ETP SMR member NTNU has been awarded directorship of the new European Carbon Capture and Storage Research Infrastructure Consortium ECCSEL-ERIC, where NTNU holds joint coordinator status with SINTEF. The 12^th June saw the inauguration of the ECCSEL-ERIC in Trondheim combined with the Energy Laboratories for the Future event, ECCSEL-ERIC kick-off and general assembly meeting. The event also included celebrations of the upgraded waterpower laboratories which have been the key to growth of Norwegian industrial sectors powered by clean electricity over the last 100 years.  Nearly half a billion kroner has been invested in these laboratories to build an infrastructure that will form the foundation for technology development essential to implementing a successful green transition.

The ECCSEL-ERIC project is funded by Norway and the EU and will form part of the European Strategy Forum on Infrastructures (ESFRI) 2018 Roadmap.  The project infrastructure involves international cooperation with over fifty laboratories in five countries.  Research and innovation will include focus on production of smarter more robust Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) solutions of lower cost that help fulfil the targets set out in the Paris Agreement in order to implement the green transition and circular economy.  http://www.eccsel.org/

Inauguration of ECCSEL ERIC – European Research Infrastructure Consortium, Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s DG for Research & Innovation  presents the ECCEL ERIC plaque to Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde, State Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, and Sverre Quale, Director of the ECCSEL.  (Photo: Thor Nielsen)