Nordic AI Initiative Aims to Transform Future Power Grids
LTH will play a key role in a prestigious Nordic research initiative aimed at developing AI solutions for the power systems and electricity grids of the future. Researchers in mathematics, statistics, and control engineering will contribute expertise in forecasting models, control systems, and decision support for an increasingly complex energy landscape.
– Published 4 November 2026
Safer and More Efficient Power Grids
The project, AI4GRIDS, has been awarded funding of up to DKK 100 million (approximately SEK 150 million) from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is coordinated by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Around SEK 20 million will be allocated to Lund University, one of the three principal partners in the initiative.
“By combining research in statistical forecasting, mathematics, and power systems from DTU, Lund University, and NTNU, AI4GRIDS brings together complementary Nordic expertise to address the challenges facing future electricity grids,” says Erik Lindström, Professor of Mathematical Statistics at LTH and leader of the Swedish part of the project.
He explains that forecasts help us anticipate what may happen, mathematics helps us describe uncertainty and understand its consequences, and expertise in power systems ensures that solutions are grounded in the realities of how electricity grids operate.
“Uncertainty cannot simply be ignored. We need to understand where it comes from and manage its effects safely. This collaboration is essential for building a more resilient and reliable power system.”
The project's goal is to optimize the use of existing Nordic energy systems, enabling the safer and smoother integration of renewable and weather-dependent energy sources such as wind and solar power.
A Growing Number of Energy Sources Creates New Challenges
As societies become increasingly electrified and electricity demand rises, power grids must accommodate far more renewable energy sources. At the same time, the number of batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps, data centres, and other electricity-intensive resources continues to grow.
This development places greater strain on existing infrastructure and makes power systems more complex to operate safely and efficiently. It also increases the risk of voltage fluctuations and power outages.
“The growing demand for energy is challenging today's electricity grids, which were built for very different needs. Until grid capacity has been expanded, there is an urgent need to use the existing infrastructure more efficiently. At the Novo Nordisk Foundation, we see AI as a natural tool to achieve this, as the technology can help us make critical decisions about balancing energy production and demand so that energy systems become more resilient and better prepared for future requirements,” says Lene Oddershede, Chief Scientific Officer at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
New Operating Methods for a Changing Energy System
Many of the principles and methods currently used to operate electricity systems were originally developed for networks containing a relatively small number of centralized power plants. Today's energy systems, however, are becoming increasingly decentralized, weather-dependent, and complex.
Building on the closely interconnected Nordic electricity systems, AI4GRIDS will bring together leading researchers in power systems, artificial intelligence, energy data, and control theory to develop new methods for future grid operations.
By combining AI with mathematical models of how electricity grids function, the project aims to make grid operations more reliable and better suited to decisions where both safety and time are critical factors.
Nordic Expertise Tackling a Shared Challenge
AI4GRIDS draws on complementary expertise from across the Nordic region. Together, the partners aim to develop technologies and operational principles that can be scaled up and applied across Europe's interconnected power systems, energy markets, and diverse grid environments.
The collaboration builds on the strong links between Nordic electricity systems and the region's long tradition of cross-border cooperation in energy research and innovation.
Over the next four years, AI4GRIDS will train more than 30 PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and other specialists at the participating universities.
The initiative will also bring together researchers, grid operators, technology developers, public authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure that the research addresses future needs.
By laying the scientific foundation for more robust and efficient energy systems, AI4GRIDS aims to help prepare power systems for future challenges and strengthen Nordic and European leadership at the intersection of energy, artificial intelligence, and critical infrastructure.
The project is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2027.