How Can Batteries Support Norway’s Green Energy Transition?
Cutting emissions rapidly through electrification based on renewable energy is one of the greatest challenges of our time. But Norway’s electricity grid currently lacks the capacity needed — and that makes the green transition more difficult. To better balance electricity demand and supply, we need flexible solutions. That’s where batteries come in. Globally, chemical batteries are the fastest-growing energy storage technology. In Norway, however, investment in battery systems has been limited. As a result, we know relatively little about the technological, economic, and political factors that could support — or stand in the way of — wider battery use in the Norwegian power system. What will it take to make battery investments profitable and attractive in this context?
The NORBAT project aims to find out. Using a new, advanced modelling tool, researchers will identify the best locations for battery deployment in Norway — places where batteries can contribute most effectively to balancing the power system. The project will also draw on insights from the UK and Sweden, countries that are further ahead in adopting battery technologies, to provide a broader, comparative perspective. But technology and economics are only part of the equation. NORBAT also examines the laws, regulations, and policy instruments that shape battery investments. Which policies support battery deployment — and which ones hold it back? How do different policy tools interact? And why do countries choose such different approaches?
Through this project, we’ll gain timely and critical knowledge about the role batteries can play in Norway’s future energy system. The research team brings together national and international experts from diverse fields to generate new insights — theoretical, methodological, and practical.
Project period: 2026-2029
