A unique area of industrial expertise
In addition to expert battery and material communities along the coast of Agder, there is also an array of educational programmes focusing especially on the process industry and battery technology.
The Eyde Cluster and a world-class process industry
The Eyde Cluster is a Norwegian Centre of Expertise (NCE) for the Sustainable Process Industry aimed at working towards a sustainable future. The cluster comprises of members ranging from multinational companies delivering high quality materials to a global market, to regional suppliers, research organisations and education institutes. The cluster is leading the way with initiatives and projects such as Battery Norway, Process21 (Norway’s industrial strategy for the process industry) and also in creating a circular economy and an intelligent industry.
The University of Agder
The University of Agder is a leading Norwegian university with campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad, which are in close proximity to Eyde Material Park. The University is already working with the business sector to build expertise in research, education and co-operation for the battery value chain. Scientists at the university are already working with the automatic dismantling of used batteries, sustainable business models for reuse and EU-policy.
The University of Agder has hired Johannes Landesfeind to head the university’s own battery research group. Formerly from Hilti, Johannes has experience in the development of Lithium-ion-batteries. Morrow Batteries is also building their own innovation centre right next door to the Grimstad campus.
Å Energi
Å Energi is an important company in the Agder region as it is the electricity provider for businesses and homes in the municipality. Å Energi is a enterprise which also includes, amongst other companies – Å Energi Vannkraft which generates power through hydro power; Glitre Nett which is responsible for the power grid supplying electricity to businesses such as Morrow Batteries; and Å Invest which invests in the energy sector and is one of the owners of Morrow Batteries.
Mechatronics Innovation Lab
Mechatronics Innovation Lab (MIL) is a centre for innovation, piloting and technology within mechatronics and similar areas. MIL focuses on testing and developing new products and includes a high force robotics lab capable of forces up to 1000 tons, a climate chamber, equipment for material testing and a component-TestLab with electric and hydraulic power.
Future Materials
Future Materials is a national development and testing center for materials of the future. The Center aims to bridge the gap between a project’s conceptualisation phase and its pilot production phase in order to make it easier for the project to materialise. Future Materials also has its own battery lab which is able to test different kinds of battery cells to measure their capacity (mAh/g). It can also test how long a cell can withstand charging and discharging while maintaining storage capacity.
Education
In addition to the University of Agder’s Bachelor’s, Master’s and PHD programmes, there are also other educational institutions offering programmes in areas that benefit and complement the battery value chain.
Sam Eyde High School, for example, is only a 5-minute drive from Eyde Material Park and offers a career path for high school students who will first study Technology and Industry before moving on to study either Industrial Technology or Chemical Process and Laboratories in their second year. This creates a unique access to professional expertise that can be employed in the battery value chain.
Technical colleges are also located in both Grimstad and Kristiansand, where courses are offered in Process Industry, Mechanical Engineering, Automation, Process Engineering and other relevant subjects.