SnerpaPower, together with five grid companies and several research and technology partners, has been awarded a PILOT-E grant of 26 mNOK. The project, named MaksGrid, has a clear goal of increasing grid utilization by 25%, with special focus on the interplay between grid operators and green industries. This marks the fourth project of its kind in Norway to receive PILOT-E funding, aligning with the initiative's goal of ensuring “sufficient power - at the right place - at the right time.”

“The power grid is the main artery in our society. When the whole society demands more power, we must build more power grid, and use our existing power grids even smarter. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to support research and development in our publicly owned power grid. More capacity in the power grid offers more opportunities for Norway,” said Energy Minister Terje Aasland in a statement from The Research Council of Norway regarding the new MaksGrid project.  

What will MaksGrid aim to achieve?
MaksGrid is a three-year initiative focused on developing and implementing new solutions for the electricity system that do not require new high-voltage infrastructure. The growing shortage of transmission capacity in Norway's electricity system presents a significant challenge and a real barrier to the green transformation of Norwegian society. Constructing new high-voltage infrastructure is a time-consuming process, and the energy transition cannot wait, nor can new users and green industries that seek connectivity. Limitations in transmission and distribution systems can lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and undesirable impacts on nature, the environment, and the climate.

The primary goal of MaksGrid is to develop digital solutions that enhance the management of the electricity system, real-time analysis, risk monitoring, resource utilization, coordination among market participants, planning, and interaction between large electricity consumers and new renewable power generation.

What is SnerpaPower´s role in MaksGrid?
SnerpaPower is one of three technology providers selected to participate in the MaksGrid project to test and demonstrate new technologies and be ready for scaling both in Norway and internationally. The unique aspect of the project is that it will combine three different measures to contribute to increase utilization of the power grid.  

“SnerpaPower’s role in MaksGrid is to further develop the software currently in operation in Iceland for the Norwegian market and conditions, creating added value for green industrial companies in Norway and a carbon-neutral society. Our preparations for entering the Norwegian and Scandinavian markets over the past few months have culminated in this project’s success.” - Íris Baldursdóttir, Co-founder and CEO of SnerpaPower.

“We look forward to collaborating with several large electricity consumers in Norway and work closely with the companies and institutions involved in the MaksGrid project. We are ready to develop SnerpaPower´s energy management system further for the Norwegian market and demonstrate how it can improve the competitiveness of green industry and simultaneously create benefits for the society .” - Eyrún Linnet, Co-founder and CTO of SnerpaPower.

Who are the MaksGrid partners?

The Norwegian Smartgrid Centre is the initiator of the project and has worked purposefully and actively over a long period to gather the key players for a joint effort. In addition to SnerpaPower, the project includes Statnett (project owner) along with the distribution system operators Tensio, Lede, Glitre Nett, and Linja, the technology providers Infinigrid and Heimdall Power, and the research institutions SINTEF and The Norwegian Smart Grid Centre.  DNV will lead the project.

“The preparations for the project involved extensive planning and effort. We were thrilled to learn that the MaksGrid project has been approved as a Pilot-E project. This project embodies the collective ambition of numerious companies, all of which realize that challenges facing today's electricity system cannot be solved in isolation,  but rather through collaboration and innovative technical solutions.” - Iris Baldursdóttir, Co-founder and CEO of SnerpaPower.

About PILOT-E
PILOT-E is a funding solution established by the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Innovation Fund, and Enova. Since its inception in 2016, PILOT-E has financed 29 projects, facilitating the transition of initiatives from research and development stages to mature products and solutions ready for scaling. PILOT-E projects aim to bring entirely new products and services within environmentally friendly energy technology to market, enabling faster scaling for full utilization.

PILOT-E reduces business risks, provides better foundations for planning, and assists companies in bringing their solutions to market. The initiative is supported by Norway's Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, and the Ministry of Transport.

See also:  

• MaksGrid Project Aims to Increase Utilization of the Power Grid by 25%

• MaksGrid – Prosjekt for maksimal utnytttelse av kraftnettet innvilges 26 millioner kroner

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