Hydro allocated NOK 690 million to R&D in 2009, compared to NOK 606 million in 2008. Most of the amount was dedicated to our in-house research organization, while the remainder supports work carried out at external institutions. See also note 14. We have a number of R&D centers in Europe and established in 2009 a new Technology and Competence Center in Doha, Qatar. Our main R&D tasks are connected to smelter technology and product development.
The Hydro Technology Board aims at enhancing innovation and ensuring that we live up to our ambition to be a leader in technology. The board is headed by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg.
Hydro's proprietary electrolytic process is one of the most efficient in the world. It is used in the new operations in Sunndal and has been improved for use at Qatalum. Moreover, it has been further enhanced through our HAL4e technology. Our nextgeneration technologies are advancing us further, increasing output while reducing electricity consumption and recycling energy from the production process. These technologies also address the challenge of capturing greenhouse gases from the production process.
We work closely with our customers to develop products that save energy and reduce emissions. Aluminium facades enable lower operating costs and can help buildings produce as much energy as they consume during operation. In 2009, we opened two such buildings using Hydro products and solutions - one in Bellenberg, Germany, and one in Toulouse, France. The energy neutrality is achieved by using heat pumps, integrated photovoltaic systems and intelligent building design.
