statkraft

• Store Norske

• Sval Energi

• Trønder Energi Kraft

• Vard Design

• Windcluster Norway

Read the SINTEF blog