Batteries are getting cheaper and more accessible, but in Norway, they still play a limited role in the power system. A new research project led by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) aims to change that.

The project, called NORBAT, has just received a €1.1 million grant from the Research Council of Norway. Its full title: Batteries as flexibility provider for the Norwegian Electric Power System – drivers, opportunities and challenges (NORBAT). 

'As Norway moves forward with electrification, we need to understand where batteries can make a difference,' says project leader Per Ove Eikeland, an FNI senior researcher. 

What’s the problem?

Parts of the Norwegian electricity grid are already struggling to meet demand. Bottlenecks and delays in grid expansion are slowing down both industrial growth and the green transition. That’s where batteries might help, by storing power when demand is low and releasing it when it’s needed most.

‘When the grid is full, batteries can act like a valve,’ says Eikeland. ‘You can store power and use it when it’s most needed, or when other electricity is especially expensive. That improves grid efficiency and increases capacity without the need for constant expansion.’

'Time to study the batteries, not just lead them'

The NORBAT project will bring together researchers, policy analysts and industry actors to investigate how batteries can become a more integrated part of Norway’s power system.

‘It’s become a bit of a cliché to say you’re leading the batteries, but now FNI is setting out to study both the preconditions and the process itself,’ says FNI Director Iver B. Neumann.

The project represents a deepened focus for FNI on energy transition, and strengthens the institute’s work on the political and regulatory dimensions of emerging energy technologies.

Where should batteries go?

One of the project’s core goals is to develop a new modelling tool that shows where in Norway battery investments are likely to be both technically and economically worthwhile. The tool will be developed by the University of Oslo’s Department of Technology Systems (ITS).

‘We’re combining modelling with policy analysis,’ says senior researcher Tor Håkon Jackson Inderberg, and part of the FNI NORBAT team. ‘We want to identify not just the physical constraints in the system, but also the political ones.’

Looking abroad – and to Brussels

Battery deployment has moved faster in countries like Sweden and the United Kingdom. That's why NORBAT will compare developments in Norway with these countries.

'Norway has abundant hydropower and relatively low electricity prices, which affects both the need and the incentives. But our need for flexibility is growing. That means we have to understand what works in other countries, and why,' says Eikeland.

The researchers will also look at the role of the EU. As Norway is part of the internal energy market, EU rules can directly impact how batteries are financed and used.

‘We’re especially interested in regulatory barriers at the EU level,’ says FNI senior researcher Siddharth Sareen. ‘Rules about how batteries can participate in different markets really matter, and they vary a lot across Europe.’

Working with Europe’s best

Eikeland is especially pleased that the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex is a core partner in the project.

‘SPRU brings real depth to the work. They’re known for fresh thinking on how regulation can drive green innovation,’ he says.

Also on board is Lund University’s IIIEE, who will explore how battery systems are being adopted in homes, businesses and energy systems, and what it takes to scale them up.

Statnett and the grid companies Elvia, Linea and Tensio are all contributing as both funding and research partners. Together, the four industry partners are providing €270,000 in funding. The University of Oslo is contributing an additional €230,000 to support a postdoctoral position. The total project budget amounts to €1.55 million.

‘It means a lot to us to be part of a project that is so connected to the practical realities of the power system,’ says Eikeland. ‘And it builds naturally on the work we’re already doing in the national research centre SecureEL, where we also work closely with many of the same companies.’

Timeline

NORBAT runs from January 2026 to December 2029. Preparations begin this autumn.
‘We’re excited to get started – and to contribute knowledge that can make the energy transition more concrete, more effective, and more achievable,’ says Eikeland.
 

About NORBAT

• Project title: Batteries as flexibility provider for the Norwegian Electric Power System – drivers, opportunities and challenges (NORBAT)
• Funding: €1.1 million from the Research Council of Norway, plus contributions from partners
• Duration: 2026–2029
• Partners: FNI, University of Oslo (ITS), University of Sussex (SPRU), Lund University (IIIEE), Statnett, Elvia, Linea, Tensio
• FNI’s role: Project leadership and research on regulatory and policy frameworks for battery investments in Norway and Europe