The message is clear. If the Danish companies are to be on the leading edge in the development of the energy technology of the future, world-class research is required.

The large Danish industry companies are planning to intensify their research and development efforts significantly in the coming years, writes Børsen Business Daily.

“It is very important that we invest in research and development. It will be a big mistake if we do not invest sufficiently," says General Manager Tom Knutzen from Danisco.

Danisco spends 6-7 per cent every day of the company’s turnover on research and development, however, in the company’s biotechnology division is spent over 10 per cent of the turnover on research and development.

The same pattern exists in many other large, Danish industry companies. In Danfoss General Manager Mads Clausen estimates that the expenses for research and development will increase relatively more than the turnover in the future.

Also in Novozymes General Manager Steen Riisgaard expects that the research expenses will increase in the coming years. The company today spends 13 per cent of its turnover on research and development but according to Steen Riisgaard this figure will reach 14 per cent in the next few years and, moreover, it is expected that the turnover will increase by 10 per cent annually up to 2010.