By Susanne Togeby, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: Inovation Centre Denmark, Consulate of Denmark, Boston and State House 

Denmark and Massachusetts are deepening collaboration between businesses, research institutions, and public-sector stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic. Professor Brian Vad Mathiesen from the Department of Sustainability and Planning joined the Danish delegation that travelled to Massachusetts to formalise the agreement.

The economic partnership aims to strengthen scientific, technological, and commercial ties, particularly within life sciences, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and green energy. Brian Vad Mathiesen explains:

“The agreement creates a shared framework for closer collaboration. While Massachusetts is a global leader in life science, Denmark – and AAU – can be a strong partner in energy systems and green technologies."

According to Brian Vad Mathiesen, Aalborg University contributes particularly with practical knowledge on how to create coherent and sustainable energy systems. He notes:

“Massachusetts has a wealth of innovation and, in Boston, a unique concentration of universities and private research. But they often lack the ‘recipe’ for making technologies work together on a large scale. This is exactly where AAU can contribute.”

He highlights several areas where AAU offers specific expertise:

• Smart energy systems and system integration: How to link electricity, heating, storage, and flexibility so that electrification can progress rapidly without overloading the grid.
• District heating, energy efficiency, and electrification: Hands-on experience in reducing energy consumption and transitioning from fossil-based to electricity-based systems.
• Offshore wind as part of an integrated energy system: Emphasis on grid integration, security of supply, and interaction with other technologies.
• Power-to-X and sustainable fuels: Hydrogen and e-fuels, particularly for heavy transport and industry
• Digitalisation and power electronics: Competences that enable smarter, more efficient control, flexibility, and integration.

From a Danish perspective, the agreement provides a faster route from initial contact to concrete collaboration. It offers easier access to decision-makers, better alignment between companies and universities, and more joint projects that can be realised.

One practical example could be a campus or an entire neighbourhood in Boston seeking to reduce CO₂ emissions from heating without placing additional strain on the electricity grid. With the agreement as a framework, AAU can quickly join a joint project, contributing energy system analysis and solution design, while Massachusetts provides the location, data, local partners, and implementation. The aim is both to deliver a tangible solution in the short term and to establish a long-term research partnership that strengthens knowledge and experience on both sides of the Atlantic.

Another AAU professor also took part in the Danish delegation: Jakob Stoustrup from the Department of Electronic Systems.

Translated by: Laura Johanne Schou Carlsen