Envirobase

The island of Gotland has been chosen as a pilot region for Sweden’s transition to a future sustainable energy system. The main requirements for this transition are a safe, reliable energy supply that is both ecologically sustainable and economically competitive. Sweden has set a goal of achieving zero net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2045. As part of this, the Swedish Energy Agency has been commissioned to ensure that Gotland is a pilot area ahead of the transition to a sustainable energy system.

In 2018, the electricity grid around Malå, Sweden, was fitted with a Smart Grid Surveillance system that detects and locates faults and deviations in the grid. The solution enables much more efficient and proactive maintenance, saving time and money. Exeri’s Smart Grid Surveillance system features smart sensors, redundant radio communication, AI algorithms and advanced data analysis, allowing it to detect and locate faults in the electricity grid. It’s a big leap in the development of smart grids, offering major benefits in reduced downtime and more efficient monitoring and operation.

Northvolt in Skellefteå is the greenest battery plant in Europe, providing sustainable replacement of fossil fuels through the large-scale manufacture of batteries for the electrification of transport and vehicles. What’s more, the plant uses 100% green energy. Electrification and renewable energy storage are key to a carbon-neutral society and the electrification of transport and vehicles. The ability to store energy is also crucial to free the world’s energy generation and distribution from coal, oil and natural gas.

In central Stockholm, you find one of Europe’s largest district heating and cooling systems. Close to 90% of the city’s buildings are connected to the district heating network, which uses several innovative energy sources, such as excess heat and wastewater. Stockholm Exergi is responsible for heating and cooling production in the region of Stockholm.

In the journey towards a carbon-negative energy production, Sweden’s first Bio-CCS pilot plant was commissioned in 2019. This project is a part of Stockholm’s target towards a positive carbon footprint by 2040. Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (Bio-CCS) means that carbon dioxide that arises from the combustion of biofuels is separated and then stored. Stockholm Exergi has, with the support of the Swedish Energy Agency, installed a test facility at the bio-cogeneration plant in Värtan, Stockholm. The goal is to secure the technology for separating the carbon dioxide from the flue gases.

In central Stockholm, at Värtahamnen, is Stockholm’s largest biofuel-powered combined heat and power plant. It produces energy enough to heat up approximately 190,000 average size apartments. The combined heat and power plant (CHP), known as KVV8, was inaugurated in 2016 and produces heat and electricity based on solid biofuel (residual products from the forest and sawmill industry, e.g. chips, branches and peaks). The CHP plant produces 1,700 GWh heat and 750 GWh electricity per year, which is equivalent to heating of approximately 190,000 average size apartments .

ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is the world’s first recycling mall, marking the start of a low-carbon shopping revolution. Old items are given new life through repair and upcycling. Everything sold is either recycled or reused, or has been produced organically or sustainably. The mall opened its doors in August 2015 and is located right next to the city’s recycling centre. This makes it easier for visitors to drop off unwanted and reusable items at the mall’s depot or ‘Returen’. Depot staff sort what is usable and what isn’t, and then distribute the retained items to the mall’s shops.

It is a big challenge with electric vehicles in northern Europe is to adapt them to the cold climate, both in regard to function and comfort for passengers and drivers. In Umeå in Northern Sweden there is a company that has managed to develop a technology that makes it possible to run the buses even during a very cold winter day as well as a hot sunny day with advanced air heating/cold system. The maintains on the buses are built up in modules, which reducing downtime costs on the vehicles.

Sara Cultural Centre – one of the world’s tallest timber building is located in Skellefteå, just below the Artic Circel in the northern Sweden. The building will be housing venues for arts, performance and meetings as well as a hotel. In 2021, the gates will open to a unique and dynamic meeting point combining culture and entertainment with meetings, in direct connection with a new premium hotel, culinary experiences, spa and different scenes for events. Sara Cultural Centre will be known for its hospitality, its activities and its desire to think differently.

Umeå is a fast growing city in Northern Sweden with progressive and environmentally-friendly citizens. Located 600 km north of Stockholm, the 11th largest city in Sweden has a subarctic climate, with short and fairly warm summers, but lengthy and freezing winters. Umeå will continue to grow with ecological, economic and social sustainability. The purpose is to reduce the city’s CO₂ emissions through less energy use and sustainable transports.

The city of Umeå is a pioneer in developing the sharing economy. The city has established test beds for a number of sharing services and digital solutions that lead to a more sustainable society. Across the globe, new business models are emerging that challenge traditional consumption patterns. The sharing economy is an important part of this, with the potential to significantly reduce both consumption and waste. Many businesses are embracing this development by introducing takeback systems that extend the lifetime of goods and resources by repairing them or reusing components.

As segregation and inequality are increasing in many parts of the world , inclusiveness in the planning process of cities and communities is becoming even more important. The city of Umeå in northern Sweden is working hard to create an inclusive, safe environment for all. <h2> The gendered landscape tour of Umeå </h2>

Luleå Airport is one of two pilot sites testing a new way to heavily reduce the carbon emissions. By using the district heating and cooling system for parked aircrafts, the airport’s electricity demand has dropped by 95 %. To supply the terminal building with energy, many airports have their own heating/cooling plant or are connected to a waterborne heating/cooling network. But what if the heating system could be connected to the airplanes as well, providing the energy needed to keep the aircraft warm and ventilated while they are parked?

The Zero Emission Hydrogen Turbine Centre aims to change the future of energy systems. A demonstration plant is conducting tests to show how hydrogen turbines, renewable-energy production and energy storage can work together to produce energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions, and help phase out coal from the power sector. The International Energy Agency believes gas turbines for the generation of electricity and heat will play an important role in phasing out coal and reducing the emissions of the global power sector.

The City of Gothenburg in Sweden uses a district cooling system powered by the cool flows from Göta älv. Gothenburg City Council decided, 2017, to approve Göteborg Energi’s initiative backing a significant expansion of the district cooling network in central Gothenburg, with a total project value of SEK 450 million stretching until the year 2035.

The mobile app LIMA is being tested at Lindholmen Science Park, offering employees all kinds of travel services, from bicycles to public transport. This reduces car use and supports everyday transport for both work and private use. Innovative travel app LIMA allows companies in Lindholmen, Gothenburg, to join a shared mobility service. The service gives employees access to everything from public transport and bikes to taxis and electric cars, all in one app. The pilot is being trialled with a group of 1,000 people who work at Lindholmen Science Park.

ReTuna är världens första Återbruksgalleria. Här shoppar gästerna på ett helt nytt, klimatsmart sätt. Gamla saker tas till vara och får nytt liv genom reparation och upcycling. Allt som säljs är återbrukat, återanvänt, ekologiskt eller hållbart producerat. För hållbarhet handlar inte om att hålla tillbaka och leva mindre – utan om att åstadkomma mer med de resurser vi redan har. Gallerian invigdes i augusti 2015 och är placerad intill Retuna Återvinningscentral på Folkestaleden 7 i Eskilstuna.

Logistics Cluster Östergötland is an arena and network for innovation and development in logistics solutions. It allows both businesses and municipalities to engage with a variety of challenges and new ideas for smarter and more sustainable logistics. Globalisation, environmental challenges, growing cities and increased e-commerce. These are some of the changes in today’s society that make efficient and sustainable logistics more and more important, for business and for cities and regions.

Increased recycling for a more resource efficient society implies needs for smart solutions for collecting and recycling materials. Several innovative solutions can be found in Östergötland. In Östergötland companies and residents work together in order to manage waste in the best possible way. The residents separate their waste at source which means that the waste is separated according to material types including paper, plastic, glass, metal, organic waste etc.

The regions Småland and Östergötland are pioneering within solutions for fossil free transportation. The regions supply different types of biofules and electric cars for individuals as well as for light and heavy transports. A number of actors have designed a variety of solutions to enable a future with entirely fossil free fuels. An important aspect is that the solutions do not compete but are seen as pieces that together can enable a complete solution for a society without fossil fueled transports.