New Donation to Strengthen Research Collaboration on Industry's Green Transition

In 2021, The Villum Foundation donated DKK 20 million to establish a research collaboration between Danish universities and GreenLab with DTU as the host organisation. The collaboration has generated important knowledge on how to best operate a green and circular industrial park, resulting in 12 research projects, more than 30 publications and presentations, and an international, interdisciplinary fellowship program. The collaboration has also enabled the practical application of university research in the companies within the industrial park.

The perfect environment for green industry research

With the new grant from the Villum Foundation, a series of new mission-driven research projects will be initiated — this time with a special focus on Power-to-X and the interaction between energy, carbon, and water. The project serves as a research and demonstration platform for technology that can lay the foundation for green transition on a societal scale.

“Think of GreenLab as an ‘energy island on land,’ organised as a cooperative and managed as a free port, where everything produced can be freely exchanged among the companied in the energy ecosystem. It has enormous potential for developing new knowledge to support the green transition, both in Denmark and internationally, and we are very pleased to continue supporting such an important project,” says Thomas Bjørnholm, Research Director at The Villum Foundation.

“We have succeeded with a new approach to research”

Ebbe Kruse Vestergaard, GreenLab's Research Director, is proud that The Villum Foundation has once again chosen to support GreenLab and DTU’s research collaboration: “We have succeeded with a new approach to research, where we take a holistic perspective on the very complex issues of the green transition. They cannot be studied in isolation but require an integrated approach that finds solutions across disciplines and sectors. With the grant, we can now significantly expand our research activities and continue to work with Power-to-Xand examine the complex value chains that include multiple interconnected challenges across the themes of renewable energy, sustainable water use, and carbon from agriculture.”

The research platform in GreenLab’s green industrial cluster provides researchers and students with a unique opportunity to test, develop, optimise, and demonstrate transdisciplinary projects on a large scale in close cooperation with companies and experts from across the country. Soon, GreenLab’s upcoming innovation center will house the many research activities.

A significant boost to the green transition

The grant will strengthen the collaboration between DTU and GreenLab both nationally and internationally, making the project a recognised research platform for the green transition of industry.

DTU is the official host of the grant from The Villum Foundation, and they are very pleased with the collaboration: "It's fantastic to receive this acknowledgement from The Villum Foundation, which shows that the collaboration to scale GreenLab as a national and international research platform is on the right track. At DTU, we see a great opportunity to create a world-class research environment, close to reality, where researchers and students can come to Skive and the future Innovation Center at GreenLab. If we all continue the great work, we have a unique opportunity to boost the green transition - together!" Says Carsten Orth Gaarn-Larsen, Senior Vice President, DTU

All Danish universities can apply for project funds from the grant, and both DTU and GreenLab welcome international candidates to the fellowship program at Danish universities. The first project call is expected to be launched already in the fall of 2024, where funds can be applied for mission-driven research projects within specific subject areas.

Facts:

• All universities in Denmark can apply for funds from the new grant
• DTU is the official host of the grant, while all operations and project execution are carried out in close collaboration with GreenLab’s research team
• GreenLab’s upcoming innovation center will create the physical framework for research activities and serve as a green beacon for the entire region
• Learn more about the existing research projects here: Current Research Projects | GreenLab