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Gasum Fund provides grants to researchers
Gasum is an expert in the Nordic gas sector and energy markets. Our purpose is to provide access to cleaner energy. We support research on sustainable energy economy through the Gasum Fund.
The Gasum Fund is one of the special funds of the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion (TES), and TES is responsible for the management and administration of the fund.
In 2024, funding was awarded to five individuals, totaling 49,200 euros. In previous years the awarded grants have totaled around 70,000 euros. The Gasum Fund has been awarding grants since 2005.
The 2025 grants application period is open 9 January–11 February.
Goals and topics of the Gasum Fund
The goal of the fund is to respond to challenges related to societal change by promoting the transition to an energy economy needed for sustainable development.
Support is granted for research topics that promote a sustainable energy economy, such as:
Biogas production
Biogas production technologies and raw materials, nutrient cycling, carbon dioxide utilization
Power-to-Gas production
E-methane production technologies, hydrogen economy, energy system optimization
Value chains and use of gaseous fuels
Bio and electrofuel markets; for example, in road and maritime transport, low-emission transport and logistics, life cycle impacts (LCA), carbon intensity
Electricity markets
Renewable electricity production, electricity storage, consumption flexibility, forecasting, optimization; for example, the use of artificial intelligence in the energy sector
Energy sector legislation, policy, and security
Climate policy, regulation aimed at reducing emissions throughout the value chain, safety of gaseous fuels
Who can apply for grants?
To achieve the set goals, grants are awarded to doctoral researchers for full-time dissertation work. In exceptional cases, funding can also be granted for master's theses – these applications must include a research plan, and it is considered an advantage if the applicant shows a goal to pursue post-graduate studies. Support is granted for research conducted in Finland, including possible work periods abroad.
The goal of the Gasum Fund is to support full-time research. Full-time research is supported through full-time grants, which amount to 26,200 euros per year.
The fund aims to provide long-term funding for students. Therefore, funding can be applied for several consecutive years, requiring evidence of progress. Progress must be evident from both the application and a recommendation letter from the supervisor or advisor.
The grant can also be combined with a salary from the university.
Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion
For grant application periods, visit the website of the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion (TES).
How are applications submitted and assessed?
Applications are submitted through the TES portal. Applications should be addressed directly to the Gasum Fund, but other applications addressed to TES that fall within the scope of the Gasum Fund's scope can also be directed to the fund for evaluation.
Applications addressed to the Gasum Fund are evaluated by the fund's advisory board. Its chairman is Dr. Lars Gädda, and other members include Professor Jukka Rintala from Tampere University, Professor Esa Vakkilainen from Lappeenranta University of Technology, Mia Bengts from the Foundation for the Promotion of Technology, and Dr. Mikko Syrjänen from Gasum.
Final decisions on grants are made by the TES Board.
Previous grants awarded
2023
In 2023, the Gasum Fund distributed a total of 75,000 euros in grants to five researchers. The grant recipients were:
- Julia Kiehle – Green hydrogen technologies in a decarbonised and sustainable energy system of Finland, eur 24 000
- Ahmed Rufai Dahiru – Renewable power-to-gas (P2G) for small-scale energy production plants in Finland: A techno-economic and environmental study, eur 8 000
- Blaž Hrovat – Enzymatic digestion of industrial wastewaters and subsequent detection of microplastics to develop industrially relevant methods for microplastic monitoring and removal, eur 14 000
- Niloufar Sadat Ghavami Masouleh – Advances in Process integration Studies for Novel Biorefinery Concepts and Biofuel production, eur 24 000
- Danielle Bansfield – Exploiting the unexploited: improved recycling of nutrients in industrial wastewaters into value-added products, eur 5 000
2022
In 2022, Gasum Gas Fund awarded grants to seven people:
- Rebecka Wicker: Developing novel photobioreactor systems and applying microalgae–bacteria consortia to valorize wastewater and carbon pollution to economically viable emissions neutral biofuels and bioenergy products, EUR 24,000
- Marjaana Hassani: Small fields and wastelands as a source of energy, EUR 17,400
- Anna Hämäläinen: Recovery of nutrients and their energy content from municipal and forest industry sewage sludge by thermal post-treatment, as part of the biogas process, EUR 14,560
- Danielle Bansfield: Exploiting the unexploited: improved recycling of nutrients in reject water from biogas production into value-added products, EUR 5,000
- Niloufar Sadat Ghavami Masouleh: Advances in Process integration Studies for Novel Biorefinery Concepts and Biofuel production, EUR 5,000
- Matthias Re: The research consists of the implementation of a carbon neutral hydrogen and district heating plant (100% renewable) using waste energy recovery, wind and solar auxiliary electrical power system, EUR 5,000
- Harri Manu: Improving the pretreatment of biowaste at a biogas plant – technical–economic preliminary analysis, EUR 4,000
2021
In 2023, the grants from the Gasum Gas Fund totaled €63,000:
- Miriam Kellock: Analysis of the rate limiting steps in enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose: the effect of lignin and enzyme structure, 12 000 €Miika Marttila: Kasvihuonelämmitysmenetelmien ilmastonlämpenemispotentiaali boreaalisella ilmastovyöhykkeellä Väitöskirjassa: Agroekologisten ja teollisten symbioosien ympäristövaikutukset maaseutuliiketoiminnassa, Lappeenrannan-Lahden teknillinen yliopisto LUT, 5 000 €
- Sami Lieskoski: The use of energy storage to integrate renewable energy in the transition to carbon-neutrality, Åbo Akademi, 12 000 €
- Marjaana Hassani: Pientareet ja joutomaat energianlähteinä, Jyväskylän yliopisto, 24 000 €
- Hassaan Ahmad Warraich: Master's thesis: "Studies on carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol using in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and mass spectrometry" Aalto yliopisto, 5 000 €
- Danielle Bansfield: Exploiting the unexploited: improved recycling of nutrients in the reject water from biogas production into value-added products Aalto yliopisto, 5 000 €
2020
In 2020, the grants from the Gasum Gas Fund totaled €75,000:
- Anusha Airi: Biowaste valorization: Utilization of biodegradables to strengthen biogas station infrastructures in the North of Finland, 5,000 €
- Sole Aronen: Comparative life cycle assessment of sewage sludge treatment pathways – anaerobic digestion, incineration and thermochemical methods combined with nutrient recovery and carbon sequestration, 10,000 €
- Ahmed Rufai Dahiru: Renewable power-to-gas (P2G) for small-scale energy production plants in Finland: A Techno-economic and environmental study, 24,000 €
- Oskari Lähdeaho: Logistiikan alan muutosta ajavat voimat: Kestävyys kilpailukyvyn tekijänä, 5,000 €
- Aleksi Mankonen: Energiantuotantoprosessien ja uusiutuvien polttoaineiden käytön tietokonemallinnus ja analyysi, 5,000 €
- Kirsi Spoof-Tuomi: Biokaasun hyödyntämisstrategiat: LBG raskaan liikenteen ja lähimerenkulun polttoaineena ja uuden alueellisen LBG-infrastruktuurin luominen. Biokaasun käytön lisääminen teollisuuden energiakäytössä, 5,000 €
- Ping Zhu: Increase yield of biogas: Utilization of genetically modified microbes for the direct conversion of sugars to methane. Scope: Case study with real Aalto-Cell waste sugars, 5,000
- Rebecca Wicker: Using native microalgal consortia for simultaneous CO2 capture, nutrient recovery, and bioenergy production, 16,000 €