Find Swedish best practice

At a time when the global aviation sector is facing increasing demands to get on a sustainable flightpath, one airport in northern Sweden has gotten a head start with an extensive vision that has led them to become one of Europe’s and probably the world’s first fossil-free airport. At the same time the airport is now preparing to become a testcenter for electric powered and vertical-starting aircrafts.

In the journey towards a carbon-negative energy production, Sweden’s first bioenergy carbon capture and storage pilot plant was commissioned in 2019. This project is a part of Stockholm’s target towards a positive carbon footprint by 2040.

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.

Hörneborgsverket, a biofuel-based cogeneration plant, is at the heart of Övik Energi’s energy production. Hörneborgsverket produces roughly equal amounts of district heating, steam, and electricity. Some 99% of the fuels used at the plant are renewable, and the steam is distributed to local industries.

Domsjö Fabriker is part of the Aditya Birla Group, the world’s largest of viscose fibre producer. This cutting-edge biorefinery is developing the textiles of the future for the world’s catwalks, from northern spruce trees. This is creating a sustainable bioeconomy that uses the forest’s unique renewable resources.

Two pilot projects in Sweden are using algae cultivation to achieve a number of sustainable effects. Besides reducing carbon dioxide emissions and purifying waste water to minimise over-fertilization, the algae cultivation produces energy-rich algae mass that can be used for biodiesel and animal feed.

A joint goods hub for small deliveries to shops in central Gothenburg shows it’s possible to slash levels of goods traffic. The approach uses digital systems and coordinates heavy trucks and cargo bikes.

The generation of both district heating and electricity almost entirely from waste makes the Dåva CHP (combined heat and power) plant extremely energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. Its renewable sources include sorted waste and forest industry residues.

CHP Plant

Hedensbyn was Skellefteå Kraft’s first bioenergy combine when it started operations in 1996 and has been a world leader in the development of modern bioenergy technology ever since.