NEWS
17 April: Press release: Breaking new ground in the African Energy Market: NTNU students awarded “Grønn Fases Energipris” Award
Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe awarded “Grønn Fases Energipris” on Monday to three graduate students at NTNU School of Entrepreneurship. The students have abandoned the idea of getting regular jobs in Norway in order to pursue solar energy in eastern Africa. Together with Differ – an analysis and investment company established by entrepreneurs from Point Carbon and REC, they’ve established the company RESolar. RESolar is working with moving the East African energy market away from carbon based energy sources to solar energy.
RESolar’s target group is business customers who’s investing large sums on a monthly basis in diesel fuel and instead turning them over to solar energy by offering technical solutions and financing plans reducing the transaction costs for rural enterprises, saving them for expenses on both a short and long term basis.
The Award and the prize of 50 000 NOK was awarded during Technoport’s conference in Trondheim. “Grønn Fase” is a think-tank established in 2009 by the former Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Riis-Johansen, consisting of both students and researchers working with environment-friendly energy and energy saving. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has asked the think-tank to establish a prize for the best idea/concept/project plan in the field of environment-friendly energy, where students from Norwegian universities and university colleges can participate. The Award is meant to stimulate the creation of ideas, draw attention and create enthusiasm for environment-friendly energy among young people. “Grønn Fases Energipris” was established in 2010, and is this year awarded for the second time with TEKNA as a new partner in addition to the Ministry.
Members of the jury:
- Hanne Risan Johnsen (University of Tromsø)
- Marianne Ryghaug (NTNU)
- Hans Hide (Rainpower)
- Sverre Skalleberg Gjerde (NTNU)
- Roger Beite Færestrand (Tekna/Aker Solutions)
In their statement, the jury emphasized RESolar’s business concept and its great potential for realization within the near future and the possibility for a great environmental impact. It could also contribute in solving one of the major conflicts of interest from recent climate negotiations, namely the need for emission reductions versus the need for development and increased energy supply in developing countries.
The ideamakers behind the project is Jørund Buen and Kristian Tangen from Point Carbon, who put forward the idea to the School of Entrepreneurship. The students Stian Mundal, Erik Thorp and Andreas Michelsen has been working part time in combination with their studies since they joined the project in January last year. Since then they’ve been working on business development, performed several market analyses in Afrika and participated in the School of Entrepreneurship in Boston. In February this year, they were ready for the market and moved their headquarters to Nairobi in Kenya, where they’re working on the launch phase in addition to completing their master theses. Their everyday life has moved from working at their student office in Trondheim to working on customer development, establishing partnerships and cooperating with the energy and finance sector in Kenya. So far they’ve been financed by study loans and initial funding, so the additional prize money of 50 000 NOK will be highly appreciated by students bootstrapping themselves through everyday life. They all agree that many challenges still lies ahead of them, and for this reason they highly appreciate the jury’s faith in their project. They said the Award was very motivating in continuing the development of their business model in a new and growing market.
14 April: Book of abstracts available for download
The book of abstracts for Technoport RERC Research can be downloaded as a PDF here.
Click here to read more about the program for the Technoport RERC parallel sessions.
13 April: Welcome to Public Drive 14 April at 10-16
A car that derives its energy directly from water?
That sounds like something out of science-fiction, doesn’t it? Well, luckily we live in Trondheim, ”the technological capital of Norway”. The place where scientists make dreams come true!
This Saturday, anyone with a valid driver’s license gets an opportunity to take a ride in a Fuel Cell Car! Come to the Market Square (Torget) and embrace the future! As a famous German poet and philosopher once said “ In today already walks tomorrow ”.
13 April: Technoport 2012 is sold out
“Technoport 2012 – Sharing Possibilities” is an international climate conference that takes place in Trondheim from 16 to 18 April. Talented minds in research, business and politics will gather to share possibilities and ideas for smart technological solutions in the development of a greener economy. In lectures, discussions and debate, prominent researchers and renowned decision-makers from business, politics and the public sector will present their visions of a greener future. In total, 550 participants will attend the sold-out conference.
The conference aims to explore the role of smart technology in the transition to a green economy. Academic communities know about the latest research in technological possibilities. Business leaders and politicians have insight into market-related and political possibilities. The conference is therefore inviting dialogue and sharing of knowledge, which will make it possible to put good ideas into practice.
“Technoport 2012 – Sharing Possibilities” consists of three different parts: the research conference Technoport RERC Research, presentation of the Technoport Awards, and the Technoport Summit.
Technoport RERC (Renewable Energy Research Conference) Research is organized in collaboration with the Centre for Renewable Energy. Some 400 researchers will share their results and knowledge in 13 different research sessions.
The second evening of the conference is dedicated to the recognition of innovation and pioneering research on new green technology through the Technoport Awards ceremony. Seven prizes for technology, design and research will be awarded to the foremost researchers, firms or entrepreneurs at the national and international level.
At the Technoport Summit, politicians, researchers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from all over the world will gather to share knowledge, debate, and panel discussions. The summit includes Technoport Talks – short presentations in popular science to inspire us all.
On the last day of the Technoport Summit, 100 NTNU students will exhibit their work from the interdisciplinary project Mission Rio. The basis for the project is the theme of the conference and the UN climate summit Rio +20. A representative from the winning group will take part in the official Norwegian delegation to the UN climate summit in Rio de Janeiro in June.
The speakers at “Technoport 2012 Sharing Possibilities” include key international researchers in environmentally friendly energy, business leaders from large international and Norwegian companies, as well as four Norwegian cabinet ministers.
“We aim to bridge the gap between scientific communities and decision-makers in the private and public sectors. Closer sharing of knowledge will help to get the technology to market faster. This is Technoport’s role in finding solutions to climate and environmental challenges,” says Heidi Fossland, Managing Director of the organizers, Foreningen Technoport.
Read more about “Technoport 2012 – Sharing Possibilities”: http://2012.technoport.no
Press contact: Herman Ekle Lund, lund@t-kn.no, mobile +47 909 27 653
10 April: Tickets for Technoport Awards
Tickets available at billettservice:
http://www.billettservice.no/event/TECHNOPORT-AWARDS-2012-billetter/TOH1704
We are proud to present the 8th Technoport Awards.
7 awards will be presented intertwined with performances by artists like Bárut, Team Me and the Puppini Sisters.
An original composition will have its world premiere at Technoport Awards. Erlend Skomsvoll have written “A tribute to Science”. A musical piece in three parts performed by Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and its vocal ensemble. It is inspired by the esthetics of natural science and uses the latin version of Newtons laws of motion from Principia Mathematica as its libretto.
The awards:
The Gunnerus Sustainability Award
Technoport Applied Technology Award
Technoport Awards for Innovative enviromental technology
Technoports Young Innovation Award
Design Award Technoport
Hydro Green Metal Award
Statoil Award for Outstanding research.
10 April: Registration still open
With less than a week left before Technoport 2012 – Sharing Possibilities, you’re still able to register for the conference. Several hundred researchers will participate in Technoport RERC Research Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 April. The Research sessions will be followed by the Technoport Summit, where leading individuals from research, politics and business will share their ideas on how technology can contribute in the transition to a green economy.
Norwegian Minister of Education and Research Kristin Halvorsen and Professor Hiroyuki Yoshikawa (JST) will open the conference Monday morning.
If you haven’t yet registered, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. Register here.
