Green Solutions from Sweden and Nordics vol.4

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N F R O M T H E M AG A Z I N E M I L J ÖA K T U E L LT, M I L J ÖA K T U E L LT. S E P R I C E : 2 0 E U R O

GREEN VOL.4 SOLUTIONS

FROM SWEDEN 2012 THE KEY TO SWEDISH CLEANTECH BUSINESS She is responsible!

MINISTER FOR TRADE – EWA BJÖRLING

“Sweden is a pioneer” MARK BRZEZINSKI – U.S. AMBASSADOR ON VISITORS’ “MUST-SEE” LISTS SWEDEN TOP THREE IN PROMOTING CLEANTECH FIND YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 1

Umeå

A short cut to Cleantech in Sweden

Borlänge

Uppsala Västerås Stockholm

Norrköping Linköping Göteborg

Kalmar

Lund Malmö

Contact ASSET the umbrella organisation for regional and national associations of environmental technology industries in Sweden.

One contact - many opportunities www.miljoteknik.org

E DITORI A L COLUMN: LARS LING IS CEO OF CLEANTECH REGION SOLUTIONS AB

Swedish Cleantech Inspires the World!

“CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. After having learned more about Swedish innovations and entrepreneurs, I am more optimistic than ever about the future and about a sustainable world. How do you do it?”

I received this feedback from a cleantech investor and entrepreneur on my recent trip to the U.S. to promote Swedish cleantech. This certainly confirms the claim that Swedish cleantech is in demand and known in the United States. The same is true in the rest of the world, and this offers excellent opportunities for Swedish companies.

LATER ON THE SAME TRIP, at the San Francisco airport, I started talking with another investor when I saw him reading Green Solutions from Sweden. He told me that he knew about the Sweden American Green Alliance (SAGA) through the former U.S. ­Ambassador Matthew Barzun, and then he said: “I spoke to Matthew just five minutes ago, and now I am reading about him in Green Solutions from Sweden. How inspiring! Keep up the good work.”

And Sweden is at the forefront in many areas. We excel at system solutions, such as smart, sustainable cities like the Symbio City concept, and renewable energy such as solar, biomass, biogas, wind, water and wave power. We are a world leader in innovations and research.

SINCE 2008, I have visited most of the continents and demand for cleantech is growing at the same time as competition is rapidly increasing from countries like China, Germany, the U.S., Korea, India and other countries now investing in cleantech.

Green Solutions from Sweden wants to continue to inspire others by sharing good examples, ideas, and experiences and by promoting business, but then Sweden needs to pick up the pace if it wants to be in the cleantech race.

LARS LING is CEO of CleanTech Region Solutions AB. Lars Ling is a global cleantech enterprise promoter, delivering focused technology transfer, systems integration, localization and outsourcing services, and green solutions. Lars Ling was also the initiator of Green Solutions from Sweden.

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 3

FORE WORD

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weden has everything to gain from becoming a pioneer in the field of sustainable development.

Adapting to environmental challenges leads to new solutions–in Sweden but also outside of our borders.

Adopting policies for sustainable growth is crucial for tackling climate change and environmental degradation–possibly more important today than ever before. The longer we wait, the more difficult and expensive it will be to change track toward a more sustainable future.

TO BE ABLE TO MEET NEW DEMANDS for sustainable growth, policymakers need to establish the very best ­conditions and provide the right tools to encourage innovation among all of us. This includes developing legislative frameworks, norms, and attitudes that influence and inspire people, businesses, and organizations to transform ideas into solutions, into innovations.

The Swedish government believes that adopting policies that support innovation and technology development is particularly important. Not only does it help tackling major challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation, but also contributes to boosting economic growth and employment.

THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT is working in many ways to support innovations for a sustainable future. Last year the Government launched a strategy to improve the conditions in the field of environmental technology. In total the Government is allocating SEK 400 million to the sector between 2011 and 2014 to support Government bodies already working with innovation, growth, and export of Swedish environmental technology.

The strategy includes new initiatives in both the short and long terms to improve the entire value chain. This includes everything from research, innovative procurement, and simplified access to new financing in the early phases, to new funding to support companies that want to enter global markets.

The growing global demand means opportunities for Swedish entrepreneurs outside of our national borders.

However, their challenge is in adapting solutions to local needs and markets. This is the challenge of thinking globally but acting locally.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL, as a country or an individual entrepreneur, we all have to tackle the challenge, to be ready to change when a crisis occurs and to try to adapt to the future. I believe that the first movers will also be the champions of tomorrow, leading by example and followed by many.

DANIEL JOHANSSON STATE SECRETARY TO THE MINISTER FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY, ANNA-KARIN HATT

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HIGHLIGHT S

HIGHLIGHTS VOL.4 06

CARPÉ DIEM! Sweden’s Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, is responsible for creating the best possible conditions for Swedish businesses to successfully export their products and services.

“Sweden is, and will remain, a leader in cleantech.”

There is no doubt that “the great sustainability shift” has begun in the world. Right now investors as well as buyers are chasing sustainable technologies and systems – and Sweden is the “green goldmine” – has something unique to offer.

Decades of tough environmental legislation has developed products, technologies and systems with impressive environmental and sustainability performance. In our country you will find everything from unique system solutions to super high tech uniqe solutions that applied saves as money as well as environmenet. This magazine purpose is to lift the Swedish green goldmines; the companies and the solutions that will convert the world, that will help your company and organisation or city to cut emissions, save money and sleep well at night!

Mikael Salo Publisher

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CHINA LEADS THE CLEANTECH LEAGUE Denmark leads the list of countries that make the most money from cleantech in relation to GDP, while China is now the world’s largest manufacturer of clean energy in absolute terms.

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COOPERATION DEVELOPS ENVIRONMENTAL ­TECHNOLOGY The U.S. Embassy in Sweden has a long tradition of cooperation with Sweden, focusing on environmental technology development. The reason is simple. ”There is no doubt that Sweden is a pioneer when it comes to environmental technology,” says Mark Brzezinski, the U.S. ambassador to Sweden.

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She is both an innovator and a successful entrepreneur, and also serves as a source of inspiration for others. “I sometimes feel a bit like a philosopher who likes to identify major problems, and I also have a gift that lets me see what the market needs,” says Christina Lampe-Önnerud, founder of Boston Power.

Why is Swedish waste management talked about far beyond Sweden’s borders? What makes buying ideas and technologies from Sweden worthwhile? A report compiled by Avfall Sverige looked at four countries that have shown major interest in Swedish waste management.

INNOVATOR & ENTREPRENEUR

EXPORTING SWEDISH WASTE MANAGEMENT

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SWEDEN TOP THREE Sweden is third best in the world in promoting cleantech, according to a global ranking by WWF and the Cleantech Group. Denmark leads the ranking, followed by Israel.

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TECHNICAL VISITS IN SWEDEN Showcasing cleantech, system solutions, and expertise is important in finding new export opportunities.

In every region of Sweden, there is interesting cleantech worth seeing.

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BIG FIVE SKF, Volvo, H&M, Electrolux and Ikea have one thing in common except that they are all Swedish international corporations: Cleantech.

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FAST-CHARGING ELECTRIC BUSES During the past winter, the world’s first ultra-fast-charging electric buses were tested as part of the city of Umeå’s local bus fleet in northern Sweden. The charging system withstood the occasionally frigid winter and the trials are considered to have been successful.

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POWER GRIDS OF THE FUTURE A smart power grid is currently being developed on the Swedish island of Gotland. The grid has been designed to handle the variations in power production that are becoming more common as the system transitions to renewable energy sources.

Publisher/chief editor: Mikael Salo, Business manager: Ingemar Jansson, Editorial production: Dynamo Press AB , Print: Elanders, Contact: IDG, Miljöaktuellt, Karlbergsvägen77, 10678 Stockholm, +4687996249, , Sales: +4684536044, green.solutions@idg.se, Webb: www.greensweden.se, ISSN: 0345-763x Information: Green Solutions from Sweden is a brand within International Data Group, IDG, Sweden and includes a magazine, online industry guide and n ­ ewsletter. IDG is the world’s leading technology media, events and research company. Copyright © 2012 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 5

MINIS TE R FOR TR A DE

Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling:

Carpé diem!

Sweden’s Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, is responsible for creating the best possible conditions for Swedish businesses to successfully export their products and services. “Sweden is, and will remain, a leader in cleantech,” affirmed Sweden’s Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling.

T

oday, in many places around the world, major investments are being made in solutions that meet the challenges created by environmental and climate change. These investments include such areas as renewable energy, waste management, water treatment, and sustainable urban development. Naturally, all major investments create opportunities for Swedish companies to export cleantech solutions and expertise. Sweden’s cleantech sector is growing rapidly. Over the past decade, the industry has grown 59 percent. Many of Sweden’s cleantech companies are small to medium-sized businesses. What’s more, cleantech companies are located throughout Sweden.

“Our task now is to sell Swedish cleantech, to generate the right conditions for creating both jobs and more and growing businesses, and to deliver effective solutions to environmental problems around the world. So it’s obvious that the industry is important for Sweden.”

Ewa Björling believes that Sweden’s strength when it comes to cleantech is that

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Swedish companies can supply both single components and comprehensive solutions, that is, that they can take a systems perspective. “It’s important to view the complete picture from the start, as well as to be able to combine different technologies and systems, in order to maximize the environmental benefit and cost-efficiency when making an investment. To transform today’s society into one that uses more sustainable solutions, it’s not enough simply to create new technology, you have to be able to effectively apply it, too.

That’s what we Swedes are good at.”

Björling also believes that it is important to have an integrated, comprehensive view and that many stakeholders in the field cooperate at different levels, e.g. municipal governments, universities, businesses. “Traditionally, this is how we do things in Sweden and Swedish companies are way ahead when it comes to innovations within integrated systems for bioenergy, district heating, waste management, and sewage systems, for example.”

There is significant international interest in Swedish experience and system solutions,

■ Ewa Björling, Sweden’s Minister for Trade, has big hopes for Swedish cleantech. ■

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MINIS TE R FOR TR A DE

and particularly in the Swedish model for cooperation between public authorities and business.

“Another strength is that Swedish companies are known for being responsible business partners, which creates trust and, in the long-term, strengthens Sweden as a brand.

This is a competitive advantage that we should make better use of,” Björling maintains. The trade minister believes that Sweden is and will continue to be a role model for other countries with regard to the environment and sustainable eco-friendly development.

Cleantech makes it possible to reduce the environmental impact of consumption and production, while at the same time promoting competitiveness and growth within Swedish industry. In many parts of the world, major investments are needed to be able to deal with environmental problems.

“Globally, the market for cleantech is growing and, naturally, the Swedish government would like to see the Swedish cleantech sector continue to grow and become even more internationalized. This will create growth and job opportunities throughout Sweden. The cleantech industry is definitely an industry of the future,” Björling concludes.

Which market or markets are currently most important for Sweden’s cleantech companies is not altogether clear, however. “It’s difficult to say. The cleantech sector is very broad, so which markets are prioritized can vary from company to company. Some believe that India or South Africa are most important, others Sweden or Russia,” Björling adds.

According to Björling, many small and medium-sized Swedish cleantech companies are primarily focusing on nearby markets, that is, on the Nordic countries and Germany. “But we’re also seeing a lot of interest in China and India. If a Swedish company breaks into such a large market in a relatively early phase, it can create a valuable head-start over competitors,” she explains.

Björling also notes increased demand from abroad when it comes to cooperation with Swedish companies for different types of infrastructure projects. This may include anything from efficient energy systems in Iraq and southern Africa to sewage purification in the Ukraine.

According to Björling, future growth markets of interest for Swedish companies are India, Russia, Southeast Asia and Japan, all of 8 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

which are investing heavily to bolster their supplies of sustainable energy, as is the United Arab Emirates. “Moreover, the need for water treatment, sewage purification, and energy efficiency measures is great throughout the former Soviet Union. The need is also great in Latin America, India, and Africa. Generally speaking, the market for cleantech is growing around the world.”

The next question is how Swedish cleantech companies can find opportunities to export their expertise and products. “There are several ways,” says Björling. “For example, Innovation Agency VINNOVA, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, and the Swedish Trade Council are all working on behalf of the

■ Ewa Björling encourages Swedish businesses to take the opportunity to reach out to the ­international market, because it is there that the greatest potential lies. ■

government to support Swedish businesses active in cleantech to expand internationally. The Trade Council has excellent contact networks within the markets where they are represented.”

The Swedish government supports the cleantech industry in several ways, to help it to reach out to the global market more easily.

“This is a high priority for us,” says Björling.

“We have launched a special strategy aimed at supporting Swedish cleantech companies that want to export and, in total, have earmarked SEK 400 million for this purpose over a four-year period. We’re taking this initiative in order to support cleantech companies in tackling the challenges they themselves have identified, in areas as varied as research, com-

mercialization, and internationalization. We design these initiatives so that Swedish businesses within the cleantech industry get real help when they enter a new market.”

The government has established a special international cleantech export secretariat (IMT) at the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications that is tasked with leading and coordinating Swedish cleantech export initiatives aimed at China, India, and Russia. IMT is a resource with specialist expertise in cleantech exports and these particular markets.

“The Swedish government has also directed the Trade Council to implement special initiatives to promote cleantech in the US, Brazil, and Turkey–three other markets that I believe will be important for Swedish cleantech exporters in the future,” Björling adds.

Another example from among the ways the government supports the Swedish cleantech industry is the Government Offices’ Office for Project Exports, which has developed a model for capacity and expertise-expansion efforts called Symbio City Academy Program.

In simple terms, the program is a multi-year, industry-adapted education program within sustainable development for foreign decisionmakers linked to investments in different types of infrastructure.

“Basically, we share the Swedish sustainability mindset and environmental expertise with people who have the power to influence how and what will be invested in,” Björling explains. “Swedish cleantech suppliers are invited to hold lectures within the framework of Symbio City Academy Program. Companies then also have the opportunity to get to know and collaborate with actual decision-makers.”

“It is a unique way to meet new customers that I would like to see more Swedish cleantech exporters utilize, an effective way to reach new markets and to find the right person to talk to there.”

Ewa Björling encourages Swedish businesses to take the opportunity to reach out to the international market, because it is there that the greatest potential lies.

“Those of us within the government are doing what we can to make things easier for businesses to operate internationally, and it is our great hope that the Swedish cleantech sector will continue its strong growth. It’s a good thing for Sweden and a good thing for the environment.”

■ “GLOBALLY,

THE MARKET FOR CLEANTECH IS GROWING AND, NATURALLY, THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SWEDISH CLEANTECH SECTOR CONTINUE TO GROW AND BECOME EVEN MORE INTERNATIONALIZED.” ■

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CLE A NTECH IN CHIN A

The struggle over global domination – How China made it to the green top Denmark leads the list of countries that make the most ­money from ­cleantech in relation to GDP, while China is now the world’s largest ­manufacturer of clean energy in absolute terms. According to a ­report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the EU h ­ as slipped from first to ­second place behind China.

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he Clean Economy, Living Planet report examined 40 countries’ manufacture and sales of sustainable energy systems such as solar cells, wind power plants, and biomass energy and heat pumps.

China made the most money in total, followed by the US. Since 2008, global sales have doubled to total nearly €200 billion. The EU’s sales fell by five percent last year, however, and Sweden ranked 22nd.

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“Sweden’s revenue from climate innovations is increasing in absolute terms, but has stagnated compared with the rest of the world. There is great potential for growth if politicians dare to think creatively and invest in an offensive green industrial policy,” says Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General of WWF Sweden.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, the value of cleantech production almost doubled between 2008 and

2011, when it reached €198 billion.

Nonetheless, the rate of growth has slowed somewhat since. While the period 2008 to 2010 recorded a growth rate of 31 percent per year, the industry has now matured and growth stabilized at a level of 10 percent in 2011.

This figure is still well above global GDP growth.

The report attributes the slowdown in the growth rate to more moderate economic growth in key regions and to significant price

reductions within both solar and wind power, which reduced sales value. The strongest growth was seen in energy efficiency (+22%) and solar cells (+11%).

THE REPORT’S AUTHORS argue that while growth has slowed, the cleantech sector will continue to grow and will eventually outweigh a number of other sectors. In 2015, cleantech will be large enough to compete with the market for equipment for the oil and gas industry.

By then, it is estimated that the value of the cleantech market will reach between € 240 and €290 billion.

The report shows that China is the largest cleantech country in absolute terms. The reasons for China’s success include low labor and capital costs and strongly applied R&D efforts. As a result,

Absolute cleantech ranking Ranking 2011 2010 China United States Germany Japan Brazil Denmark Spain South Korea India France Taiwan United Kingdom Italy Belgium Netherlands Canada Poland Austria Norway Russia Sweden Finland Czech Republic Indonesia Hungary

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (9) (10) (8) (15) (11) (12) (14) (13) (22) (16) (17) (--) (18) (21) (20) (19) (--) (23)

0

15

30

45

60

Figure ”Absolute cleantech ranking” shows the performance of all countries in the absolute country ranking, which measures the sales from manufacturing cleantech.

China is the clear leader, showing remarkable growth of 29% per year. The US holds second place in the absolute ranking, with sales of EUR 37 billion. Germany is number three, and South Korea, Taiwan and India are runners-up.

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GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 11

CLE A NTECH IN CHIN A

Realtive cleantech ranking Ranking 2011 2010 Denmark China Germany Brazil South Korea Czech Republic Spain Slovenia Latvia aiwan T Lithuania Belgium Finland Japan United States India Hungary Norway Poland Austria Netherlands Sweden France Slovakia Bulgaria

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

(1) (2) (3) (4) (8) (6) (7) (-) (11) (15) (5) (10) (13) (12) (17) (16) (19) (--) (14) (9) (18) (23) (20) (21) (26)

0%

1%

2%

3%

Figure “Relative cleantech ranking” shows which economies focus most strongly on cleantech manufacturing. This ranking measures sales as a proportion of the countries’ total economies. In these terms, Denmark remains the global cleantech leader. Though a comparatively small country, Denmark is home to large companies in this sector. China holds second place and is closing in on Denmark.

China has surpassed the EU as the largest region for cleantech manufacturing.

ALTHOUGH US CLEANTECH manufacturing recently grew by 17 percent, it still lies far behind that of China and the EU. According to the report, the US has a strong position in biofuels, in particular, but does not seem to be interested in investing heavily in other industries.

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES have also failed to take advantage of the overall growth. In Europe, the value of cleantech manufacturing has even declined.

The Netherlands experienced a decline of 14 percent, cleantech sales in France fell by 30 percent, and in Spain, sales fell by 9 percent.

The financial crisis continues to affect Europe. The focus of European governments has shifted to other areas and inves-

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tors are more risk-averse than previously, which has directly affected cleantech investment levels.

Denmark and Germany are the exceptions, recording steady sales. Thanks to these two countries, Europe still holds a strong position within wind power.

Denmark, which has long been a leader in wind power, tops the list when comparing income as a percentage of GDP, with Germany in third place.

CLIMATE INNOVATIONS within renewable energy and energy efficiency currently offer major business opportunities. Globally, the industry is now as large as consumer electronics and has grown 4-10 times faster than global GDP growth during the last four years. Cleantech is an important factor in achieving sustainable development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to WWF.

The Five Fastest-growing ­Countries in Cleantech ­Manufacturing for 2011 Taiwan (+36%), China (+29%), India (+19%), South Korea (+19%), USA (+17%) Facts: The Clean Economy, Living Planet Report The report was prepared by ­Roland Berger Strategy Consultants on behalf of WWF, with support from Eneco, Rabobank, and De Lage Landen. Forty countries were covered by the study and 25 were ranked according to their production of renewable ­energy (solar, biofuels, wind ­power, geothermal energy), energy ­efficient technology (lighting, heat pumps, insulation, fuel cells), and e-mobility (batteries, power electronics, etc.). Revenue from com­ponent manufacturing in the supply chain was also included.

The World’s Strongest Regions in Absolute Terms (sales of clean and sustainable energy systems) 1. China – €57 billion, 2. EU – €47 billion, 3. USA – €32 billion

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M A RK BR ZE ZINSK I, U. S. A MBA SSA DOR

■ Mark Brzezinski, U.S ambassador to Sweden visiting an industry. ■

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THE NEW GREEN SAGA The U.S. Embassy in Sweden has a long tradition of cooperation with ­Sweden, focusing on environmental technology development. The reason is simple. ”There is no doubt that Sweden is a pioneer when it comes to ­environmental technology,” says Mark Brzezinski, the U.S. ambassador to Sweden.

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or years the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm has promoted a US-Swedish partnership in alternative energy, environmental technology, and environmental sustainability. Nearly a year ago, Mark Brzezinski became the new ambassador for the United States in Sweden.

“Sweden has reduced its use of oil for energy purposes from 75 to 30 percent since the 1970s and has made many more advances along these lines. Several Swedish cities, such as Växjö and Stockholm, are great examples of how Sweden is working towards creating environmentally cleaner and sustainable cities. The U.S. is also a pioneer and we are proud that cities in Sweden are choosing innovative American technologies within this field. There’s clearly a lot that we can learn from each other when it comes to environmental technology and sustainability planning,” says Ambassador Brzezinski.

In 2007, the earlier ambassador Michael Wood began the “One Big Thing” initiative that promoted green embassies. In 2010 his successor Matthew Barzun developed the cooperation further when he, together with the Swedish government, launched the Swedish American Green Alliance (SAGA).

SAGA IS BASED ON a bilateral agreement and a common vision that it is possible to find solutions and fight climate change, which goes hand in hand with the creation of skilled jobs and economic growth. The framework of SAGA is to encourage new networks and partnerships that provide new business opportunities in environmental technology and research collaborations. SAGA also focuses on the sharing of good examples where the United States and Sweden can make a big difference by working together.

“Since the launch of SAGA two and a half years ago, it has been ac-

complishing what we hoped: increasing collaboration between Sweden and the United States in the fields of energy and environment as well as highlighting what Sweden and the U.S. are doing in terms of environmental sustainability. Over 1,000 articles have been published on the SAGA website and viewers from around the world are able to read about the U.S. and Swedish partnership for clean energy, “says Mark Brzezinski.

SAGA HAS THREE DIFFERENT industry focuses. The first is sustainable construction including energy and water efficiency, heating and cooling, alternative energy, urban planning, renewable materials, and indoor environment. The second is on green infrastructure, such as water and sewage, smart grids, green IT, district heating, and alternative energy sources without relation to green building and sustainable transportation. The third is all about sustainGR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 15

M A RK BR ZE ZINSK I, U. S. A MBA SSA DOR

■ Ambassador Mark Brzezinski feels that Sweden contri­ butes significantly to global efforts towards sustainable development. ■

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■ “SWEDEN HAS REDUCED ITS USE OF OIL FOR E ­ NERGY PURPOSES FROM 75 TO 30 PERCENT SINCE THE 1970’S AND HAS MADE MANY MORE ADVANCES ALONG THESE LINES.” ■

able transportation, such as public transport, freight transport, electric vehicles, biogas, and IT. “IN ADDITION TO WORKING with the private sector, we foster and facilitate partnerships on all levels,” explains ambassador Brzezinski. “For example, the city-to-city cooperation between cities in the U.S. and Sweden was launched by the Embassy, and we see it is now growing and expanding on its own, as is the businessto-business partnerships. What we provide is a platform and support where we are able to contribute. We also invest in the future, and just recently five Swedish students went to five different leading U.S. cities under the REACT U.S. program to look at what these cities are doing in regards to urban sustainability, and they will be incorporating their experiences in their academic studies.”

When it comes to environmental action, Mark Brzezinski says they are not just talking about it. “General

Electric and construction company Skanska are currently completing an HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) and lighting control demonstration project for US Embassy Stockholm’s new conference room. This embassy pilot follows demonstration projects by Honeywell on energy measurement and metering and BetaLED on embassy perimeter LED lighting. In addition, 3M has installed a demonstration window film radiant heat reduction product to reduce heat on the west side of the US Embassy. These showcase innovative new technologies from the United States as well as working with Swedish partners like Skanska,” he says.

AMBASSADOR MARK BRZEZINSKI feels that Sweden contributes significantly to global efforts towards sustainable development. Sweden is at the forefront when it comes to environmental sustainability and clean technology and has a wealth of natural assets, top-notch environmental GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 17

M A RK BR ZE ZINSK I, U. S. A MBA SSA DOR

■ “THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY OF THE UNITED STATES AND SWEDEN WORKING TOGETHER TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WHILE ALSO CREATING GREEN-COLLAR JOBS” ■

technology, and a government that truly cares about the environment and sustainability.

“In fact, many countries look to Sweden as a model for clean energy technology and sustainable urban planning. In May, Sweden helped launch the Global Sustainable Cities Network and I know that in the U.S., cities like Chicago are already learning from Sweden’s sustainable city planning. Along with this, Sweden participates in a number of technical initiatives such as a smart grids program, electric vehicles, and energy-effective products. This is just a glimpse of what Sweden contributes towards global sustainable development. Sweden, like the United States, definitely has a lot to do with contributing to global efforts for sustainable development and this becomes especially powerful when our two countries partner together.”

MARK BRZEZINSKI THINKs that Sweden’s extensive knowledge base for achieving sustainable urban development is what has interested the U.S. and many other countries around the world. “Sweden is particularly far 18 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

ahead in the areas of biogas, secondgeneration biofuels from cellulose, and bio-based district heating.”

In February Mark Brzezinski visited Käppala water treatment plant on the island of Lidingö. “I think the United States can learn a thing or two from these kinds of facilities that exist throughout Sweden. At Käppala environmental thinking is at the center but the sludge is also considered serious business. It actually generates annual revenue of several million dollars a year alone for the biogas.”

ONE TANGIBLE EXAMPLE of Swedish cleantech making it in the United States is a partnership between the City of Flint, Michigan and Linköpingcompany Swedish Biogas. A couple of years back, the embassy brought these partners together and the joint venture resulted in a waste-to-energy plant being built in Flint. “This is a success story of the United States and Sweden working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also creating green-collar jobs. These have been priorities of President Obama ever since he assumed office in 2009,” says Mark Brzezinski.

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Project Manager

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2012-09-13 16.08

5 TRE TRE NDS

1_____________________Solar Cells. The interest in solar cells is increasing again. The price of solar cells has fallen by almost 50 percent over the last five years and appears as if it will continue to fall. One reason for this is that the price of the semiconductor material silicon has dropped dramatically. In Germany, for example, the use of electricity generated by solar cells has increased, despite that fact the subsidies have decreased.

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ENDS – THAT ARE CHANGING THE WORLD

2.___________________Biogas. Sweden has come a long way in its biogas production and is an international leader in purifying biogas for use as a vehicle fuel. The rest of the world is focusing mainly on using biogas for energy production. In Sweden, many public transport buses already run on biogas.

4.___________________Cars. The competition is already in full swing. Which car manufacturer will emerge as the victor in the green car race? All manufacturers agree that vehicle emissions must be cut, but which technology will be the winner commercially? Hybrid, electrical, or perhaps fuel cell cars?

3___________________Sustainable Urban Development Across the globe, urbanization is progressing at a rapid pace. In 50 years’ time, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban environments.

This shift will place huge demands on the way the world’s urban areas are designed. Much progress is already being made, but the transition needs to happen quickly in both existing cities and new areas.

4________________IT. What ever happened to Green IT? Interest in the link between IT and the environment seems to be declining. Is it the state of the global economy that has slowed progress or has interest simply shifted to other areas? Whatever the case may be, it is clear that the hype surrounding Green IT seems to have faded.

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 21

GLOBA L CLE A NTECH INNOVATION

Sweden Top Three in Global Cleantech Innovation Index

Sweden is third best in the world in promoting cleantech, according to a global ranking by WWF and the Cleantech Group. Denmark leads the ­ranking, followed by Israel.

“Promoting entrepreneurship and growth with environmental innovations will become increasingly important for countries’ competitiveness in the international arena,” said Stefan Henningson, climate expert at WWF.

FACTS: ”Coming Clean: The Global Cleantech ­Innovation Index 2012” In Coming Clean: The Global Cleantech Innovation Index 2012, the Cleantech Group and WWF looks at where entrepreneurial cleantech companies are growing today, reasons for where they will spring-up over the coming years, and which countries are falling above and below the curve for fostering cleantech innovation.

Thirty-eight countries were evaluated on 15 indicators related to the creation and commercial­ ization of cleantech start-ups, generating an index measuring each one’s potential, relative to their economic size, to produce entrepreneurial cleantech startup companies and commercialize clean technology innovations over the next 10 years.

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and Finland. These countries all have small economies, and while they are the source of much innovation, they have less ability to scale-up companies. These small countries need innovative approaches and collaboration to compensate for the lack of large domestic markets and inconsistent availability of finance throughout a company’s lifecycle.

■ Stefan Henningson, climate expert at WWF Swedent. ■

T

he four top scoring countries in the report Coming Clean: The Global Cleantech Innovation Index 2012 were Denmark, Israel, Sweden

“THIS INDEX SHOWS that several countries are on the right track, but clearly much more needs to be done if we are to properly address climate change and achieve a transition towards a global 100 percent renewable future,” said Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s Global Climate and Energy Initiative. “The overwhelming majority of capital required for making the transition to a low-carbon future will come from a variety of private sources.

Developing a working recipe for

strengthening the flow of public-private finance towards early as well as later stage cleantech is key for countries that want to taste the economic success of cleantech.”

THE US PLACED FIFTH IN THE INDEX. However, in absolute terms, without factoring in economic size, the United States leads in many measures of cleantech innovation. The country has the greatest public cleantech R&D budget, the greatest number of cleantech start-ups and investors, and the

most venture capital, private equity, and M&A deals in cleantech.

However, the Asia Pacific region performs well when it comes to scaling up entrepreneurial cleantech companies to wider commercial s­ uccess and revenue creation.

While currently seeing fewer emerging cleantech start-ups and placing 13th, China leads in cleantech manufacturing, is strong in earlystage growth, and shows potential to produce more early stage innovation in the future.

The country is rapidly gaining access to funding due to success in raising money for cleantech-focused funds. Additionally, China has been home to the majority of cleantech IPOs since 2009, many of which listed on the recently established ChiNext board of the Shenzhen stock­exchange.

Similarly, India scores 12th but is performing well in fund raising towards cleantech focused funds and has much activity in later stage cleantech companies.

The report about Sweden: Sweden has especially strong general innovation inputs, good public R&D funding, and a relatively large number of cleantech organizations. The country has lots of evidence of emerging cleantech innovation, producing many environmental patents, seeing relatively high levels of VC investments over the last two years, and being home to a number of high-impact cleantech start-ups. In commercialized cleantech, Sweden has high scores for renewable energy consumption, later-stage deals, and a good density of public cleantech companies. However, the country has below average cleantech company revenues.

Denmark Israel SWEDEN Finland USA Germany Canada South Korea Ireland UK Norway India China Netherlands Switzerland Australia Austria Belgium France Japan Spain Hungary Czech Republic Portugal Brazil Argentina Italy South Africa Slovenia Poland Indonesia Mexico Bulgaria Romania Greece Turkey Saudi Arabia Russia

3,4

2,1

2,3

2,5

3 2,9 2,8 2,7 2,7 2,7 2,6 2,6

3,6

4

3,8

4,1 4,1

4,7

3,3 3,2 3,2 3,1

2 2 1,9 1,9 1,8 1,8 1,7

1,1

1,5 1,5

1

0,7 0

1,4 1,4 1,3 1,2

1

2

3

4

5

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 23

CLE A NTECH S WE DE N

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THE KEY TO SWEDISH CLEANTECH There are a number of resources you can access if your business is searching for up-and-coming, highly skilled cleantech partners in Sweden. One of the most important is Invest Sweden, Sweden’s official investment promotion agency. Another is umbrella organization Asset.

I

nvest Sweden connects international companies with business opportunities in Sweden and offers comprehensive, one-stop investment consultancy services free of charge.

“Whether you’re interested in accessing new markets or technologies, establishing new operations, expanding your existing business, or finding companies for acquisition or partnership, Invest Sweden can help you every step of the way. Our job is to ensure that your business in Sweden is as successful as possible,” says Sten Engström, Head of Cleantech at Invest Sweden.

SINCE 1996, Invest Sweden and its experts have assisted approximately 2,000 international companies to do business in Sweden.

Engström points out that the agency’s strength lies in its experienced team of business professio­nals.

“They have solid corporate backgrounds in sectors like automotive, cleantech, ICT, life sciences, and materials, as well as in a wide range of service industries. Investors can rely on our advanced knowledge of industries in which Sweden enjoys specific competitive advantages,” Engström continues.

Headquartered in Stockholm, Invest Sweden also has offices in China, Japan, India, Brazil, and the US. The

Useful contacts for finding business partners in Sweden • Invest Sweden www.investsweden.se.

• Business Region Göteborg www.businessregion.se • Cleantech Inn Sweden www.cleantechinn.se • Cleantech Uppsala www.uppsala.se • Cleantech Östergötland www.cleantechostergotland.se • Kompetensspridning i Umeå AB www.umea.se • Stiftelsen Teknikdalen www.teknikdalen.se • Stockholm Cleantech www.smtc.se • Sustainable Sweden South East www.sustainable-sweden.se • Sustainable Business Hub www.sbhub.se • Sustainable Business Mälardalen www.susbiz.se • Swedish Environmental ­Technology (SET) www.swedishenvirontech.com • Varim www.varim.org

agency also works closely with Swedish embassies and consulates worldwide, as well as with an extensive regional network within Sweden.

“This gives us a unique spectrum

■ Sten Engström, Head of Cleantech at Invest Swedeng. ■

of contacts to help you get your business up and running quickly.”

ENGSTRÖM POINTS OUT that Invest Sweden also helps businesses with all types of queries–from general questions about rules for establishing a business and employing foreign personnel, to more specific needs.

“Questions can cover everything from subsidies for green electricity to the names of companies working with LED technology, and of consultants with knowledge about CE certification for wind turbines,” he concludes.

Another way of finding cleantech companies to invest in is through umbrella organization ASSET and its network.

ASSET consists of national and regional organizations working to promote cleantech as a business ­opportunity and to help companies in the cleantech field.

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 25

V ISIT S

That’s why the whole world want Swedish greentech The following are some examples of international delegations that have studied Swedish cleantech solutions.

INTEREST FROM VIETNAM An example of visitors with serious interest in Swedish cleantech is a delegation from the Thai Nguyen region of Vietnam, which visited Linköping.

“We knew that Sweden has good cleantech and, through the Swedish embassy in Hanoi, we found out that Linköping is a city that uses modern technology to process waste. We’re very impressed by what we’ve seen so far,” says Duong Ngoc Long, Chairman of the Board of what can be described as the regional association in Thai Nguyen.

The Thai Nguyen region includes a city of 400,000 residents from which a large amount of garbage is transported to landfills outside the city on a daily basis. The amount of waste in landfill is now so great that it needs to be processed and the energy it contains extracted.

CENTEC–the Center for Environmental Technology–at Sweden’s embassy in Peking, via the embassy in Hanoi, mediated contact with the Vietnamese guests.

Among other sites, the Vietnamese delegation has inspected the 26 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

Tekniska Verken company’s waste incineration operations at its Gärstad plant in Linköping, Svensk Biogas’s facility in Linköping, and biogas extraction from waste at Häradsudden in the city of Norrköping.

It has also studied a biogas reactor developed in the town of Finspång. The program was arranged by Cleantech Östergötland, in cooperation with Linköping and Norrköping municipalities.

CLEANTECH IN SKÅNE COUNTY Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Benny Dagan, has visited Malmö Cleantech City together with a cleantech delegation led by Professor Eilon M. Adar.

The ambassador and delegation met with representatives from several Skåne County cleantech companies to discuss expanded exchange and future collaboration that would benefit both parties. The hosts for the visit were County Governor Göran Tunhammar, the Skåne County Administrative Board, and Region Skåne.

“Cleantech can strengthen cooperation between Israel and Skåne County. Skåne has many interesting cleantech companies and a very successful university for research

and higher education. A cooperative agreement would be in both our interests,” says Dagan.

WASTE MANAGEMENT TO CHINA A delegation from Guandong Province, China, has visited Gästrikland Province to learn more about waste management.

“There is major interest abroad in the way Sweden and this region have handled waste management issues,” says Thomas Nylund, CEO of Gästrike Återvinnare.

Gästrike Återvinnare’s aim is to export the knowledge we have here in the region, which has been further strengthened by the cleantech recycling and water program offered at the University of Gävle.

“We’re working on an export concept we call “Infra Service Management” together with power companies Gävle Energi and Sandviken Energi, as well as private businesses. The initiative receives support from the Chamber of Commerce of Central Sweden and will hopefully lead to increased exports, growth, and employment here in our region,” Nylund adds.

TECHNIC A L V ISIT S

SWEDISH ­CLEANTECH – THE MUST SEE’S THAT YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS Showcasing cleantech, system solutions, and expertise is important in ­finding new export opportunities. Every region of Sweden has interesting cleantech worth seeing.

I

nternationally, Sweden is seen as at the forefront of several clean technologies. To grow Swedish cleantech exports even more, though, Sweden’s expertise needs an opportunity to be shown off.

Technical visits are an important part of marketing Swedish cleantech to international buyers because they make both the technology and expertise accessible.

According to an estimate by Swentec–the Swedish Environmental Technology Council–from 2010, Sweden is hosting at least 100,000 visitors a year through different technical visits and informational programs.

The Stockholm region receives the most visitors, and the visitors are interested in seeing cleantech

companies, municipalities, and urban development areas.

“EXPANDING TECHNICAL VISITS and associated efforts offers excellent opportunities and more and more people are realizing this fact,” says Johan Strandberg, Project Manager for Stockholm Cleantech’s new portal envirosweden.se.

Strandberg feels that, though we have been receiving visitors for a long time, we still have insufficient capacity. Envirosweden will now try to gather all of Sweden’s technical visits and guest programs in one place, in order to simplify things for potential visitors.

“Right now we’re building a common database and have created a tool that makes it easier to book and ad-

minister visits,” Strandberg explains.

The report Miljöteknik på besök - Effekter och värden från technical visits i Stockholmsregionen (trans.: Cleantech Visits–the Effects and Value of Technical Visits in the Stockholm Region), which was compiled for IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, names Hammarby Sjöstad– with its 13,000 visitors a year– as Stockholm’s number one attraction for visitors.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, Stockholm is Sweden’s most popular visitor destination because a number of cleantech companies have their main offices there and because many small innovation-intensive cleantech start-ups are also located in the region. Moreover, the Swedish Royal GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 27

TECHNIC A L V ISIT S

■ ARenova’s waste-fuelled heat and power plant at Sävenäs supplies 30 percent of the district heating and 5 percent of the electricity to Gothenburg. ■

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Institute of Technology–with its research into cleantech–is also located in Stockholm. There are also large-scale plants in the region that are able to demonstrate cleantech systems, making the value of the various parts within the innovation system more apparent. Stockholm is also the seat of government departments, public authorities, and administrations, which are also important parts within the cleantech system.

GOTHENBURG AND VÄXJÖ are two other regions that have made clear efforts to promote themselves as technical visit destinations. In Gothenburg, the Green Gothenburg organization is working to promote study visits linked to the city’s work on environmental issues and sustainable development. In the Gothenburg region, biogas is the main drawing card for visitors, followed by district heating/cooling, waste management, urban development, and renewable energy. Green Gothenburg works together with Business Region Göteborg, which is generally responsible for the promotion and sales of western Swedish cleantech.

IN VÄXJÖ, the Sustainable Småland organization promotes technical visits to the region.

The city receives many visitors who are interested in its environmental work and investment in bioenergy.

The decision to establish Växjö as a fossil fuel-free city and the work to achieve this objective attract many international visitors.

Visitors come from around the world, with approximately 30 percent coming from China. Over and above these three regions, other Swedish locations like Malmö, Umeå, Östergötland County, the Mälardalen region, Kalmar, and Dalarna County also offer technical visits and guest programs.

■ Hammarby sjöstad in Stockholm. ■

■ Limnologen in Växjö is a good example of the current status of Swedish timber engineering. ■ GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 29

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Jämtkraft stands for intelligent charging and rapid charging, a combination that provides numerous opportunities for companies and public authorities who want to build their own or public charging stations. Building charging infrastructure costs money, so investments need to be made correctly – and new technology has made this simple.

JämtkrAft hAs built an intelligent charging station in Östersund, and northern Europe’s first rapid charging station by one of the city’s shopping centres, important elements in the charging infrastructure that is being built from coast to coast, between Sundsvall and Trondheim – the Green Highway. This means rapid charging and intelligent charging, using technology that goes hand in glove with the technology supplied by vehicle manufacturers.

The solutions are based on the car’s equipment, which is necessary for the system to be available to ordinary car owners – and for it to reach the wider public. “our point of vieW is that charging infrastructure must follow the ideas of the car manufacturers. The opportunity to charge the car must be available when consumers are ready to buy electric cars. How can they otherwise drive their new cars?” says Mikael Hagman, Jämtkraft.

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JÄMTK

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120 years’ experience of producing electricity from renewable sources. A strong financial foundation and top quality expertise allow Jämtkraft to continue to make long-term investments in wind power.

In the autumn of 2012, Jämtkraft opened the Sjisjka Wind farm in Gällivare Municipality, in partnership with Skanska Infrastructure Development and O2 Vind. The farm has 30 turbines and it is calculated that it will produce 200 GWh, which is equivalent to the power consumption of around 43,000 households.

“We Are finding that the wind power construction boom is tailing off, and that the power market is changing, but the best projects with good wind conditions and opportunities for connections to the national grid can still be built.

Jämtkraft is a stable partner with great experience, grid expertise and strong financing. We are always interested in

projects with potential,” says Tommy Borgh, who is a manager for electrical power production. He highlights Jämtkraft’s strengths: • Operations centres that are manned 24/7, with control, optimisation and monitoring for wind turbines.

• Grid expertise and resources for monitoring and troubleshooting in the collection and distribution grids.

• Price hedging for electrical production to manage the risks that arise in a fluctuating market.

• Resources for constructing wind farm infrastructure.

“We Are Also interested in acquiring wind farms that have been operating for a few years,” continues Tommy Borgh. “Ones where we can see that we can increase returns by optimising operations and actively managing power production. We also have cost-effective solutions. We are happy to work with every stage of the process from building the wind farms to operating, controlling and monitoring wind turbines.”

Another interesting project that has got underway is Jämtkraft’s and Skanska Infrastructure Development’s joint investment in Mullberg Wind Farm. This

new farm is close to the village of Rätan in Berg Municipality. The wind farm will have a maximum of 31 wind turbines with a combined output of 78 MW. The wind farm will be operational in the autumn of 2013.

JämtkrAft intends to continue working on the production of electricity from renewable sources – for at least the next 120 years.

”

We are happy to work with every stage of the process from building the wind farms to operating, controlling and monitoring wind turbines.

G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 3 GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 31

CLE A NTECH E XPOR T

The recent financial crisis has had a dampening effect on international investment. Despite this fact, interest in cleantech continues strong. In Sweden, cleantech exports have also continued to grow. “We are seeing a steadily growing interest in Swedish cleantech,” says Håkan Dahlfors, Director of Energy and ­Environmental Technology at the Swedish Trade Council.

The secret of ­ Swedish growth

S

wedish environmental sector exports have seen strong growth and have increased faster than Swedish exports in general between 2003 and 2010. Sweden’s most important export partner throughout the period was Germany.

“Germany will be a very interesting market to watch in the future. It’s already our largest export market and its decision to phase out nuclear power will likely lead to even more opportunities for Swedish companies,” says Dahlfors.

Other important export countries are Norway, Denmark, and China.

THE SWEDISH TRADE COUNCIL recently conducted a study in which it analyzed the cleantech market in 62 countries and asked questions about exports to 300 Swedish cleantech companies. The study was intended to provide data that will support a 100 percent increase in Swedish cleantech exports.

“The Swedish Government asked us for a survey of the world’s most promising markets and places where Swedish companies could increase their exports,” Dahlfors explains.

The Swedish cleantech industry consisted of 12,309 companies in 2010, according to the Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis.

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The majority of these are small and medium-sized enterprises.

“Our study shows that many small businesses are looking to expand into nearby markets. Were they to decide to export, their primary focus would be the Nordic countries and, to some extent, the rest of Europe,” says Dahlfors.

OF COURSE, there are several reasons for this. One is that Swedish companies’ solutions are adapted to suit Swedish conditions, and this fact determines which export markets are of interest. Another is that it is too big a challenge to try to enter immature markets, combined with the fact that small businesses need to see quick returns on their export efforts.

Not surprisingly, the 62-country analysis showed that the most interesting markets are those where decisions have been made to invest in the environment at the political level.

“Cleantech solutions are needed all over the world. Even so, it is not always possible to export to any given country because of the prevailing financial situation and the maturity of the market,” Dahlfors explains.

ACCORDING TO the Swedish Trade Council’s study, South Korea, Turkey, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates are examples of

markets that interviewed companies mentioned as being of interest.

“At the same time, we definitely haven’t reached our maximum potential for exports to our neighboring markets and to the rest of Europe,” says Dahlfors.

IN THE LONGER TERM, there are also other markets that may become interesting for Swedish cleantech companies. These include Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria.

“But these are immature markets that are still very complex,” Dahlfors adds.

THE BRIC COUNTRIES (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) are already interesting cleantech markets.

“In these countries, it is mainly larger companies that lie at the forefront,” he explains.

Håkan Dahlfors picks out Russia as an Eastern European country where awareness of the need for environmental initiatives has increased.

“As individual markets, the countries of Eastern Europe are small, but together, they are definitely an interesting market for Swedish cleantech companies. They have about the same climate and similar infrastructure to what we have here in Sweden,” he concludes.

■ “Cleantech solutions are needed all over the world. says Håkan Dahlfors, Director of Energy and Environmental technology at the Swedish Trade Council. ■

The Top Ten Recipients of Swedish Cleantech Exports in 2010, in millions of kronor 1 Germany 5,590 2 Norway 4,507 3 Denmark 2,307 4 China 2,285 5 Finland 1,927 6 USA 1,817 7 Great Britain 1,457 8 France 1,352 9 Spain 1,321 10 Italy 1,161

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 33

SK F – IK E A – H&M – E LEC TROLUX – VOLVO

34 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

SKF TAKING ­IMPACT BEYOND ZERO We have interviewed five major Swedish companies about the importance of cleantec. For SKF, working with energy savings and environmental issues is nothing new. ”SKF’s core business is focused on energy efficiency by ­reducing ­friction. As early as the end of 1990 we developed a lifecycle ­management strategy and it’s now an important part of our BeyondZero portfolio,” says Magnus Fors, SKF Sustainability Manager, Industrial ­Marketing.

GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 35

SKF – IKEA – H & M – ELECTROLUX – VOLVO

H

e describes the work with BeyondZero as a way of thinking, innovating and acting. With BeyondZero, SKF aims to go further than offsetting the environmental impact. Furthermore, he emphasises that the people of today’s SKF see themselves as knowledge engineers, which is an important driving force in the way SKF develops technology and solutions, like the BeyondZero portfolio.

The impact of this thinking has been profound for SKF. Since 2006, their business has grown by 25 percent while energy consumption was reduced by 10 percent. “After all, why stop at zero when we at SKF have the knowledge, innovation, and willpower to go further.

We want to be a key player to drive the industry into thinking and acting in terms of lifecycles. Change is driven by knowledge and by applying our knowledge we can make a change in the industry,” Mr. Fors concludes.

IKEA’S GOAL IS TO BE FORERUNNERS ”Our goal is to be forerunners in four areas: energy, recycling, sustainable raw materials, and operating conditions. Our business model is to make sustainable products affordable for as many people as possible.

We do it by making products like LED light bulbs and induction cookers affordable. Both of these significantly reduce home energy use. By the end of FY15, all home furnishing materials, including packaging, will be made either from renewable, recyclable, or recycled materials. Sustainability

36 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

should not be a luxury for the middle class in western countries, it must be accessible to everyone and it must be affordable.”

Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer for the IKEA Group H&M IS MINIMIZING ITS ­ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ”It is important for us to use natural resources responsibly. The use of more sustainable technologies is a significant part of minimizing environmental impact in our value chain.

Since we buy our products fr4om independent suppliers it is crucial for us to transfer the knowledge and technology to our supply chain, where large environmental impacts occur.

One successful example of this is our improved water-management process in denim production that saved 300 million liters of water in 2011.”

Mikael Blommé, Environmental ­Sustainability Manager at H&M. VOLVO STAYS COMPETITIVE THROUGH ENVIRONMENT ­TECHNOLOGY

”The Volvo Group is a provider of trucks, buses, construction equipment, and marine and industrial engines for efficient transport solutions.

Our customers request products with the most efficient technology, fulfilling the stringiest emission requirements to enable use in restricted areas and to fulfill their customers’ expectations. To have the latest environmental technology in our products is of vital importance in staying competitive on the market.”

Inge Horkeby, Director ­Environmental Affairs, Volvo Group ELECTROLUX IS DRIVING ENERGY DEVELOPMENT “Electrolux’s best fridges today consume approximately 70% less energy than the standard fridge 15 years ago. Environmental technology made this development possible. We need technology and innovation to find solutions to the issues and opportunities facing the planet. The business must drive that development.”

Keith McLoughlin, President and CEO of Electrolux

HYBRICON Arctic Whisper (HAW) Is the worlds fIrst all electrIc bus buIlt for both the cold NordIc clImate, aNd hot clImates.

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• a range extender for fuel of your choice • modularized construction for fast service Winner of the Future Transport And most of all: a QUIET ride without Award 2011

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GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 37

INNOVATOR AND ENTREPRENEUR

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE She is both an innovator and a successful entrepreneur, and also serves as a source of inspiration for others. ”I sometimes feel a bit like a philosopher who likes to identify major ­problems, and I also have a gift that lets me see what the market needs,” says Christina Lampe-Önnerud, founder of Boston Power.

“I SOMETIMES FEEL a bit like a philosopher who likes to identify major problems, and I also have a gift that lets me see what the market needs,” says Christina Lampe-Önnerud, founder of Boston Power.

Lampe-Önnerud is the chemist who took her idea for an environmentally friendly lithium-ion battery and used it to start the Boston Power company from her garage in 2005.

In a short time, she developed the world’s first and only eco-labeled lithium-ion batteries for computers, electric vehicles, and other applications.

“MY MOTIVATION is that I’m passionate about environmental issues and, what’s more, when people say 38 | G R EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN

that something is impossible, it just inspires me even more,” says LampeÖnnerud.

Today, Boston Power employs about 450 staff in the US and Asia.

Based out of Boston, production takes place in Taiwan and on the outskirts of Shanghai.

Lampe-Önnerud has recently transitioned from Head of Operations to International Chairman. One reason for this is that the company’s operations in China require a president who is on-site much of the time.

“We are currently in an expansion phase in India and China that requires considerable time and effort.

I want to take a step back and focus on what actually got me to start the company in the first place–develop-

ing solutions to tomorrow’s environmental problems.

LAMPE-ÖNNERUD also wants to devote more time to participating in the global discussion about future environmental challenges. She is often asked to hold lectures at events around the world, during which she passionately and eloquently shares her insights into battery technology, climate change, and sustainable development.

“I simply believe that you have to get involved and that environmental issues are so complex and large that they require cooperation, and that everyone with expertise can participate and contribute to development,” she explains.

■ “Christina Lampe-Önnerud, founder of Boston Power. ■

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INNOVATOR AND ENTREPRENEUR

Lampe-Önnerud believes that we are living during a very exciting period that could one day be called the “cleantech revolution”.

“You rarely notice a technology revolution when you’re in the middle of one, but I’m convinced that, eventually, people will come to call this period of time the cleantech revolution,” she says.

EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT economically and environmentally, both in the short- and long-term, by getting involved and driving the cleantech revolution forward.

“There are so very many entrepreneurs and financiers who want to invest and even the average person now knows that we have to change our way of life,” she says.

And the cleantech market has great potential. Market analyses indicate that the cleantech industry could exceed $250 billion in value by 2020.

One example of cleantech developments highlighted by LampeÖnnerud is electric cars.

“We are often quick to criticize ourselves, but the development of electric cars has actually happened very quickly. Today, all major automakers produce electric vehicles and this is one example that shows that people have accepted that we need to change our ways,” she explains.

Boston Power’s lithium-ion battery is now used by two Chinese customers within the automotive industry.

“We have demonstrated that

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change is possible, and I’m proud that we have contributed a small part towards solving future environmental problems.

Lampe-Önnerud believes that Sweden has excellent opportunities to play an important role in the cleantech revolution.

“For the cleantech revolution to succeed, we must cooperate across borders and implement new system solutions that are already available today, in fact. Sweden has a unique opportunity in this transition, with its talented innovators, robust systems approach, and gen­ uine interest in other cultures,” she concludes.

WHEN LAMPE-ÖNNERUD STARTED her business from her garage, she had extensive research experience within the battery industry, but limited experience as an entrepreneur.

“I believe in collaboration and in the basic goodness of human beings.

If it feels right, then it probably is right,” she says.

After three years of work, Boston Power was able to present a battery ready for the commercial market.

Lampe-Önnerud says that, in truth, Boston Power did not really encounter any major problems along the way, but that, naturally, it did face numerous challenges that required a lot of work to overcome.

“It’s very much about getting others who support your idea on board and about not being afraid to cooperate. If you do that, everything goes much faster,” she says.

Facts: Before Christina LampeÖnnerud founded Boston Power, she was one of the youngest people ever to be appointed partner at Arthur D. Little/TIAX, where she was responsible for the company’s globally renowned battery labs and defined strategies for the world’s top chemical and battery organizations.

With about 80 patents in various stages, Christina Lampe-Önnerud has received a number of awards.

She is also a lifelong member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering, has been named Mass TLC 2010 Private Company CEO of the Year, has been appointed to the 2010 Technology Pioneer World Economic Forum, and received the 2010 Sustainable Leadership Award.

■ Boston-Power’s first product, Sonata® is the longest-lasting, fastest charging, safest and most environmentally sustainable lithium-ion battery currently ­available in the market.

NEWS IN BRIEF

FILTER REDUCES SILICA DUST AND ­DICHLOROMETHAN BY 50 PERCENT ■ New tests have shown that Swedish-made

Levande Filters are highly effective. The tests were conducted in asphalt manufacturer Peab Asfalt’s lab in Sundsvall in Sweden. Consultancy firm ÅF performed the tests in a normal work environment and noted that the levels of silica dust and dichloromethan fell by 50 percent after Levande Filters were installed. ■ JÄMTKRAFT ESTABLISHES ­ECO-FUND ■ Swedish power com-

pany Jämtkraft has set up an eco-fund using earmarked funds. The fund will help finance measures to protect and revive valuable but threatened biological areas currently.

“Sustainable solutions promoting biodiversity must be prioritized based on a holistic view and in a more comprehensive way than what we as a single power company can achieve. The eco-fund gives us the opportunity to do just that,” says Jämtkraft’s managing director, Anders Ericsson.

Jämtkraft has donated an initial SEK 2 million to the fund and will continue to annually donate money taken from excess funds generated by customers who choose clearly identified renewable sources of energy. ■ SWEDISH TECHNOLOGY BUILT ON CHINESE FOUNDATION ■ Swedish companies HM Power AB and Innovatum AB have signed a letter of intent with Chinese power company China Power International to prepare the construction of a floating wind turbine foundation prototype in western Sweden.

HM Power has spent five years developing a concept that will produce cost-effective wind power at sea.

“We’re happy that Swedish cleantech has been given the chance to develop into a global product with the help of Chinese capital,” said Bertil Moritz, CEO at HM Power AB, and Innovatum AB’s managing director, Tore Helmersson, in a joint statement. ■

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HOTLIST

THE CLEANTECH HOTLIST

Five Hot Swedish Cleantech Companies

Harnessing Underground Energy

Swedish company SEEC, in partnership with Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology and the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, has developed a solution for storing, accessing and recharging geothermal energy. SEEC’s geothermal energy storage system inserts excess heat generated during the summer months into bore holes in the ground.

This heat is then used to warm indoor settings during the winter. The system can also be reversed to store cold and reduces energy consumption by between 70 and 90 percent. SEEC was named one of WWF’s 2011 “Climate Solvers” on the basis of its eco-friendly technology.

Better and Cheaper LEDs with Nano Technology Ecospark uses new technology to create LED lighting products with zinc oxide semiconductors and nanowires. The new technology produces high quality LEDs. The low-temperature manufacturing methods allow for large-scale production at a fraction of the cost of conventional LEDs. Ecospark’s proprietary ZnO nanowire technology is applicable in several other major fields, like solar cells, opto­ electronics, life sciences, and bioscience.

Green Air Conditioning

ClimateWell’s indoor climate solution eliminates the need for oil, electricity, and gas in indoor climate solutions. ClimateWell earned a spot on the Global Cleantech 100 list in 2011, and also ranked among Europe’s and Israel’s top ten cleantech companies. The company’s innovation is basically a heat pump that stores energy and converts hot water into cooling and heating energy without electricity, thanks to its patented triple-state absorption technology.

Self-sufficient Base Stations

Flexenclosure has won a number of prizes and distinctions for its E-site solution, which powers cell phone base stations in developing countries using renewable energy. This past summer the company made Sustainia100, a list of the world’s 100 most sustainable innovations. The list was presented at the UN’s Rio+20 con-ference. E-site primarily uses wind and solar to power base stations and has the potential to reduce diesel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from each base station by up to 95 percent.

Recycling Metalsfrom Water

ChemseQ has developed a unique method for recovering metals from water. The company made the dis­covery when helping pulp mills to eliminate metal in production water that reduced paper quality. The solution also avoids additives that deactivate the metals while being released into water systems. ChemseQ’s innovation can also extract valuable metals from residual waste and has other appli­cations.

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HARD RAIN/WHOLE EARTH? Aligning human systems and natural systems Mark Edwards Lloyd Timberlake

The original exhibition, Hard Rain: Our headlong collision with nature, highlights the interconnected problems of climate change, poverty, the wasteful use of resources, population expansion, habitat destruction and species loss.

Whole Earth? Is a continuance of the original exhibition and presents solutions to the challenges set out in Hard Rain.

The new exhibition is designed to inspire change in the public and encourage politicians and business leaders to take bold, long-term decisions to avoid the disasters that appear increasingly imminent.

Hard Rain: Whole Earth is designed by photographer Mark Edwards with support from Sida. Mark Edwards has photographed people and places in 150 countries worldwide. Associated texts are written by Lloyd Timberlake. Sida Partnership Forum will also arrange seminars with host municipalities and Swedish actors in local and global development.

Upcoming exhibition venues: Sundsvall: Stora Torget, 28/9– 26/10 Nacka: Sickla Köpkvarter, Dieselverkstaden, 15/10 –15/11 Read more at: www.sida.se/spf www.hardrainproject.com

S WE DISH CLE A NTECH

A GUIDE TO:

SWEDISH CLEANTECH Environmental technology is an industry undergoing brisk development both in Sweden and globally.

At many locations all over Sweden new innovations are being created, technical solutions are being 足developed and smart systems are being packaged.

Here we give you an industry review with interesting Swedish

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A IR PURIFIC ATION

Green flights provided from the departure gate at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport to the arrival gate at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Thanks to modern technology and expanded cooperation, CO2 emissions caused by air travel can now be ­reduced by 100–165 kg per flight.

GREEN FLIGHTS FROM GATE TO GATE

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sing the latest GPSbased RNP-AR (Required Navigation PerformanceAuthorization Required) technique, approach paths to landing strips can now be curved and shortened. The navigation technique offers a very high degree of precision and makes possible more energy-efficient approaches that minimize fuel consumption, reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, in particular.

“We have worked to achieve a more effective air space for many years. These efforts have included everything from shortening flight paths to timing flights better. For us, it’s important to help create efficient flights with as little environmental impact as possible ” explains Thomas Allard, Director General of Air Navigation Services of Sweden (LFV).

EXPERIMENTS with the new green flights are being conducted as a joint project within the industry called Green Connection. The first trials of green flights are between Sweden’s two largest airports. After taking off from Gothenburg Landvetter Airport, planes are allowed to climb as fast as their designs will allow until they reach cruising altitude. Once there, they take the shortest possible route travelling at optimum speed to Stockholm Arlanda. During the flight, the

plane constantly communicates its calculated flight path in four dimensions (longitude, latitude, height, and time). This information is analyzed and compared with the plane’s actual flight path, which makes it possible to increase the accuracy of the arrival time.

“Our goal is to reduce our 2005 emission levels by 20 percent by 2015, adjusted for traffic growth”, says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of Scandinavian Airline (SAS).

GREEN APPROACHES have been used at Stockholm Arlanda Airport since 2009. The technique involves pilots gliding with their plane’s motors

More interesting on air purification: 1. Biorecro AB 2. Opcons 3. Läckeby Water AB 4. Kavansa AB

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idling from cruising altitude down to the very last stage of the approach. In 2010, a new RNP-AR approach procedure that makes a curved approach to Arlanda’s third runway possible was introduced.

Now, a second curved and shortened RNP-AR approach procedure has been introduced for Arlanda’s runway 26, which will result in a much shorter path.

“If we succeed in applying the latest navigation techniques in full, then the flight path reduction at Swedavia’s airports over the course of a year would equal the length of 25 flights around the world,” says Torborg Chetkovich, President and CEO at Swedavia.

Facts: Green Connection The Green Connection project is led by LFV and is conducted in cooperation with Swedavia, SAS, GE Aviation, and Rockwell Collins.

The project is co-financed by SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) and is part of the transatlantic cooperative project AIRE (Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emission). Its purpose is to increase the capacity of European airspace, reduce the environmental impact of air traffic, and halve the cost of air traffic services by 2020.

WATE R & WA S TE WATE R

Significantly more pharmaceutical residues can be removed from wastewater using activated carbon than has previously been demonstrated by Swedish tests. In fact, up to 98 percent of the residue currently released into the Baltic Sea by the Henriksdal treatment plant in Stockholm can be removed at a reasonable cost. This is according to the results of new tests on the effective use of activated carbon conducted by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

ACTIVATED CARBON REMOVES PHARMACEUTICALS FROM WASTEWATER

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reating wastewater ­using activated carbon and oxidation using ozone are techniques that have been tested by Stockholm Vatten, among others, to remove pharmaceutical residues. Oxidation using ozone has proven to be somewhat less effective at lower ozone levels, and while the method works better at higher ozone levels, toxic by-products can sometimes be formed in the process. In contrast, using activated carbon has no adverse effects other than financial effects, as the method has proven to be significantly more expensive than oxidation.

USING THE MODIFIED METHOD developed by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, the capacity of activated carbon was improved by 500 percent compared with the results of Stockholm Vatten’s tests. This brought down the cost of treatment using activated carbon to approximately the same level as that of ozone purification.

The IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute has conducted tests using granular activated carbon columns at Hammarby Sjöstadsverk, a test facility for wastewater treatment. The tests studied around twenty pharmaceuticals that commonly pass through the regular treatment process to investigate how

to improve wastewater treatment.

Some substances present in slightly higher concentrations in already treated wastewater were tracked over a longer period: metoprolol and propranolol, used in antihypertension medications; oxazepam, used in antianxiety medications; carbamazepine, used in the treatment of epilepsy; and the antidepressant citalopram. The analysis shows that just 20-25 grams of activated carbon per cubic meter of water can capture 90-98 percent of the pharmaceutical residues that are currently released from the treatment plant in Henriksdal.

This is also true of a large number of

other pharmaceuticals included in the study, such as the often-discussed compounds diclofenac (anti-inflammatory) and trimethoprim (antibiotic).

THE MODIFIED METHOD, which uses controlled flows in beds, offers the additional benefit of lower emissions of organic matter and nitrogen. In the experiments, nitrate nitrogen levels decreased by about 1 mg/liter. Currently, treated wastewater from the Henriksdal treatment plant contains 8 mg N/liter, so a reduction to 7 mg/ liter would be positive from an environmental standpoint.

More interesting on water & wastewater: 1. Xzero AB 2. Sorubin 3. FlexiClean 4. Eco Innovation AB

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TR A NSPOR TATION

During the past winter, the world’s first ultra-fast-charging electric buses were tested as part of the city of Umeå’s local bus fleet in northern Sweden.

The charging system withstood the occasionally frigid winter and the trials are considered to have been successful.

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS WITH FAST-CHARGING ­ELECTRIC BUSES

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he central parts of Umeå suffer from major air pollution problems caused by vehicle exhaust. At present, a number of efforts are ongoing to try to reduce pollution levels.

Roads are being rebuilt to lead traffic around the city center, and now there is also a project under way to electrify the city’s buses. In fall 2011, trials began to test two ultra-fast-charging electric buses. The trials continued through the winter and are considered to have been successful.

The buses are basically ordinary Volvo 7700 models that were converted to electric buses by Umeå company Hybricon. Ordinarily, major investments in new infrastructure are required when introducing electrically driven public transport to a city, but not with these buses. Instead, a simple charging station has been set up at each end of a bus route, and that is all that is needed. Charging takes between 5 and 10 minutes and provides a driving range of 80 km, which is more than enough for each trip. The buses do, however, still carry a diesel generator that can be used to recharge when absolutely necessary.

THE CHARGING STATIONS include the same technology used for power transmission to electric trains, a technique that is well proven. Marc Gilgen at Furrer+Frey, one of the companies behind the charging stations, explains why the technology worked so well

during the past winter in temperatures which, at times, fell as low as -30° Celsius.

“THIS TYPE OF INSTALLATION has been used all over the world, even in extremely hot and rainy areas. The system is designed to last for decades–at least 50 years.”

In addition to reducing emissions, there are several other advantages with electric buses.

For example, the running cost per 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) drops from SEK 50-60 to SEK 10-20 at today’s diesel prices. The buses are

also ­vir­tually silent, which is a plus for both passengers and city residents.

“It has been useful to have the electric buses in service during the coldest winter months,” says Pär Jonsson, Marketing Manager at Hybricon.

“The electric operation has worked like clockwork and it was warm and comfortable in the passenger compartment.”

Passengers interviewed experienced the electric buses as being both quiet and comfortable.

So far, Umeå Municipality has invested SEK 10 million in the project.

More interesting on transport: 1. National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) an batteries 2. Opconstreamlines shipping 3. Prodelox new smart speed bump 4. Zemission

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INFR A S TRUC TURE & BU ILDING

An old house can be just as energy-efficient as a new one. That was enthusiast and researcher Andreas Molin’s theory. What’s more, he proved it. We visited him in Sweden’s first ever ­energy-plus home to be converted from an existing structure.

SWEDEN’S FIRST EVER CONVERTED ENERGY-PLUS HOUSE

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he location is idyllic–outbuildings from the 1700s with forest as a backdrop, and a white villa with its entire roof more or less covered with black solar panels. Welcome to the home of Andreas Molin and his family.

Molin works at Linköping University in Sweden, where he conducts research into low-energy buildings. At present, Molin is at home on parental leave, but he keeps busy anyway.

Besides parenting, he has a number of projects up and running. The biggest one, of course, is converting his home in Myresjö (built in 1976) into an energy-plus house. The truth is, it’s not at all common to convert existing homes into low-energy houses, but Molin is clearly a genuine enthusiast with the attitude that anything can be done. In his eyes, nothing is impossible.

“OUR PLAN WAS to build a completely new house using the energy-plus concept. But then my mother-in-law asked, ‘Wouldn’t it work with an older house, too?’. That got me thinking.

The majority of housing needed in Sweden has already been built. So we have to be able to transform these houses into more climate-friendly homes,” Molin explains.

Today, the trend in construction is towards energy-plus houses; that is, houses that produce more energy than they consume. But Molin’s house is the only one in Sweden to have been

converted from its original design into an energy-plus house.

“MY GOAL IS that the house’s solar cells will produce a surplus of electricity, which will pay back the energy debt that the building has run up. I can then sell the surplus to the local power company.”

Molin, his wife, and their three children have already lived in the house for a few years. March of this year was their first “energy-plus” month, when their home generated a surplus of 213 kWh of electricity.

“That bodes well for the future,” says Molin. “The general attitude when you build a house is that it should be ventilated as much as possible, at any cost. My house has been renovated to include substantial insulation in the walls. This means that the heat stays inside longer. It’s not as

bad for the house as many claim.

I want to disprove the myth.”

Molin explains that we exhale water vapor when we breathe. If the walls of a house are not well insulated, the humidity condenses there, which, in the long-term, can actually cause damage. It’s extremely important that a building has ventilation in the right places–locations that can withstand condensation.

Blog on Construction Molin holds lectures and invites people to come and see his home with their own eyes in order to spread the news about his exciting experiment. You can also read more about the house’s renovation in Molin’s blog: www.ppam.se/blog/.

More interesting on infrastructure & building: Network for Sustainable Construction and Property Management in Cold Climates

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SOL A R POWE R

By imitating natural photosynthesis, researchers at Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) have successfully oxidized water to oxygen at a record pace. This breakthrough could potentially be the solution to the world’s future energy problems.

ARTIFICIAL ­PHOTOSYNTHESIS­ OFFERS NEW O ­ PPORTUNITIES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

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as prices keep reaching new record levels, making it increasingly important to look to alternative energy sources. The problem is that many of the options available today are not effective enough. A group of researchers at the Department of Chemistry at KTH in Stockholm have now presented a solution that makes solar energy and other renewable energy sources more competitive than ever.

The researchers have succeeded in mimicking natural photosynthesis and have constructed a molecular catalyst capable of oxidizing water to oxygen very quickly. The rate of natural photosynthesis is a turnover frequency of 100-400 oxygen molecules per second, and the artificial version has achieved a turnover frequency of 300 oxygen molecules per second.

“It is definitely a world record and an important breakthrough in molecular catalysis in artificial photosynthesis. The bottleneck for artificial photosynthesis has always been getting the process to happen quickly enough,” says Licheng Sun, Professor of Organic Chemistry at KTH, who has spent nearly twenty years researching in the field.

The molecular catalyst opens up many new possibilities in the field of renewable energy sources. First, it makes it possible to use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into various

fuels, such as methanol, and also makes it possible to create technology that can directly convert solar energy into hydrogen.

“THIS NEW RAPID PACE opens up the possibility of building large hydrogen production facilities in the Sahara, for example, where sunshine is plentiful. Or we may be able to achieve a far more efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity than what is possible today by combining the technology with traditional solar cells,” explains Licheng Sun. He adds that he and his colleagues are working very hard to ensure that the new technology is as cost-competitive as possible.

More interesting on solar power: 1. Graphensic AB 2. Absolicon 3. Optistring Technologies 4. NLAB Solar 5. Climatewell

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“I’m convinced that, within ten years, this type of research will lead to technology that’s inexpensive enough to be able to compete with coal-based fuels. “It’s no surprise that Barack Obama is investing billions of dollars in this type of research.”

The research results are of such importance that they were recently discussed in the scientific journal Nature Chemistry. Not so surprising, really, given that scientists worldwide have been working to develop and refine artificial photosynthesis for more than 30 years.

This is the first time that researchers have succeeded in creating a sufficiently rapid solar catalyst for the oxidation of water.

BIOE NE RGY

At times, confusion can arise about the difference between bioenergy and biofuels and, in fact, various different terms and definitions exist. The terms “bioenergy” and “biofuels” can also have different meanings in different countries.

BIOFUEL OR BIOENERGY?

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standardized definition of bioenergy might be based on the idea that plants use the sun’s energy to join carbon dioxide and water to form carbohydrates; plants absorb nutrients to form proteins, enzymes, vitamins, fibers, and the supporting structures found in trees and flowers. These plants give life and food to all animals and when these die, the energy contained in them can be utilized before its individual components rejoin the natural cycle.

The Swedish Bioenergy Association (Svebio) argues that bioenergy is an environmentally friendly form of energy, just like solar and wind power.

“BIOENERGY CAN BE SEEN AS stored solar energy,” says Gustav Melin, President of Svebio. “Plants convert some of the sun’s energy into chemical compounds which can be used at a later time. On the other hand, sometimes people can abuse nature in the same way that people sometimes violate laws and commit crimes. That’s why it’s important that we have a common regulatory framework or legislation in place, so that we can be confident that bioenergy is being produced in a sustainable way.”

Another way to define bioenergy is to give examples of its different types.

Bioenergy is a generic term for energy produced from fuels that are made from organic materials, such as sewage sludge or offal. Biofuels serve as an energy carrier from which we can extract energy. Biofuels may be gases, liquids, or solids. Today, biofuels are used to produce electricity, heat, and

Definitions of Bioenergy: The European standards organization CEN defines bioenergy as energy from biomass. “Biomass is defined from a scientific and technical standpoint as materials of biological origin, other than material that is encased in geological formations and/or has been converted into fossils.”

Within the EU, the definition used is that biomass is “the biodegradable fraction of products, waste, and residues of biological origin from agriculture (including vegetable and animal substances) and forestry and related industries (including fisheries and aquaculture), as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste.”

various vehicle fuels.

The ingredients for bioenergy may come from forestry and agriculture or plantations, or they could consist of by-products, residues, and waste from industries that use biological raw materials, such as forestry industries or food industries.

“Examples of residues from forestry and the wood industry include black liquor, tall oil, sawdust, shavings, bark, and wood chips,” explains Melin. “Examples of waste from agriculture are straw, stalks, and manure, and examples of waste and residues from the forestry industry are branches and tops (slash), and stumps from logging.”

IN ADDITION, biofuels can also come from waste, such as recycled wood (construction waste, demolition wood, discarded furniture), household waste of biogenic origin, and sewage sludge.

A distinction is usually made between processed and unprocessed biofuels.

Biofuels such as ethanol, methanol, and biodiesel are examples of refined biofuels, and pellets and briquettes are examples of solid refined biofuels.

Unprocessed biofuels include things like wood, wood chips, and straw.

More interesting on bioenergy: 1. Biotain AB 2. Neo Zeo AB 3. Chemrec 4. ReformTech 5. Cortus

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M ATE RIA L S & CHE MIS TRY

Renewable biodegradable plastics have been around for quite some time. Within the food and health industries, for example, renewable plastics are currently used for bags and packaging.

Now, new bioplastics strong enough to withstand wear and tear are available.

BIOPLASTICS STRONG ENOUGH

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or a long time, bioplastics were not hard enough to withstand the wear and tear that many plastic products are exposed to. Today, however, bioplastics are much more durable.

“Polymers that can be composted at home and that are made from starch, for example, have a short lifespan and a high water absorption property, while the new durable bioplastics used as technical moldings can be marketed as renewable,” explains Bjarne Högström, manager of the company Polymer Front AB. Högström is a polymer chemist educated at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and is sometimes referred to as Sweden’s Mr. Bioplastics.

VERY INTERESTING RESEARCH into green chemistry is currently being conducted. “Some examples are Braskem’s green PE (polyethylene) made from sugar cane, which is an important step in demonstrating green chemistry’s potential, biodegradable materials that use wastewater as the culture medium, new high-performance cellulose compounds from the FKuR company, and high-barrier materials for food products based on renewable materials,” Högström continues.

Corn and sugar cane are currently the main raw materials used to manufacture bioplastics. Competition for food products has intensified worldwide in recent years, and concerns

have emerged that an increased use of bioplastics across more fields might negatively affect the world’s food supply. Högström argues, however, that much of the world’s crops are already used as raw materials in other areas.

“FOR EXAMPLE, more than 40 percent of US corn production already goes to non-food-related products.

Of this 40 percent, PLA (polylactide) manufacturing only consumes approximately 0.05 percent. Bioethanol currently provides 16 percent of Brazil’s energy, of which 1.7 percent is used to produce polyethylene. This illustrates that even if 240 million tons of plastic were made from renewable

More interesting on materials & chemistry: 1. Chromafora AB 2. Svenska Aerogel 3. Anolytech 4. Xylophanes

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materials, it would not affect the food supply,” Högström concludes.

Facts: PLA Polylactide (PLA) or polylactic acid is a naturally biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester produced from renewable resources. Cornstarch and sugar cane are common raw materials used to produce it. Caption: Keyboards, mice, and similar products for computers are examples of products with long lifespans that can be produced using bioplastics.

REC YCLING & WA S TE

Why is Swedish waste management talked about far beyond Sweden’s borders? What makes buying ideas and technologies from Sweden worthwhile? A report compiled by Avfall Sverige looked at four countries that have shown major interest in Swedish waste management.

EXPORTING SWEDISH WASTEMANAGEMENT ­EXPERTISE

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rom an international perspective, the technical solutions used and the expertise possessed by the local industry are the most interesting aspects of Swedish waste management. The system solution for recovering energy from waste and how this energy is then used are the main focus.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, Swedish Minister for Trade Ewa Björling is eager to stress the advantages of the Swedish model and, in particular, the central role played by municipalities.

She believes that municipalities have often been the driving force behind development in Sweden through setting stringent minimum requirements during procurement processes and through developing expertise and methods. This approach has also laid the foundation that makes exporting Swedish know-how possible.

Within the Swedish waste system, municipalities are responsible for collecting and recycling all household waste (except waste that falls under producer responsibility), particularly packaging materials, newspapers, and electrical goods. Households are responsible for sorting their own waste so that it can be recycled properly. Today, 99 percent of Sweden’s household waste is recycled, either as energy or materials. This makes Sweden a world leader in waste management.

Avfall Sverige’s report examined the UK, Poland, China, and India, which all have varying potential for

adapting Swedish waste management solutions and also different objectives as to what they want their systems to achieve. Each of these countries has also reached a different stage in its respective development plan.

natural gas. Recently, New Delhi signed a memorandum of understanding with a conglomerate of Swedish companies that will deliver systems and technologies for the production and upgrading of biogas.

THE UK IS INTERESTED IN how Sweden successfully extracts energy and heat from waste instead of dumping it in landfill. At present, the UK still dumps 40 percent of its household waste in landfills. Poland has the EU’s largest district heating system, but still uses coal to produce heat. Its household waste is also sent to landfills. China’s biggest challenge is that 18 million people migrate to its cities each year. China needs to drastically reduce landfill waste and knows that waste incineration is the way to go.

India has enormous environmental problems, but also has the world’s largest fleet of vehicles powered by

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, in 2010, exports totaled nearly SEK 37 billion, of which waste management and recycling accounted for almost SEK 12 billion.

“Even internationally, many people agree that Sweden has the best and most comprehensive waste management systems. Despite this acknowledgement, Swedish exports of services, expertise, and equipment remain small. To address this problem, Avfall Sverige has launched a new task force to bring together Swedish operators and to better disseminate Swedish expertise and technology,” says Avfall Sverige’s CEO Weine Wiqvist.

More interesting on recycling & waste: 1. Re:newcell 2. Mireco AB 3. SÖRAB 4. Läckeby Water Group

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E NE RGY E FFICIE NC Y

The new 4G mobile network currently expanding to cover an increasing area of Sweden not only provides faster mobile browsing, but can also be used to create self-healing power grids.

This novel idea is currently the subject of intense research.

SELF-HEALING POWER GRIDS

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ars Nordström, a professor at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, is currently conducting research into smart grids and the possibility of using the 4G network to reduce problems related to power outages, which is particularly relevant for Sweden, which is regularly hit by storms and heavy snowfall during the winter months.

“WITH THE HELP OF 4G, the power grid will become self-healing. When the electricity cuts out, or when there is a short-circuit in a distribution plant or a substation, information about the event will be both dispatched and analyzed automatically.

The outage will then be corrected by diverting electricity through other functioning parts of the network,” says Nordström.

He points out, however, that–obviously–the grid cannot physically repair anything on its own.

“Naturally, the self-healing grid cannot remove fallen trees from power lines, but the technology can localize the problem and redirect power so that customers suffering outages can get back to normal as soon as possible.”

ANOTHER POSITIVE EFFECT is that it will become cheaper for power companies and grid operators to automate troubleshooting. The companies are also interested in finding out how much faster damaged networks can be repaired using the new technology.

“Power companies are very interested in the amount of automation they can achieve using this technol-

Facts about Smart Grids Smart power grids use information and control technologies, distributed computing, and associated sensors and controls to integrate the behavior and actions of users and other stakeholders. Doing so effectively ensures a sustainable, economical, and reliable power supply. A self-healing function that utilizes the 4G network is just one of many advanced features that can be included in smart grids.

ogy. The fact that the concept has now gained momentum is the result of several factors: first, it will result in cheaper operation and maintenance, which fits well with an increasing focus on efficiency. It has also become profitable to invest in the technology

More interesting on energy efficiency: 1. My FC 2. SEEC 3. Expektra AB 4. Ferroamp Elektronik AB 5. Entrans

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because of the statutory penalties that have come into effect in recent years for outages longer than 24 hours in duration,” Nordström explains.

THE RESEARCH into self-healing grids is being carried out in collaboration with KTH, research company Innoenergy, and Ericsson. A demonstrator that showcases the technology has also been developed and tested at KTH. Additionally, there are several projects ongoing both on the island of Gotland and in Uppsala, Sweden.

Nordström reveals that a number of simulations performed have confirmed that everything works as it is supposed to. So it shouldn’t be too long before a version of the technology can be implemented in our grids.

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GR EEN SO LU T I O NS FRO M S W ED EN | 55

H Y DRO & WAV E

Wave power is the future. That’s according to Fortum Corporation, which is in the process of building the world’s largest wave power park, with a capacity of 10 megawatts. The park is set to be completed within the next few years.

FORTUM HARNESSES WAVE ENERGY

A

t present, the constant movement of waves back and forth is a poorly utilized energy resource.

Energy company Fortum is one of several stakeholders looking to harness that energy, and is currently involved in several wave power projects in Sweden, Portugal, and France.

During 2012, around 40 wave buoys will appear along the Swedish west coast in Sotenäs Municipality.

These buoys constitute the first phase of what will eventually become the world’s largest wave power park, with a total of 420 buoys and an output of 10 megawatts. The project is a collaborative effort between Fortum and technology company Seabased AB. The park is expected to be fully operational sometime between 2014 and 2015.

“WE DEVELOP COMPLETE SYSTEMS for extracting energy from ocean waves. Production of the first wave power units, cables, switchgears, and transformers is ongoing. The goal is for the rest of the equipment to be installed after a trial period and subsequent assessment lasting one year,” explains Seabased’s president, Billy Johansson.

Fortum is also involved in another project aimed at generating electricity from waves. Fortum is a co-owner in wave energy company AW-Energy Oy, which is currently testing a system that can generate electricity from

wave motion close to the shore in Peniche, on the coast of Portugal. The system has been named WaveRoller.

“The equipment is now assembled and on-site in Portugal. There are three WaveRoller units totaling 300 kilowatts. Now we’re just waiting for weather conditions to become stable enough to allow the wave power plants to be safely placed on the seabed. After this, testing will continue for about a year,” says Esa Suoninen, who is responsible for technology development at Fortum.

LAST FALL, Fortum also signed a contract with French company DCNS to test wave energy technology in French waters. Fortum is presently scouting out suitable locations for

building wave energy parks along the French coast.

Facts about WaveRoller A WaveRoller unit consists of a vertical moving panel anchored to the seabed.

Wave motion moves the panel back and forth, and the kinetic energy generated is captured using a piston pump. A single panel can generate between 600 and 800 kilowatts, depending on the site, and it is possible to place an infinite number of panels in succession in order to create large energy parks.

The first WaveRoller prototypes were developed in 1999.

More interesting on hydro & wave: 1. CorPower Ocean AB 2. Hexicon 3. Seabased Industry AB 4. Waves4Power 5. Ocean Harvesting Technologies

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A sustainable County Council Västernorrland County Council has consistently worked to reduce the use of energy, particularly electricity in key public buildings since 1995. We are especially proud with several innovative solutions that utilises natural resources to make energy savings in environmentally sensitive ways, for example snow cooling and river cooling.

Most of the measures taken to date have more than halved the energy usage.

For a long time Sollefteå hospital had problems with high indoor temperatures during the summers.

Today a fixed solar shading with 1300 integrated solar panels, to-

tally 365 square meters, has been mounted on the southern facade of the hospital. On top of each panel are solar cells that harness sunlight and convert it to electrical energy. The solar panels are all connected to the hospital’s electricity network.

During a hot summer day the solar shading on Sollefteå hospital lowers the indoor temperature by about 1.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius, reducing the need for additional cooling significantly. On a sunny day the solar cells produces a peak power of 50 kW, which gives an expected annual production of about 42,000 kWh of electricity.

Solar shading with integrated solar cells at Sollefteå hospital

www.lvn.se/environment

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Focus areas of the project include: * Green air conditioning and heating * Micro production of electricity * Increasing interest in energy and climate action

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WIND POWE R

A smart power grid is currently being developed on the Swedish island of Gotland. The grid has been designed to handle the variations in power production that are becoming more common as the system transitions to renewable energy sources.

POWER GRIDS OF THE FUTURE UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON GOTLAND

T

oday, local wind turbines generate around 40 percent of the energy used by Gotland’s residents, and the goal is that production will eventually increase to twice the size of the island’s needs. In other words, in the future, it will be possible to export electricity to the mainland. It is estimated that wind power will supply the total electricity needs of the island by the end of 2012.

THE PROBLEM WITH WIND POWER is that production is uneven. Sometimes it is calm, and other times storm winds blow hard which creates disturbances in the grid, given that there must always be a balance between supply and demand. The solution is to build what is known as a “smart grid”.

ABB, Vattenfall, Gotlands Energi, and the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) are all involved in developing the world’s first full-scale test of a smart grid. Gotland has been chosen as the test site for the project because it has such a large amount of wind power.

A smart power grid includes features like smart power meters, improved transmission lines, and new technology for transformer stations.

In addition, on Gotland, investments have also been made in an energy storage system that compensates for the uneven production.

The system consists of approxi-

mately 2,300 lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 900 kilowatt hours, and is used during brief power outages. The system also has other useful functions.

“We also want to use the system to improve the quality of electricity, control voltage, even out the wind power plant’s output, and reduce network losses. Much of this can be achieved without batteries, but batteries give better results,” says Anders Holm at Vattenfall, who is in charge of this part of the project.

AN INSULAR OPERATING MODE known as “island mode” is also being tested in parts of the grid. This involves creating small local electricity networks that supply smaller geographic areas and that are adapted to suit the power plants’ capacity.

Testing is concentrated within the area around the substation in Källunge, just east of the town of Visby, where there are around 200 customers and three wind turbines with an output of three megawatts.

“Island mode involves balancing a part of the system so that it becomes

How Today’s Power Grids Work • Electricity is produced in a small number of large plants • Power flow is uni-directional, from producer to consumer • Production follows demand • Operational planning is based on the quantities produced and consumed previously under similar circumstances How Grids of the Future Will Work • Central and local production • Power flow is multi-directional • Smart grids counter the rapid fluctuations in production through increased transmission capacity and more flexible consumption • Demand follows production as consumers use new technology to control use • Operational planning is largely based on real-time information

self-sufficient,” Holm explains. We want to get experience in how energy storage works in order to identify the optimal size for energy storage facilities and to understand what is needed to make this method profitable.

Today, batteries are very expensive.

In the future, however, lower battery prices combined with greater price fluctuations will hopefully change this situation.”

More interesting on wind power 1. Vertical Wind AB. 2. ABB 3. Blaiken Vind AB 4. Göteborg Wind Lab

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GH SUCCE SS THROU

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Vol.1 SI N E DESIG CLE YCL COCYC CO ECO E URE NATU M ATTES NAT MITA IIMIT IM A ON AT TIO CT CTI R ACTIO HOUR NTH N H HO NT ENT EVE LEV ELEV HE EL THE TH he fo for the err for is ist ister Minis Min nntt:: men Enviiroonment:

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