About the region
Smart City Sweden Central covers the inland in central Sweden; Dalarna, Värmland, Gävleborg, Örebro and Västmanland. The area is characterized by its large forest assets with high natural values that add to the help of the forest for climate and transition to a fossil-free society. The green economy is of great importance and a prioritized topic.
The region takes a leading position in areas such as sustainable construction, where there are several examples of great knowledge within wood construction, sustainable renovation of buildings and system solutions for clean air as well as heating and cooling in general.
Recycling and waste management is a successful area and the region has been a precursor in the modernization of waste management in Sweden. In the transition to a circular economy, waste, biogas, water and district heating are four corner pillars. The region covers all these parts and more in several businesses, and they are linked by a “sustainable infrastructure” that makes the circular economy possible. The cooperation with the industry is a success factor and another important key factor is the efforts of each resident in their everyday lives in the form of sorting and recycling.
Smart City Sweden Central includes the Bergslagen area, which is a distinguished mining and metal industry region, where sustainable mining is an interesting tourist destination. Several world-leading high-tech metal companies are located here, some with their mines and smelters, and has long-term investments in guaranteeing society’s access to the base and precious metals – from the mining of ore/minerals to production and supply of high-quality metal to the industry.
Electric power and automation technology are other strong business areas with world-leading companies, where the industry offers solutions for high performance combined with minimal environmental impact for energy companies and industries around the world. In Robotdalen and nearby areas, there is unique expertise and solid experience in robotics and application development and where new ideas are constantly being developed and tested in several test centers.
An upcoming business area that has taken the position both nationally and internationally is solar energy technology. The universities, Dalarna University and Karlstad University, conduct outstanding research and development as well as several educational programs, including one of the oldest solar energy education programs for 25 years. This, in combination with projects such as Glava Energy Center, provides a prominent development center, including testbeds at both regional, national and international levels, and which is open to companies and organizations that in one way or another conduct activities in the field of renewable energy or energy efficiency.
Other areas such as commerce, food and the tourism industry are also popular visitor destinations and are often combined with other visitor programs in tailor-made solutions for each visitor group.
