The VISTA jubilee will be marked in the first week of November with a comprehensive program. VISTA is a collaboration between Equinor and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on energy research.
The VISTA Week opens on Monday, November 3, with renewable energy and green technology as the theme. Students from Ung Energi, together with Erica Löfström and Professor Christian Klöckner from the Centre for Norwegian Transformative Energy Policy Development (NOTRAP), will challenge Norwegian high school students to propose opportunities and highlight challenges for new energy solutions.
On Tuesday, November 4, the focus will be on the role of Norwegian municipalities and county councils in the transition to renewable energy. Participants will hear about the energy revolution on Samsø and the experiences of Norwegian rural municipalities with alternative energy sources. What are the opportunities, and what barriers may stand in the way?
Perspectives will be shared by representatives from Hitra Municipality in Trøndelag, Østfold County Council, and researchers from UiT (The Arctic University of Norway) and UiO (University of Oslo). After the meeting, a white paper will be prepared compiling the municipalities’ experiences, which will be distributed to all municipalities.
Political and social challenges
On Wednesday, November 5, the VISTA centre NOTRAP will hold an internal workshop focusing on the political, social, and technical challenges of the energy transition. The advantages and disadvantages of citizen participation will receive special attention. Researchers from the University of Westminster, We Do Democracy, and the Institute for Global Sustainability will take part. In the evening, the 40th anniversary will be celebrated with a festive dinner.
Energy transition in the future
On Thursday, November 6, the annual VISTA Day will take place, with the theme Energy Transition – Past, Present, and Future. Secretary General Marit Westergaard of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and VISTA Chair Lise Øvreås will open the event. Topics will include dilemmas in energy transition, the geopolitical importance of energy supply, and investments in energy innovation in uncertain times.
Speakers include researchers from the University of Bremen, Rice University, the University of Sussex, and the University of St. Gallen, as well as researchers from NUPI, NTNU, and UiO.
VISTA Week concludes with VISTA Researcher Day, a day dedicated to the fellows at the VISTA centres. This year’s topic is how to succeed with interdisciplinary collaboration.
Practical Information
In connection with VISTA’s 40th anniversary, the annual VISTA Day will be expanded into a full week of events, bringing together prominent figures from research, education, industry, and politics. The purpose is to address society’s most critical challenge – climate and energy issues – through engaging discussions and the exchange of ideas. This year, VISTA Day is part of VISTA Week.
All events are open to invited guests only.
Academic responsibility: Centre Director Christian Klöckner, NOTRAP
Project Manager: Håkon Sandbakken
Email: hakon.sandbakken@dnva.no
About VISTA
The VISTA program was established in 1985 as a collaboration between Statoil (now Equinor) and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The vision was to stimulate basic research related to the utilization and management of Norway’s petroleum resources.
In 2019, VISTA expanded its focus to include research on sustainability and renewable energy. Currently, four basic research centres receive funding:
- Centre for Modelling of Coupled Subsurface Dynamics (CSD) at the University of Bergen
- Centre for Autonomous Robotic Operations Subsea (CAROS) at NTNU, Trondheim
- Centre for CO₂ Storage in Volcanic-Sedimentary Systems (VICCO) at the University of Oslo
- Centre for Norwegian Transformative Energy Policy Development (NOTRAP) at NTNU, Trondheim
Read more on VISTA’s website