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Top-level Research Initiative
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Top-level Research Initiative
NordForsk
www.toppforskningsinitiativet.org
Top-level Research Initiative
– a major Nordic venture for climate,
energy and the environment
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Editors and text TFI secretariat, Jakobsen & Amundsen Kommunikasjonsbyrå
Translation Darren McKellep and Victoria Coleman
Cover photo Alexandr Tovstenko/iStockPhoto (m)
Design Jan Neste Design
The Swan is the official Nordic ecolabel, introduced by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1989.
Printing Merkur. No. of copies: 3000
The Top-level Research Initiative
Nordic collaboration on research and innovation
– solutions to climate challenges
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A joint Nordic research and innovation initiative
Climate challenges
Effect studies and adaptation to climate change
Interaction between climate change and the cryosphere
Energy efficiency with nanotechnology
Integration of large-scale wind power
Sustainable biofuels
CO2 – capture and storage
Cooperation yields synergy, quality and a broader perspective
32 The Top-level Research Initiative shall...
The Top-level Research Initiative (TRI)
is an effort on the part of the Nordic
countries to find solutions to global
climate challenges and is the largest-ever
venture of its kind. The Nordic countries
are taking a collaborative, large-scale
approach to research and innovation.
In addition to strengthening the position
of the Nordic countries internationally,
the TRI will promote value creation in
the Nordic region. The Nordic countries
have access to natural resources that
many other regions do not have, and
thus have great potential for developing
sustainable solutions. It is essential to
these countries that they manage their
resources responsibly. Individually the
Nordic countries are small, but their long
history of collaboration paves the way
for achieving impressive results. The TRI
brings together the Nordic countries’ best
researchers within climate, energy and
the environment, the business sector and
innovation communities to ensure the
application of research findings.
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Denmark
Sweden
Finland
EU 15
Iceland
EU 27
Norway
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Development indicates positive trends in some countries, but efforts
must be increased if we are to achieve the targeted reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions. The Top-level Research Initiative is part
of the effort of the Nordic region to accelerate progress towards a
low-emissions society. (Source: European Environment Agency 2009)
The TRI comprises six sub-programmes
encompassing the entire solution chain
from research on climate change and
its impact on society, to innovation and
the development of solutions within
environmental technology, energy
efficiency and new forms of energy.
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Historical development of greenhouse gas
emissions per capita in the Nordic countries,
EU-27 and EU-15, in tonnes
The TRI aims to develop reliable climate
models to predict future climate change,
while at the same time better preparing
society to deal with the impacts of climate
change.
The TRI will extend over a five-year
period, with the first funding
announcements issued in autumn 2009.
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Top-level Research Initiative
– a major Nordic venture for climate,
energy and the environment
The Nordic prime ministers met in April 2008 at Riksgränsen, Sweden.
They agreed to establish collaboration for research on climate, energy and the environment.
From left: Geir H. Haarde, Jens Stoltenberg, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Fredrik Reinfeldt
and Matti Vanhanen. Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.org
The Top-level Research Initiative (TRI)
is the largest joint Nordic venture for
research and innovation ever undertaken.
Over the next five years, researchers in
the Nordic countries will work together to
generate new knowledge about climate,
energy and the environment.
In April 2008 the Nordic prime ministers
met to discuss how Sweden, Finland,
Iceland, Denmark and Norway could
collaboratively meet future climate,
energy and environmental challenges.
The TRI is the result of decisions taken at
that meeting.
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«The Nordic Region is in a strong position to ­pioneer
efforts to combat climate change. We will ­therefore
intensify Nordic cooperation and promote ­initiatives
to ensure that a new international climate regime
is reached in 2009. A sustainable Nordic model for
­meeting climate challenges will demonstrate the
­potential for combining reduced emissions with
­economic growth.»
The Nordic Prime Ministers, 2008
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Climate Challenges
«One thing we know
about the climate
problem is that we
must act! We need
results, and results
can only be achieved
through research
and cooperation.»
Halldór Ásgrímsson, Secretary General
of the Nordic Council of Ministers, gave
a clear message when he presented
the joint Nordic Top-level Research
Initiative. Photo: Bård Gudim
The Top-level Research Initiative (TRI)
seeks solutions to perhaps the greatest
challenge facing the world today: the
impact of climate change.
The Nordic countries are global leaders in
several types of renewable energy. The
Nordic region is also home to research
institutions and industrial companies in
the forefront of several fields of energy
research. These advantages can be
exploited to even greater benefit through
cooperation.
Three Nordic institutions - NordForsk,
Nordic Innovation Centre and Nordic
Energy Research - act as secretariat for
the initiative, contributing their combined
competencies in the fields of research,
innovation, technology and energy.
The three institutions are all under
the auspices of the Nordic Council of
Ministers.
The Top-level Research Initiative
addresses six primary thematic areas and
has a budget of DKK 400 million over the
next five years.
The following pages present the six
thematic areas and the corresponding
sub-programmes.
Effect studies and
adaptation to climate
change
Interaction between
climate change and
the cryosphere
Energy efficiency with
nanotechnology
Integration of largescale wind power
Sustainable
biofuels
CO2 – capture and
storage
Within the framework of these six thematic areas,
the initiative will also include:
• Advanced climate modelling
• Social sciences and humanities
• A focus on the Arctic
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Diskobukta, Greenland. Photo: Pål Hermansen/SamPhoto
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More precipitation.
More frequent storms.
Rising sea levels. How are
we to adapt to these impacts
of climate warming in the
Nordic countries?
Sub-programme 1
Effect studies and adaptation
to climate change
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Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty/Scanpix
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Sub-programme 1
Effect studies and adaptation
to climate change
Climate change brings threats
and opportunities
As the climate in the Nordic countries
changes, many complex issues will
arise: How should urban planning take
into account the increasing amounts of
precipitation in the coming years? What
can the agriculture industry do to adapt
to more rain and wind? And how can the
Nordic countries’ key forestry industry
cope with more frequent rough weather
and violent storms?
Climate change may have impacts on
nature, the ecosystem and the economy.
So challenges must be met across a
broad front, drawing upon the expertise
of not only researchers within a variety
of fields, but also participants from
the industrial, political and community
planning arenas.
Under the sub-programme «Effect studies
and adaptation to climate change», up
to 10 new networks will be created. Each
will comprise outstanding research groups
from at least three Nordic countries.
Together the networks will strengthen
research and researcher training at the
Nordic, European and global levels. Each
of the 10 networks will receive up to NOK
300,000 annually for up to three years to
fund workshops, conferences, seminars
and researcher courses and cover
administrative costs.
There are many real concerns about
future climate – but a warmer climate
may also provide opportunities in the
Nordic region. The growing season can
be extended, with higher crop yields, and
forests will grow more quickly.
The objective of the sub-programme
«Effect studies and adaptation to climate
change» is to generate more knowledge
about the impacts of climate change.
What threats may arise? What are the
adaptation capacities of society? What
opportunities will emerge for the Nordic
region?
Three or four new Nordic Centres of
Excellence (NCoE) will subsequently be
established, which will better equip the
Nordic countries to enter into further
European cooperation. A total of NOK 90
million is planned to be invested in the
new centres.
Assessing the different aspects of climate
change – negative and positive alike – will
require cross-disciplinary research, which
is why this sub-programme encompasses
the natural, technical and social sciences.
The aim is to put hard facts on the table,
from which various scenarios can be
created.
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Photo: Bud Freund/Digital Stock
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The ice is melting from under
the polar bears. The permafrost
is thawing. There is ample
­evidence that the climate is
changing, but we still know
too little about the impacts.
What does the future hold
for the Arctic?
Sub-programme 2
Interaction between climate
change and the cryosphere
10Glaciers along the coast of Greenland. Photo: Pauline Mills/iStockPhoto
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Sub-programme 2
Interaction between climate
change and the cryosphere
Ice as an indicator of
climate change
The cryosphere – those areas of the
earth where the water is in its solid form
– is an especially important indicator of
climate change. Therefore an entire subprogramme under the Top-level Research
Initiative is dedicated to studying this
area.
Climate change is experienced early in
the polar regions and bordering areas,
so the Nordic countries are particularly
well situated to find out more about what
types of changes are coming and when.
While the Nordic and Arctic regions will
be the geographical focus of this subprogramme, the knowledge generated will
also be relevant well beyond the borders
of the Nordic countries.
The sub-programme «Interaction between
climate change and the cryosphere» will
study all the areas where the water is
in its solid form, such as glaciers, sea
ice, permafrost and snow. Many of the
questions dealing with climate change
relate to the impacts of the thawing of
massive amounts of the earth’s ice.
This sub-programme will promote
collaboration between existing, highlyskilled Nordic research groups on
activities involving scientific observation,
analysis and modelling. Research
applicable to industry may also be
included.
Glaciers are receding in many parts of
the globe – which is strong, observable
evidence confirming that climate is
changing. But we do not know for certain
why the glaciers are melting. We also
need to learn more about the impact on
sea levels as the Greenland Ice Sheet
declines. The melting Ice Sheet might
affect ocean currents.
The Top-level Research Initiative plans
to fund up to three Nordic Centres
of Excellence (NCoE) under this subprogramme, which has a budget of
roughly NOK 100 million.
The permafrost has also begun to thaw,
which releases methane and carbon
dioxide – gases which could be drivers of
further global warming. But how serious
is this threat and how rapidly can it
develop?
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Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Photo: James Balog/Aurora/Getty
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The emergence of nanotechno­logy
is enabling us to custom-design
new materials with e
­ ntirely novel
properties. Ice-free surfaces,
reduced friction and more
efficient batteries are just
some of the possibilities.
Sub-programme 3
Energy efficiency with
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
applied to steel construction. Photo: Alwyn Cooper/iStockPhoto
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Sub-programme 3
Energy efficiency with
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology can raise
our energy efficiency
In the coming years, nanotechnology
will bring advancements in technology
to a number of fields – so we must take
advantage of the opportunities ahead.
The primary focus of this sub-programme
is on energy savings. One example is the
use of ultra-thin light-converting layers to
increase energy efficiency in solar cells.
In one such solution, nanotechnology
is combined with solar heat – our most
secure energy source for the future – to
offer new heating solutions. Applying
nanotechnology in energy transmission
and storage can also raise our energy
efficiency.
The Nordic countries have a longstanding
tradition in materials technology. In
recent years, Nordic research policy has
given high priority to new nanotechnology
– which is why the Nordic countries are
already making great strides in exploiting
nanotechnology.
The sub-programme «Energy efficiency
with nanotechnology» will provide support
to projects that can generate practical
findings, and will allocate funding to userdriven research projects involving the
participation of the business sector.
Cooperation between the Nordic countries
and within the EU creates even better
opportunities, not least when it comes
to applying nanotechnology to improve
energy efficiency. Enhancing expertise is
a key factor for continued success.
The sub-programme has a budget of
roughly NOK 50 million.
Research on nanotechnology and new
materials often leads to technological
innovations with applications in a wide
variety of areas. A major reason why
the Top-level Research Initiative funds
nanotechnology research is that it can
help us to become more energy-efficient.
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dra_schwartz/iStockphoto
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Wind power holds significant
­potential as an alternative
­energy source in the Nordic
countries. However, a number
of research challenges must
be solved if we are to capitalise
on the benefits offered by
wind power.
Sub-programme 4
Integration of large-scale
wind power
18Wind turbines in Ringkøbing, Denmark. Photo: Ingo Wagner/dpa/Corbis
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Sub-programme 4
Integration of large-scale
wind power
Wind power has potential in
the Nordic countries
The objective of the Top-level Research
Initiative sub-programme «Integration of
large-scale wind power» is to help find
solutions to various challenges associated
with the widespread use of wind power.
Wind power – especially offshore wind
power – is perhaps the most promising
alternative energy source of the coming
decades. Within a few years, wind power
may constitute 15-20 per cent of Nordic
electricity production.
Wind turbines produce electricity
when the wind is blowing. But a major
challenge is that this electricity cannot be
stored – at present, it must be produced
when consumers need the power. Perhaps
someday we will be able to store this
electricity directly or indirectly.
The grids of the Nordic countries have
been connected together to a certain
extent in recent years, and will be further
interwoven in the years ahead. Nordic
electricity is also exported to the rest of
Europe. How will the price and supply of
power be affected when the electricity
supply from wind power is connected to
this grid on a large scale?
Climate change, dwindling carbon
resources and insecurity of energy supply
have made the development of wind
power more relevant than ever, both in
the Nordic countries and in several other
places in Europe.
How can wind power facilities be erected
at minimal cost, and what are the
critical factors involved in proper turbine
maintenance? How can the working life
of wind turbines operating in severe
offshore conditions or in extreme cold be
extended?
One major challenge lies in connecting
a series of new wind power facilities to
the grid. Offshore wind power involves
special transmission challenges, so
technical solutions must be found that
enable the development of wind power
using an absolute minimum of new
transmission line construction. Research
and development cooperation between
grid companies and producers of wind
power is essential.
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jcamilobernal/iStockphoto
These are some of the questions that will
be examined under this sub-programme,
and the various projects will incorporate
the direct involvement of the business
sector. The sub-programme has a budget
of roughly NOK 30 million.
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The Nordic countries are very
advanced in the use of forest ­
biomass for heating and
­electricity production. The
­sub-programme «Sustainable b
­ iofuels» will focus instead
on producing fuel from Nordic
­forests and Nordic agricultural
products – a technology area
rife with challenges and rich
in ­opportunity.
Sub-programme 5
Sustainable biofuels
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A coniferous forest in Sweden. Photo: Mattias Hagström/iStockPhoto
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Sub-programme 5
Sustainable biofuels
The petrol of the future is
growing in the woods
Nordic forests are expanding. Since only
a portion of this growth is harvested,
each year yields more forest – providing
a tremendous opportunity to exploit
a renewable energy source. Denmark
has little forest area but each year the
country’s agriculture industry produces
large amounts of agricultural residue that
remains partially unutilised.
Turning spruce, pine and birch into
petrol is no simple matter. The chemical
composition of biomass is very unlike
fossil oil, so the list of research challenges
is long.
But the potential payoff is great, and
much relevant research is already
underway in the Nordic countries.
There is much to gain from research
collaboration between countries. Although
some technology for converting forest to
fuel exists, its efficiency is still far from
adequate and the end product is still far
from being competitive with traditional
petrol or diesel. The outlook for success
is very promising and Nordic companies
could emerge as international leaders in
the field.
In Finland and Sweden, wood chips and
pellets are commonly used for heating
of homes and for producing electricity.
Moreover, the amount of traditional
firewood burning in both countries, as
well as in Norway, is not insignificant.
Nonetheless, the forest can provide us
with even more sustainable energy –
in the form of biofuels for motorised
vehicles.
The sub-programme «Sustainable
biofuels» will allocate roughly NOK 30
million in funding to user-driven research
projects.
Biofuels already exist. But these are
made from sugar, corn and vegetable oils
that often could be used to feed people.
The next generation of biodiesel and
bioethanol should come from the forest
or agricultural residue. Forest covers
large expanses of the Nordic countries,
an advantage that should be utilised
far better than it is today. In addition,
Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian industry
has a lengthy tradition of utilising wood
as a resource. Although forest is scarce in
Iceland, the country possesses knowledge
about the use of enzymes in biomass
conversion.
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Bertrand Collet/iStockphoto
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Global CO2 emissions must
be curbed drastically to avoid
­anthropogenic climate change.
There is no time to waste in
­implementing new technology to
capture and store CO2 – and the
Nordic countries can take a leading role in this area.
Sub-programme 6
CO2 – capture and storage
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Photo: Peter Andrews/Scanpix
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Sub-programme 6
CO2 – capture and storage
The Nordic region can
take a leading role in capture
and storage of CO2
The Top-level Research Initiative
sub-programme «Carbon capture
and storage» brings together expert
researchers, industry and the public
authorities in the Nordic countries
to pool their efforts in this critical
field. Establishing networks between
researchers, industry players and
energy policy stakeholders will be a
key component of the sub-programme.
Keeping track of what is happening in the
Nordic region in the field of CCS and the
sharing of expertise will also be important
tasks. One aim of the sub-programme
is to prevent Nordic researchers from
conducting redundant research.
The Nordic countries are exploring CO2
management from different focal points.
Norway is investing in research on CO2
emissions from gas-fired power plants
and possible subsea CO2 storage in the
North Sea, while Sweden and Finland
have concentrated in particular on
possibilities for CO2 capture and storage
when burning biomass.
International efforts focus on the
massive CO2 emissions from coal-fired
power plants. As the earth still has
enormous coal reserves, purification
of these emissions would be of major,
lasting benefit. CO2 capture, however,
requires substantial investments. Several
technologies are being tested, and new
ones can emerge. CO2 storage will also
require large-scale initiatives and costly
infrastructure. But in the longer run, the
system of buying and selling CO2 quotas
could make it profitable to manage CO2
emissions. And capture and storage
of CO2 could open up new business
opportunities for Nordic industry.
«Carbon capture and storage» will
explore topics of research and innovation
where there is potential to benefit from
collaboration and exchange of experience
across borders within the Nordic region.
By cooperating, the Nordic countries
can also take a more active role in the
increasingly wide-ranging research
conducted within the EU in this field.
The capture and storage of carbon
emissions can greatly contribute to
reaching the goal of dramatically reducing
global greenhouse gas emissions.
CO2 management is therefore high on
the political agenda in several Nordic
countries.
The Mongstad petroleum refinery in Norway. Photo: Svein-Jørgen Wiken
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The sub-programme has a budget of
roughly NOK 40 million.
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Cooperation yields synergy,
quality and a broader perspective
The issue of climate change is complex.
But close cooperation and coordination
between the research and innovation
communities of different countries can
help us solve the problems we are facing.
Collaboration between the research and
business sectors is also needed to ensure
that knowledge is put to good use.
We are firmly committed to our ability to
contribute to solutions. Cooperation, as
we know, generates synergy and leads to
broader perspectives.
Collaboration between Nordic researchers
can also provide a platform for
international cooperation. In this way
the Top-level Research Initiative can
gain influence beyond the Nordic region,
particularly in Europe.
Individually, each Nordic country is small,
as are their research communities.
The Top-level Research Initiative seeks
to build visible, highly effective Nordic
specialist research groups made up of
the most dynamic players. Promoting
collaboration between researchers,
companies and industry will ensure that
research findings are actually applied.
Natural science research will be the main
focus of the activities carried out under
the Top-level Research Initiative’s six
sub-programmes. But the climate crisis
is complex, and the sub-programmes will
also draw upon the social sciences.
Much of the knowledge within climate
research is fragmented, a problem that
will be addressed. There is a great need
for coordination of the various institutions
and research groups of the Nordic
countries. With proper coordination we
could pool all our knowledge in the field,
providing the best knowledge possible.
The Top-level Research Initiative has
a budget of DKK 400 million over five
years and involves a variety of Nordic
organisations and national institutions.
In addition to its role as a Nordic effort
towards solving the global climate crisis,
the initiative will promote research and
innovation within the region. It will
focus on fields of climate and energy
research of common interest to the
Nordic countries, in which the region can
contribute to international solutions.
The Top-level Research Initiative
emphasises close cooperation between
the six sub-programmes and will include
cross-programme activities.
«Environmental policy involves both the environment and politics.
On the one hand we have ‘molecules and wolves’, on the other hand
we have policy which must be applicable to society. This is where
the social sciences come into play. We need to know the costs of a
policy, how to implement it, and the impacts it may have.»
Rolf Annerberg, chair of the TRI Management Board
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Photo: Terje Heiestad, Millimeterpress
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The Top-level Research Initiative shall:
• Profile the Nordic region as a leader within certain areas of
the energy and climate sectors.
• Strengthen national research and innovation systems.
• Create larger professional communities which extend
across borders and pave the way for greater mobility of
competencies.
• Ensure the highest quality in research and innovation by
combining the strongest Nordic communities.
• Provide a platform for increased international cooperation
both within the EU and beyond.
• Enhance Nordic participation in EU programmes.
• Strengthen Nordic competitiveness by using research and
innovation to counter economic downturns.
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