Effects of Centre
Effects of Centre for the Host Institution and Research Partners
Contributions to the Host Institution’s Research Strategy
The HighEFF Centre has significantly advanced the research strategy of its host institution, SINTEF, and its main academic partner, NTNU. By spearheading initiatives in energy efficiency, HighEFF has solidified SINTEF and NTNU’s standing as leaders in industrial energy research. HighEFFLab, a key outcome of the Centre, is an example of cutting-edge infrastructure established through the collaboration, enabling advanced testing of heat pumps, heat exchangers, and other thermal energy systems. This laboratory enhances the host institution’s capabilities to address current and future challenges in industrial decarbonisation and energy efficiency.
The Centre’s work has directly supported the EU’s and Norway’s climate goals, focusing on enabling a 20–30% reduction in specific energy use and a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. By doing so, it has aligned with SINTEF’s mission to deliver solutions for a sustainable society, while also advancing NTNU’s goals of integrating research excellence with industrial applications.
Impact on Research Partners
HighEFF has facilitated deep collaboration among research partners, enhancing both the quality and scope of their work. The Centre brought together a diverse array of expertise, integrating inputs from around 50 academic, industrial, and research organisations across three continents. This network provided fertile ground for innovative solutions, such as high-temperature heat pumps and thermal energy storage technologies.
Educational Contributions
HighEFF supported the education and training of 31 PhD candidates (19 funded and 12 associated), 6 postdoctoral researchers, and 73 master’s students. This robust pipeline of talent has enriched research partners by equipping them with highly skilled professionals ready to contribute to energy efficiency advancements. Several graduates have transitioned to roles in industry and academia, ensuring that the Centre’s influence will endure. Read more about this on the Education page.
Strengthening Norwegian Energy Research Collaboration
HighEFF has made a significant contribution to improving the structure and collaboration within Norwegian energy efficiency research. By closely cooperating with other Centres for Environment-Friendly Energy Research (FMEs), such as FME ZEN, NCCS, and CINELDI, HighEFF has enabled cross-sectoral synergies. For instance, partnerships have focused on integrated energy systems, CO2 capture technologies, and thermal energy storage, reflecting the Centre’s leadership in addressing multidisciplinary challenges.
Development of Infrastructure and Tools
The Centre’s development of methodologies, such as optimisation tools for industrial energy systems, has standardised approaches across Norwegian research institutions. These tools ensure that future research will continue to benefit from the collaborative foundations laid by HighEFF.
Positioning for the Future
HighEFF has positioned its host institution and partners as global leaders in industrial energy efficiency. The Centre's success has catalysed spin-off initiatives such as Cartesian AS, which emerged to commercialise thermal energy storage innovations. This not only validates the Centre’s research but also strengthens Norway’s industrial competitiveness on the global stage.
By leveraging its achievements, HighEFF has prepared its host institution and research partners to continue pioneering energy efficiency solutions, ensuring their relevance in addressing global energy challenges.
Effects of Centre for the company partners, public partners and society at large
Success stories
HighEFF has achieved substantial advancements in energy efficiency across diverse industries in Norway, resulting in both technological and environmental gains. Through close collaboration with research and industry partners, HighEFF has driven forward innovations that reduce energy use, lower emissions, and support a more sustainable and competitive industrial sector. These success stories showcase some of the Centre's most impactful results for its user partners, from new technologies to improved energy practices and processes.
TINE: Heat pumps and thermal energy storage
The TINE plant in Bergen, in operation since 2019, is the first dairy plant whose thermal demands are covered by heat pumps at 100%. Heat pumps and chillers in the plant are integrated with buffer tanks allowing for thermal energy storage at various temperatures. This resulted in a 38% electricity savings and a 40% CO₂ emissions reduction.
Spin-off company: CARTESIAN
CARTESIAN is a prime example of HighEFF research being put to use for practical applications. Stemming from a decade of developmental work by SINTEF and NTNU – much of which happened within HighEFF – CARTESIAN offers modular energy storage solutions for large-scale heating and cooling systems. The technology enables large industrial and commercial facilities to use their energy more efficiently. Work on the technology within the company is spearheaded by Alexis Sevault and Håkon Selvnes, both of whom have extensive experience from their tenure with HighEFF.
Reuse of excess heat in aluminium production
Promising results in aluminium production efficiency: HighEFF examined how to use surplus heat from gases emitted by aluminium electrolysis cells. The Centre also explored enhancing the CO₂ concentration in the gases to make carbon capture more economically viable. REEL Norway, supported by the Research Council of Norway, developed a pilot plant testing Pot Integrated Abart (PIA) at Alcoa Mosjøen, which has shown promising results in surplus heat utilisation.
Excess heat utilisation at Felleskjøpet Skansen
Based on a novel concept for a High Temperature Heat Pump developed at HighEFF, Aneo Industry, with support from Enova, installed a pilot heat pump at Felleskjøpet Skansen in Trondheim. The heat pump has a capacity of 1.2 MW and is expected to deliver 3.6 GWh/y of steam, saving about 2.4 GWh/y of electricity.
The power of collaboration: Cross-pollination and networking benefits
Beyond the scientific advances and the energy efficiency gains, a vital benefit of HighEFF, as pointed out by some of our partners already in 2020, is the collaborative environment it cultivates. By engaging over 40 partners –including industry leaders in metals, oil, chemicals, and food production – HighEFF created opportunities for joint innovation. This cross-pollination of expertise not only speeds up technological advancements but also helps partners find new ways to address shared challenges.
"HighEFF gathers a very interesting constellation of participants, says Arne Ulrik Bindingsbø ( Equinor). There are sometimes solutions we don't know about that have already been implemented by other industries, and the Centre gives us the chance to meet these people."
"There's an exciting blend of suppliers and large industry taking part in the research centre, says Live Spurkland (Pelagia AS). The meetings organised through HighEFF allow us to share experiences and ideas, which in itself is very valuable."
"We've actually connected with new customers through HighEFF's meeting arenas, says Jan Haraldsen (Epcon). We're talking about industry who weren't aware of us, and whom we weren't aware of ourselves, but who needed our products."