Innovation project in the industrial sector: Energy and transport 2026
Supports research-driven innovation projects for sustainable, low-emission technologies in Norway’s energy, petroleum, maritime, and transport sectors.
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Due Dates: Open-ended (applications accepted on a rolling basis)
Funding Amounts: NOK 1,000,000–20,000,000 per project (up to NOK 10,000,000 for transport); project duration 12–48 months; total call budget NOK 526,611,000
Summary: Supports research-based innovation projects in Norway’s energy, petroleum, maritime, and transport sectors to advance sustainable, low-emission technologies and solutions.
Key Information: Project Owner must be a Norwegian-registered company or public enterprise with economic activity in Norway.
Description
This grant supports innovation projects in the Norwegian industrial sector, specifically targeting environmentally friendly energy, petroleum, maritime, and transport fields. The program aims to drive research-based innovation and demonstration of new technologies, strengthening Norway's competitiveness and enabling transformative change in both established and emerging industries. Projects should involve significant industrial research or experimental development, resulting in new or improved products, services, processes, or delivery methods. The overarching goal is to contribute to a sustainable, low-emission society with robust energy and transport solutions, sustainable resource utilization, and a competitive industrial sector.
Four sub-themes are prioritized:
- Environmentally-friendly energy (excluding nuclear and CO₂ capture/transport/storage)
- Petroleum (excluding CO₂ capture/transport/storage)
- Maritime (core focus on maritime transport)
- Transport (excluding basic energy carrier development and general maritime tech)
Projects must demonstrate clear environmental, economic, and societal impact potential, and cannot have commenced prior to application. Collaboration across the value chain, sound financing and scaling plans, and alignment with Norway’s climate and industrial strategies are emphasized.
