Toppforskningsinitiativet: Projekt inom delprogrammet ”Hållbara biobränslen”

Four research projects, with leaders from Finland (VTT), Norway (SINTEF & NTNU) and Sweden (Chalmers) and participants from all Nordic countries, have been granted funding from TFIs sub-program "Sustainable biofuels".

Background

The call, with a total budget of 30 Million NOK, opened on 15.10.2009 and the deadline for Phase 1 applications was 15.12.2009
In total 31 applications were received, requesting a total of NOK 244 Million of a total project budget of NOK 342 Million.
The applications were evaluated internally by the Program Committee for the sub-program and the overall quality was high and only very few applications were judged to be a bit weaker or less interesting.
Most applicants , and especially project managers, came from Sweden but also participants from Finland, Norway and Denmark (in descending order) applied actively. Five applicants were from Iceland.

For Phase II of the call, a total of ten applications were invited and they applied for NOK 89 Million out of total project budgets amounting to NOK 131 Million.
Phase II applications were evaluated by an external group of international (non-Nordic) experts.
According these evaluators all Phase II applications were of high quality.
4-5-6 applications were placed in a "top class".

Decisions

The Program Committee held its deciding meeting on 6.5.2010 and allocated funding for three projects:

1) "SusBioFuel", 2010-2014
(Sustainable Biofuel: Innovations in Biothanol Production Technologies)
• Project leader: SINTEF, Norway
• Participants from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden
• TFI funding approximately NOK 9 Million (total project budget: approximately NOK 12 Million)

2) "HGBiofuels", from 2010 to 2014
(High Gravity hydrolysis and fermentation of lignocellulosic materials for production of bio-fuel)
• Project leader: Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
• Participants from Denmark and Norway
• TFI funding approximately NOK 6 Million (total project budget: approximately NOK 8 Million)

3) "NORTH-SYNGAS", 2010-2014
(Biomass gasification fundamentals to support the development of BTL in forest industry)
• Project leader: VTT, Finland
• Participants from Norway and Sweden
• TFI funding approximately NOK 10 Million (total project budget: approximately NOK 18 Million)

In addition, the Programme Committee decided to award a reduced grant to the following project:

4) "BioEng", 2010-2013
(Production of second-generation biofuel and ITS Influence on engine combustion and emission)
• Project leader: NTNU, Norway
• Participants from Denmark and Sweden
• TFI funding approximately NOK 4 Million (total project budget: Approximately NOK 9 Million)

Project portfolio

The first two projects focus on the production of bioethanol and biobutanol. The third project deals with the development of thermochemical gasification.
The fourth project, which currently only has a provisional budget and funding, is more practically oriented and includes applied research and testing of reliability and emission formation in actual use of biofuels in engines.


Read the call text here

For additional information, please visit the Program website or contact the subprogramme secreteriate for "Sustainable biofuels":

Mikael Forss
Nordic Energy Research
mikael.forss@nordicenergy.net
Phone: +358 400 498 497

Emma Petersson
Nordic Energy Research
emma.petersson@nordicenergy.net
Phone: +47 9026 8446