Technical University of Denmark
More research is expected to move from the laboratory into society and industry, driving the green transition in areas such as green fuels, CO₂ reduction, and materials innovation. This process is to be accelerated in order to strengthen Denmark's competitiveness and resilience.
This is the ambition behind a new DKK 80 million grant from the Villum Foundation to the national innovation centre Green X Accelerator. Under the name VILLUM P2X Accelerator, the centre has since 2022 helped promising Power-to-X research projects from across Denmark move closer to market readiness.
With the new grant, the initiative is extended until 2031. At the same time, the centre is changing its name from VILLUM P2X Accelerator to Green X Accelerator.
The name change reflects the centre's ambition to support a broader range of sustainable technologies in the future. In addition to the Power-to-X track, supported by the Villum Foundation, the centre will work within two additional areas: solutions supporting the transition from fossil energy to green electricity, and the development of new green materials that can be extracted and recycled sustainably. The centre is currently seeking funding for these two new areas.
This will allow the national innovation centre to make an even greater impact, says DTU President Anders Bjarklev:
"The VILLUM P2X Accelerator has built precisely the competence and experience required to bring technical research into society, where it can make a real difference. This work is now both being continued and expanded, making Denmark greener, wealthier, and more resilient."
The recipe for success
Within the VILLUM P2X Accelerator, promising research projects have received support to mature new technologies through funding for team recruitment, access to laboratories, and guidance in business development, administration and legal support.
A key focus has been to rapidly advance projects to the stage where they can produce a prototype or proof of concept, making them attractive to investors.
According to Scientific Director of the VILLUM P2X Accelerator, Peter Vesborg, this approach has proven effective:
"A promising start-up such as Ammisorb – which has emerged from university research and is now developing technology for small, decentralised systems for green ammonia production – demonstrates what is possible when strong research is given the right framework to move towards application. We are very grateful for the Villum Foundation's grant, which provides the foundation for bringing even more green technologies into society and ensuring they create impact."
Thomas Bjørnholm, Chief Scientific Officer at the Villum Foundation, welcomes that the centre, with the new grant, can raise its ambitions for the work in the coming years:
"If we are to succeed in the green transition, we must bring more excellent research into play beyond universities. We are proud of the work already carried out by the VILLUM P2X Accelerator. With the new Green X Accelerator and our continued support for the Power-to-X track, we are further accelerating the development of green technologies that can make a real difference."
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