The NEFI innovation network formed around a consortium of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Montanuniversität Leoben, OÖ Energiesparverband and Business Upper Austria brings together wide-ranging expertise in the fields of energy research and project implementation. Together, a consortium of more than 80 companies, 14 research and 5 institutional partners was formed. NEFI involves companies from all sectors, such as the food, mechanical engineering, plastics, cement and steel industries. The spectrum of companies involved in NEFI ranges from large leading companies to innovative SMEs.

NEFI is an Energy Model Region funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. The governments of the industrially strong federal states of Upper Austria and Styria are behind the programme and are supporting the development.

NEFI key technologies “Made in Austria” enable the decarbonisation of industrial energy systems and help to secure Austria’s position as an industrial location. Digitalisation presents new opportunities for enhancing the flexibility of the energy system, and industrial processes and plays a core role in the NEFI innovation fields and their associated flagship projects.

NEFI demonstrates a pathway towards the decarbonisation of industry. Nine initial projects contribute to the 6 fields of innovation.

In the sub-projects, key technologies for decarbonising the industrial energy system are developed and demonstrated. Progressive digitalisation plays a central role, creating new opportunities to make the energy system and industrial processes more flexible. NEFI focuses on six fields of innovation and follows a systemic approach in which the company is an important part of an integrated energy network. This also leads to new business models.