Innovation Fund Denmark has pledged DKK 27.6 million (€3.7 million) to a new research and innovation project, GreenMag, which will seek to develop more robust, sustainable, and cost-effective magnetic components for energy applications.
While magnetic components – a critical infrastructure for electricity generation – have been around since the early 19th century, GreenMag is examining ways in which these could be optimised for use in the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors.
The company is building on earlier research that demonstrated potential improvements at lower power levels, and is focusing its efforts on developing planar magnetic components using printed copper plates, aiming to reduce production costs and environmental impact while maintaining high performance.
‘At the forefront’
“The potential impact of GreenMag is only limited by our imagination,” commented Hongbo Zhao, assistant professor at Aalborg University. “Denmark has been at the forefront of electromagnetism since [Danish physicist] HC Ørsted’s discovery in Copenhagen in 1820.
“By combining magnetic components with planar technologies – using printed copper plates – we can develop more sustainable and cost-effective solutions for wind turbines and other electrification applications. This will be a milestone for Danish innovation within magnetic technologies and at the same time a tribute to HC Ørsted’s 200-year-old legacy.”
GreenMag is working on the development of prototypes that will then undergo testing and comparison against existing high-power solutions in real-world electrification systems.
Partners in the GreenMag project include Aalborg University, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kohsel A/S, KK Wind Solutions A/S, and Trafolo Engineering SIA.
‘A crucial need’
“The GreenMag project addresses a crucial need in the global green transition within electrification and the electric car market,” added Innovation Fund Denmark’s director, Cecilie Brøkner. “The project has the potential to strengthen Europe’s supply chains and competitiveness, which speaks to the current geopolitical situation and the need for strategic independence in Europe. We look forward to following the project and the impact that comes from the investment.”
The GreenMag project will run for a total of four years, with the total budget calculated at around DKK 40.6 million (€5.44 million). Read more here.
