Centre for Renewable Energy
Encyclopedia
Centre for Renewable Energy (short: SFFE, from Norwegian Senter for fornybar energi) is a virtual research centre owned by Norwegian University of Science and Technology
(NTNU), SINTEF
, Institute for Energy Technology
(IFE) and University of Oslo
(UiO). SFFE was etablished in 2004, initially as a unifying organ for SINTEF and NTNU. IFE and UiO became co-owners of the Centre in 2005 and 2011, respectively. The goal of SFFE is to increase the quality, efficiency and scope of education, research, development and innovation within renewable energy
in Norway
. SFFE works to coordinate the available competence and the research and education activities localized at its member institutions. In 2010, the internal network in the member institutions included more than 400 scientists (including doctoral students) working on renewable energy. The current leader of the Centre is Gabriella Tranell (associate professor at Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU).
Together, the owners of SFFE represent Norway's largest resource in renewable energy research. Research fields at the Centre include small scale hydropower
, wind energy
, solar energy, wave energy, and bio-energy as well as the social dimensions of energy use. Competence has recently been developed in ocean energy fields, especially research on offshore wind power
and tidal power
.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology , commonly known as NTNU, is located in Trondheim. NTNU is the second largest of the eight universities in Norway, and, as its name suggests, has the main national responsibility for higher education in engineering and technology...
(NTNU), SINTEF
SINTEF
SINTEF , headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. Every year, SINTEF supports research and development at 2,000 or so Norwegian and overseas companies via its research and development activity....
, Institute for Energy Technology
Institute for Energy Technology
Institute for Energy Technology was established in 1948 as the Institute for Nuclear Energy . The name was changed in 1980. Its main office is at Kjeller, Norway, and slightly under half of the institute’s activities are based in Halden...
(IFE) and University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
(UiO). SFFE was etablished in 2004, initially as a unifying organ for SINTEF and NTNU. IFE and UiO became co-owners of the Centre in 2005 and 2011, respectively. The goal of SFFE is to increase the quality, efficiency and scope of education, research, development and innovation within renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. SFFE works to coordinate the available competence and the research and education activities localized at its member institutions. In 2010, the internal network in the member institutions included more than 400 scientists (including doctoral students) working on renewable energy. The current leader of the Centre is Gabriella Tranell (associate professor at Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU).
Together, the owners of SFFE represent Norway's largest resource in renewable energy research. Research fields at the Centre include small scale hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
, wind energy
Wind energy
Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion; see also wind power.Total wind energy flowing through an imaginary area A during the time t is:E = ½ m v2 = ½ v 2...
, solar energy, wave energy, and bio-energy as well as the social dimensions of energy use. Competence has recently been developed in ocean energy fields, especially research on offshore wind power
Offshore wind power
Offshore wind power refers to the construction of wind farms in bodies of water to generate electricity from wind. Better wind speeds are available offshore compared to on land, so offshore wind power’s contribution in terms of electricity supplied is higher....
and tidal power
Tidal power
Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity....
.