#11
Aalborg is a living lab for green innovation
Aalborg has a great name within academic circles as well as within research and development. This is due to the strong engineering university - named the highest-ranked engineering university in Europe on several occasions. But to really create value, the research must be turned into business, and this is a process where test and demonstration is a necessary step.
Aalborg is the capital of North Denmark and throughout the region you will find a wide range of small- and large-scale test sites, dedicated companies, and university researchers, contributing to the North Danish ecosystem of green innovation and development. The close connection between these entities is helping qualify solutions, improve the foundation for innovation, and increase the pace of the commercialization process.
Let us take a look at how some of these actors and initiatives are helping to push the green transition forward and making a significant difference in the green progress in Aalborg.
Table of contents:
- Green Hub Denmark
- Norbis Park
- Blade Test Centre
- Aalborg University Test Facilities
Map showing some of the test facilities across the North Danish Region.
Green Hub Denmark
Green Hub Denmark is a strong collaboration platform and public-private partnership situated in Aalborg. Green Hub Denmark has created a framework for development, test, demonstration and implementation of green business models, solutions, and technologies through a strengthened collaboration between authorities, knowledge institutions, the business community, citizens, and other green actors.
Green Hub Denmark facilitates collaboration on green transition and innovation to increase growth, employment and export.
Norbis Park: Test center for green solutions
In 2016, Aalborg Utilities bought Nordjyllandsværket, the local coal-fired power plant, from Vattenfall. The coal is to be replaced by other sustainable alternatives, and the plan is to phase out fossil fuels completely by 2028.
The area around Nordjyllandsværket is currently being transformed into a large-scale test facility called Norbis Park. The area will host facilities for research, development, testing, and demonstration of new technologies within the area of climate, environment, energy, and water.
The ambition is to create a vibrant area for world-class innovative green solutions and lead the way within future energy testing and technology. Furthermore, Norbis Park will seek to encourage partnerships and triple helix collaborations, as new circular resource flows are tested and proven – pushing forward the green transition.
Blade Test Centre at the Port of Aalborg
The most experienced blade test center in the world, Blade Test Centre (Blaest) is located at the Port of Aalborg. Blaest has mastered static and fatigue testing of blades, as well as modal analysis. As an independent company, the center tests blades from leading manufacturers from all around the world.
To keep up with their customers, Blaest has expanded its facilities several times to keep up with its customers' never-ending race to develop larger turbine blades that can be tested at Blaest's facilities on a full scale.
University Test Facilities
Drives and Power Electronics Lab
The Drives and Power Electronics Lab provides a platform for advanced control of power electronics in various applications such as renewable energy, transportation, and high-performance drives. The lab has facilities for testing of AC/DC drives, inverters, and DC/DC converters.
Fuel Cell and Electrolysis Laboratory
The Fuel Cell and Electrolysis Laboratory provides testing and evaluation of fuel cell and electrolysis systems. The lab also has a fuel cell stack test station,
which can test up to 10kW fuel cell stacks and perform testing under various operating conditions.
Sustainable Energy Laboratory
The Sustainable Energy Laboratory is a unique laboratory for the testing and demonstration of energy-efficient technologies in buildings. The lab is equipped with a range of equipment for the testing of ventilation, heating, and cooling systems, as well as photovoltaic panels.
