Energy and transportation

Our research in the field of energy spans several decades, and comprises both mobile energy (freight and passenger transport) and stationary energy use (e.g. heating). Three goals are an integral part of our research, namely reduction of local pollution, energy consumption and mitigation of carbon emissions. Key themes include preconditions for increased production of renewable energy, preconditions for reducing energy consumption, as well as rebound effects associated with energy efficiency measures.

We also carry out research on alternative fuels and technologies, i.e. societal preconditions and barriers for introducing new technology, as well as studying health and environment impacts. Some of this work has been documented in a database which displays figures for energy consumption and carbon emissions both for passenger and freight transportation and for various fuels. We have also examined drivers for energy consumption and related carbon emissions, both for individual forms of transportation and for entire systems of transportation.

Since 2011, Western Norway Research Institute has been a part of the Centre for Sustainable Energy Studies (CenSES), a national research with eight academic partners: Centre for Applied Research at NHH (SNF), Institute for Energy Technology, SINTEF, NHH, the University of Oslo, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), and NTNU. The main objective of CenSES is to strengthen the understanding of the economic, political, social and cultural aspects of the development and introduction of renewable energy and environmental technology.

 

Publikasjonar

Articles

  • Foto

    The notion that ‘most people fly’ is contradicted by new research, which also argues that a global elite of 1 percent generates half of the global carbon emissions from aviation.

  • Foto

    Very few cruise ships visited the fjords of Western Norway this summer, and hardly any cruise tourists walked the streets of the region's cruise destinations. Western Norway Research Institute is conducting a study on the consequences of this anomaly, and local reactions to the absence of cruise tourists is one aspect.

  • Foto

    The world was at a tipping point in several ways even before coronavirus – so where do we go from here? Author and professor Dag O. Hessen will be one of the main speakers at this year's #Klimaomstilling, co-organised by Western Norway Research Institute, which will take place online on 23 September 2020.

  • Foto frå delegasjonreise til India

    Research collaboration with Indian researchers may soon be a reality for Western Norway Research Institute, following the institute’s recent participation on an official, Norwegian delegation visit to India. One of the institute’s IT researchers, professor Rajendra Akerkar, travelled to New Delhi and Chennai in February, making new academic contacts.

  • LeMO kick-off

    Vestlandsforsking will coordinate a new EU-funded research project to explore the use of big data in the European transport sector. Project kick-off was organized in Brussels this week.