Transport and industry must switch to green fuels: The climate fight is our generation's moon landing

The development of new green fuels for transport and industry is crucial to the success of the green transition. The MissionGreenFuels partnership will phase out fossil fuels for shipping, heavy road transport, aviation and the maritime industry – already by 2030.

3,200 years before the birth of Christ, the Egyptians navigated the Nile in sailing ships.

Now they – and all of us – are going to do it again, but with a lot of innovative calculations.

To achieve the goal of the green transition, industry and transport must move away from fossil fuels. This means that in the future we will have to run our factories, transport our goods and fly on charter holidays using climate-friendly wind or solar energy – and preferably as early as 2030.

This requires the development of new forms of energy, and this is happening, among other things, in the MissionGreenFuels partnership, where industry, civil society and knowledge institutions, according to the chairman of the board of MissionGreenFuels Søren Bjerregaard, “are united in a way I have never seen before,” as he says:

“When sectors unite across their areas of expertise to contribute to the climate challenges, an almost magical space of collaboration and innovation is created,” says Søren Bjerregaard.

Complex mission
The transformation of industry and the transport sector is both a huge overhaul of our infrastructure and a crucial step towards a sustainable future. The climate goals simply cannot be achieved if green alternatives to fossil fuels are not developed.

That is why the mission is described as the 'moon landing of our time', and it is largely the philosophy behind the Apollo program and Armstrong's giant leap for mankind in 1969 that is the background for the four mission-driven research and innovation partnerships, which together will make a difference in the climate fight and in the process will secure Denmark's position as an innovative leader in the green transition.

"It is a large and complex task, and that is precisely why a mission is needed," says Søren Bjerregaard.

Volume ensures business model
If we stick to the space analogy, MissionGreenFuels is the platform from which new partnerships and cross-functional collaborations with actors from the entire value chain can be launched and accelerate the green transition. The Green Mission version of NASA is a joint secretariat for the promotion of Power-to-X and green fuels in Denmark. The secretariat is based at Aalborg University in collaboration with the cluster organization Energy Cluster Denmark (ECD) and the Danish Center for Energy Storage (DaCES). Since its launch in June 2022, the mission has secured involvement from +100 partners; large and small companies, universities and knowledge institutions/GTSs.

The mission currently has a project portfolio of 280 million kroner. Among the projects are Methanol-to-Jet, which will address the challenge of converting aviation to use e-kerosene (also known as SAF, sustainable aviation fuels) by developing a technology where methanol is converted to jet fuel; and Power LBG, which will develop sustainable fuel for road and ship transport from wind turbines and CO2 from biogas plants.

“This project portfolio marks only the beginning,” says Carina Jensen, Partnership Director at MissionGreenFuels:

“We look forward to the autumn calls, where we will award funds to new projects and expand the efforts for the green transition,” she says.

Leading PtX nation
Anne Marie Damgaard, Director of DaCES, sees the Power LBG project as a good example of how the missions achieve their goal:

“When research meets reality and is brought to scale, we can deliver volume of sustainable fuel with clear business potential. Without volume, there is no business model,” she says.

And there must be a sustainable business model if the development of green fuels for the transport sector is to be realized and create the cornerstone of a climate-neutral society as it is intended. Glenda Napier, CEO of Energy Cluster Denmark, emphasizes this:

“The innovation developed through the MissionGreenFuels partnership has a major impact on whether we can realize Denmark’s ambition to become independent from fossil fuels,” she says:

“The problem is not local. Therefore, the innovative, new green fuels developed in the project will also have significant potential in terms of securing Denmark’s role as a leading nation in the PTX area,” says Glenda Napier.

FACTS:
The EU is funding four green partnerships that bring together the country’s best researchers, companies and organizations within the areas of four innovation missions. In addition to the development of green fuels for industry and transport in MissionGreenFuels, this applies to the storage and use of CO2; environmentally friendly agriculture and food production, as well as a circular economy with a focus on plastics and textiles.

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In order to examine the condition of wind turbine blades, inspections of blade damages are usually carried out when the turbine has been stopped. In the AQUADA-GO project, the partners have developed a drone technology for automated, contact-free, real-time blade damage detection, while the turbine is spinning. Inspections that are done without stopping the turbine’s normal operation can help save turbine downtime. Now, for the first time ever, the operational concept has been successfully demonstrated offshore.

“We have proven that it is possible to autonomously inspect offshore wind turbines with a drone of a certain size equipped with a visual camera, while the turbine is in operation. This is a major accomplishment for us. We have worked on everything from developing drone software and hardware to mission planning and online data infrastructure. Now, we have a commercially ready solution that can be tailored to wind farm operators’ needs and make inspections easier, faster and more cost-effective,” says Jesper Smit, CEO, Quali Drone.

Drone-based blade inspection delivers significant savings

The core idea of the project is to combine drone technology with thermography and computer vision, enabling detection of surface damage and potential subsurface fractures on operational offshore wind turbine blades. This saves wind farm operators considerable costs due to increased efficiency, while also reducing CO₂ emissions and improving inspection safety.

The new technology has been successfully demonstrated several times onshore by the project partners, which, in addition to Quali Drone and RWE, include Statkraft, TotalEnergies, DTU and Energy Cluster Denmark. Most recently, the solution has been demonstrated offshore with visual drone footage of blade damage on the surface at Rødsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm, operated by RWE since 2010 and located south off the coast of Lolland, Denmark.

“For the first time, we have successfully carried out a drone inspection of offshore wind turbines in operation. This is good news for the entire wind industry. Through the technology developed in AQUADA-GO, we can see the potential of monitoring blade conditions without stopping the offshore turbine. This could help to increase efficiency in our production of green electricity and to further improve safety for our employees. By using drones for autonomous inspections, we expect that downtimes and costs can be significantly reduced in the long run,” says Marcus Mejborn, General Manager of Rødsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm, RWE.

AQUADA-GO technology and AI model show great potential

The project is based on the AQUADA technology developed in DTU Wind Energy’s laboratory. DTU has developed an AI model that helps the drone automatically identify wind turbine blade abnormalities to indicate critical damage using AI algorithms and infrared imaging. The AI model, which is trained and improved with new inspection data each time the drone is deployed at wind farms, shows great potential.

“We have developed an AI model that uses deep learning algorithms and computer-vision technology based on thermomechanical models to assist the drone in detecting blade defects – both on the blade surface and below it. We have tested the technology multiple times at onshore wind farms operated by DTU, RWE and Statkraft, and each campaign has fed the AI model with new data that has made it better. We are very pleased with the results and see great potential for future implementation within the wind industry,” says Xiao CHEN, Associate Professor and Head of Section, DTU Wind and Energy Systems, and Project Technical Lead in AQUADA-GO.

Facts about the project

The AQUADA-GO innovation project runs from 2022 to March 2026 with a total budget of DKK 17,796,010 and is supported by EUDP – the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program. The project partners include Quali Drone, the Technical University of Denmark, RWE, Statkraft, TotalEnergies and Energy Cluster Denmark.

Read more about the project here

Do you have questions? Contact Gitte Wad, Project Manager, Energy Cluster Denmark at gwa@energycluster.dk or +45 3152 7516.

01.16.26Danish Drone Breakthrough: First Autonomous Inspection of Operational Offshore Wind Turbines Demonstrated

The funds for new project processes are allocated as part of the Danish Business Promotion Board's innovation grant to the Danish energy cluster and are targeted at companies and research institutions.

“The process is efficient and it's easy to get help along the way. We therefore hope that many companies and researchers focused on climate-friendly energy solutions will apply for support in the current round,” says Christian Boysen, COO at Energy Cluster Denmark.

“All project proposals within our focus areas are welcome, and in this round particular emphasis will be placed on topics such as electrification of heavy industrial processes, digitalization, safety, new business models within the energy system, and NIMBY,” says Christian Boysen.

Energy Cluster Denmark’s focus areas for innovation are energy production, storage, infrastructure, energy efficiency, sector coupling and CCUS, as well as digitalization and cybersecurity.

Practicalities and application
Applications are open now, and the funding framework typically ranges from DKK 200,000 to 1 million.

It is a requirement that at least two small or medium-sized enterprises participate in the project. Large companies and research institutions may also participate, but it is not a requirement.

Apply for innovation funding

The deadline for submitting applications is March 9, 2026 at 12:00, after which applicants will receive notification on March 29 regarding whether they proceed. Final approval for new projects will be given at the beginning of May 2026, when new supported projects may begin.

More application rounds through Energy Cluster Denmark will follow in 2026—from April to August and from August to December.

For questions or sparring, contact Michael Langlo Nielsen, Project Manager, +45 25 80 32 48 / mln@energycluster.dk

01.15.26Deadline March 9: Apply for innovation funding through Energy Cluster Denmark

Scaling up wind energy, thermal storage, cybersecurity, and pyrolysis.

These are just some of the themes found in Energy Cluster Denmark’s newly published Innovation Roadmap 2026–2027.

The publication contains thematic recommendations from the energy sector’s industry associations and knowledge institutions on what the Danish energy cluster’s innovation projects should address over the next two years across the entire energy system.

One of the contributors is Danish Alliance for Renewables:

“Europe has a strong position in wind technology, which is under heavy pressure from countries that are investing massively to challenge European competitiveness. If we are not to lose our industrial production once again, as we did with solar cells, it is crucial that we prioritize our innovation efforts within wind energy and its integration into our energy system. There is a misconception that wind energy technology is fully developed, but our research environments and industry have shown that there is still enormous potential to increase efficiency, optimize and automate production, ensure physical and cybersecurity, enhance sustainability, and add intelligence to deliver some of the system services that power plants provide today,” says Kasper Roed Jensen, Chairman of Danish Alliance for Renewables, which contributes recommendations through Green Power Denmark.

“The key to the most efficient, secure, and robust energy system lies in research and development in system integration and the interaction between technologies to create the sustainable energy system of the future for the benefit of all,” says Kasper Roed Jensen.

Three areas within storage and conversion
Contributors from the energy cluster to the new Innovation Roadmap include Green Power Denmark, DI Energi, Biogas Danmark, Synergi, Dansk Fjernvarme, Brintbranchen, Dansk Offshore, and the Danish Center for Energy Storage (DaCES).

The latter brings together knowledge institutions and research-oriented companies around a strategic effort in energy storage and conversion, and according to DaCES there are three areas that should be prioritized now:

“High-temperature thermal storage is the key to making industrial electrification both flexible and cost-effective. This requires investments in demonstrators, materials research, and the development of specialized components so that the technology can be scaled and integrated into industry,” says Anne Marie Damgaard, Director of the Danish Center for Energy Storage.

“In addition, active battery components such as battery management systems (BMS) and power conversion systems (PCS) are crucial for safe BESS facilities in the EU and strengthen competitiveness across the entire battery value chain. Finally, our long-term, strategic research initiatives, including innovation missions such as MissionGreenFuels, are important, as these missions play a central role in developing technologies for green fuels and chemicals for sectors that are difficult to decarbonize,” says Anne Marie Damgaard.

Sector coupling and innovation
A third contributor to the energy cluster’s Innovation Roadmap is Biogas Danmark, which sees sector coupling and innovation as the key to a shared green energy system that both drives the green transition and strengthens energy supply security:

“The interaction between biogas and other green technologies, the development of value chains for biogenic CO₂ for carbon storage, as well as future green fuels and materials, are crucial—at the same time, AI can support and accelerate regulatory processes for the expansion of renewable energy,” says Lars Kaspersen, Director of Biogas Danmark.

Download the new Roadmap
The recommendations in Innovation Roadmap 2026–2027 will be made operational through the energy cluster’s board and implemented in concrete innovation projects through Energy Cluster Denmark.

Download the new Innovation Roadmap 2026–2027 on Energy Cluster Denmark’s website.

01.13.26Energy Cluster Denmark launches a new Roadmap for the next two years of innovation

“This is exactly the type of projects the energy sector needs: collaborations that both solve concrete challenges in the energy system and build new areas of strength for companies and knowledge institutions. The projects span everything from CCUS and PtX to digital control of district heating, battery storage and offshore infrastructure. This shows how crucial the members of the energy cluster are in turning ideas into solutions that can be scaled and make a real difference,” says Glenda Napier, CEO of Energy Cluster Denmark.

Below is an overview of the projects in the pipeline:

HVDC subsea electrode unit: Seawater as an efficient conductor

The project will develop a robust, standardised subsea HVDC electrode that can be installed directly on the seabed without additional mechanical protection. The aim is to reduce installation costs, environmental impact and complexity—thereby making offshore power infrastructure more efficient and scalable.

When electricity is transmitted over long distances, it is typically done via HVDC systems. In principle, seawater can function as the “return path” in the circuit when electrodes are used. This can make the solution both cheaper and more flexible—especially in offshore settings.

“Electrodes are expensive and complex because they have to be specially designed for each project and require extensive physical protection on the seabed. In this project, we therefore want to create a new, flat and robust electrode that can be installed directly on the seabed without additional protection, so we can transmit power more cheaply, more simply and without unnecessarily impacting the marine environment,” says Søren Find Madsen, Polytech A/S.

Partners: Polytech A/S, Aalborg University, Rosenberg Consulting ApS, Energy Cluster Denmark
Total budget: DKK 19,308,552 – supported by EUDP

RACE 2.0: AI-based control of district heating systems

RACE 2.0 will develop and demonstrate an AI-based platform for intelligent control of district heating systems. By connecting real-time data from buildings, production and distribution networks, operations can be optimised, energy consumption reduced, and district heating can become more flexible and resilient as the energy system is electrified.

Partners: Glaze AB, Broen A/S, AAU DEIS, Albertslund Forsyning, Gudenådalens Energiselskab, Energy Cluster Denmark
Total budget: DKK 8,001,539 – supported by EUDP

ReStoreBESS: Scalable battery storage based on used EV batteries

ReStoreBESS will develop and demonstrate a sustainable battery energy storage system for commercial and industrial users based on second-life EV batteries. The solution combines intelligent energy management, market participation and backup power, enabling companies to relieve pressure on the grid, increase resilience and make greater use of renewable energy in practice.

Partners: Gridturn ApS, Converdan A/S, Andel Energi, AAU Energy, Energy Cluster Denmark, Salling Group
Total budget: DKK 12,560,910 – supported by EUDP

CO₂ 2.0 Infrastructure: DecarbonICE – container-based CO₂ transport using dry ice

The project will demonstrate a container-based CO₂ transport and reliquefaction solution based on CO₂ in solid form (dry ice). The ambition is to lay the foundation for a new, cost-effective and scalable CO₂ transport value chain, based at the Port of Esbjerg—making it easier to connect CO₂ capture with utilisation and/or storage.

Partners: DecarbonICE ApS, Cold Jet, Energy Cluster Denmark, Maersk Container Industry, Aarhus University, GreenGo Energy, Kirt x Thomsen, Ancotrans, Port of Esbjerg, Renegas
Total budget: DKK 18,207,794 – supported by EUDP

Fyrtårn Nord: CO2Vision Phase III – five new CCUS projects

Five new innovation projects are receiving support through the North Jutland business lighthouse CO2Vision and build on existing CCUS initiatives that will continue into 2026. The projects range from production of technical water for PtX, an electrically driven lime kiln, conversion of plastic waste into syngas, a test platform for CCUS technologies, and facilitation of CO₂ capture at small and medium-sized district heating plants.

Together with the CO2Vision partnership, Energy Cluster Denmark has supported the innovation projects in securing the funding under the business lighthouse initiative. Read more about the five projects in Fyrtårn Nord here.

Total budget (combined): DKK 29,677,160 – supported by EU funding through Virksomhedsudvikling Danmark

Green Energy Academy: Pilot for an international green energy academy

The Green Energy Academy partner group will develop a pilot for a green energy academy with an international focus. The aim is to test a model for skills development and collaboration that can, over time, grow into a commercial, international partnership.

Partners: Aprendio, Climate and Energy Academy, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, and Energy Cluster Denmark
Total budget: DKK 4,967,150 – supported by the Danish Energy Agency’s export promotion programme (ENS)