About
EMPOWER is an UiO:Energy Convergence Environments aimed at developing an encompassing long-term strategy on sustainable batteries. The projects runs from 2022-2026 and comprises 6 interconnected work packages.
By answering its overarching research question: How can EV batteries EMPOWER the transition to a net-zero energy system in Norway?, EMPOWER will develop an encompassing long-term strategy towards sustainable EV batteries.
Both the EU’s Green Deal and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan mention the centrality of batteries to sustainable futures. In Norway, transport is the highest greenhouse gas-emitting sector. To reach the vision of a Norwegian net-zero energy system by 2050, the decarbonisation of all transport segments is crucial. While batteries represent a central technology for zero-carbon transportation, they also pose complex socio-ecological problems.
We will propose and evaluate new ways of utilizing and repurposing batteries by adopting the 7R’s of the circular economy (i.e., reuse, recycle, reduce, rethink, repair, refurbish and recover), develop specific legislative proposals for sustainable batteries and suggest solutions for how EV batteries can enable a socio-ecologically sound net-zero energy system by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. To ensure that EMPOWER has a long-lasting impact, the Battery Generation (i.e. adolescents) will play an important part in the project by active participation in the research co-design, which aims to be guided by their vision of a sustainable future. At the same time, with the PhD and postdoctoral researchers embedded in an interdisciplinary research environment, the project will design “interdisciplinary research school” around batteries to replace a single discipline academic education.
UiO:Energy Convergence Environments are large and interdisciplinary research projects funded by UiO:Energy. They are to strengthen collaboration across the university, and contribute to increased coordination and synergy between researchers and relevant external stakeholders within the field of sustainable energy and the energy transition.
Financing
Funded by UiO:Energy
You can read more about research on sustainable energy at UiO here