Cleantech

At European Commission award ceremony in Brussels on February 23rd, Stockholm was named European Green Capital for 2010, following a competition with 35 other European cities. Stockholm’s success was partly due to decades of climate efforts and partly due to the environmental and climate goals the city has established for the future.

Stockholm Energy Centre, the City’s internal energy advisory service, works to reduce energy consumption and thereby operational costs in Stockholm. To reduce energy consumption, the City surveys which energy-efficiency enhancements are the most cost effective. Actions are then taken, such as investments in more energy-efficient technology and façade insulation.

The City of Stockholm has undertaken several ambitious initiatives and driven developments to reduce climate impact. The City’s long-term goal is to continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same rate as in the past. This will allow Stockholm to become fossil fuel-free by 2050.

ChromoGenics Sweden AB - World leading in manufacturing of products based on electrochromism, listed as one of the 30 hottest cleantech companies in Sweden and also received "Most promising technology" award at the Cleantech Forum XIII in Frankfurt are creating smart windows with the use of the electrochromic Smart Window technology.

Carbon dioxide emissions from Fortum's (a leading power and heat company in the Scandinavian countries) total electricity generation (107 g/kWh) are among the lowest of the major European power companies and clearly below Fortum's target values.

The company ClimateWell received the solar energy award for “Achievement of the Year” for its innovative solutions and equipment for Solar Cooling. Solar thermal energy is ClimateWell’s solution to reduce the amount of energy used to cool homes (and of course the costs).

A building, not science fiction. A house that is completely self-sufficient in terms of electricity, heating and cooling – a house without electricity bills. The thought of NCC’s Concept House was initiated some years ago and is now ready to be built as a 900-square-meter conference facility that can accommodate groups of up to 50 people, including 15 overnight guests.

Swedish manufacturer, Envac, is the global market leader for underground automated waste collection systems. The Envac vacuum system transports waste to a central depot through underground pipes at speeds of up to 70 km per hour.

Domestic waste – what you put in the bin under the sink – is collected by a contractor, whose services are hired by the City of Stockholm. Domestic waste is collected from around 55,000 collection points, with approximately 65,000 collections being carried out each week.

Swedish Wallenius Water and Alfa Laval, have developed a chemical-free method of treating water.

In a recent blindfold test, carried out by the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK), Stockholm tap water ranked higher than several well-known, expensive bottled water brands. It was also awarded a Gold Star for its high quality and low environmental impact.

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) are co-sponsoring the second edition of the WASH Media Award competition, to be held between July 2007 and April 2008. This competition is open to journalists in developing countries who publish or broadcast original investigative reports on issues relating to water supply, sanitation or hygiene in their countries.

After having shown successful operations in Stockholm, Scania’s ethanol-powered buses will now be tested in public transport in São Paolo, Brazil as well as in other major cities. This was announced during President Lula da Silva’s state visit to Sweden in September. The first bus will go into service in October.

Biogas as Vehicle Fuel – Market Expansion to 2020 , or “Biogas Max” for short, is the name of an aggressive biogas  campaign run by the Stockholm Environmental and Health Administration. The goal is to increase the number of biogas stations along the “Biogas Highway” from Stockholm to Gothenburg and overall, to promote the production of modern biogas vehicles.

Chemrec, owned by Swedish truck company, Volvo, US venture capital firm, VantagePoint, and Swedish power and process contractor, Nykomb Synergetics, is the world leader in Black liquor gasification (BLG), a technology regarded by many as the future of energy and chemical recovery for the pulp and paper industry.

The residential area of Hammarby Sjöstad – just south of the inner city of Stockholm is a perfect example of a good and sustainable city environment. The architectures and the inhabitants have succeeded in decreasing the environmental impact with 50 %.

For many years Sweden has maintained an international top position in R&D concerning the identification and implementation of environmental front edge solutions.

In relation to the population, more Swedish companies are environmentally approved than in any other country in the world. During recent years, the environmental product sector has grown more than any other sector and export has played a large part in this.

Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something” – this is the line of approach of the City of Stockholm. The general idea, expressed in the City of Stockholm’s climate policy, is that we can succeed in reversing the current development if we, be it as an individual or on the level of municipality, nation or organisation, join forces and work towards common goals

The environment industry is one of Stockholm’s growth industries and is of great importance for Stockholm’s international profile.

The City’s climate efforts have been aimed at energy-efficiency enhancements in social housing units, the expansion of cycle paths, and an increase in the number of clean vehicles, including private cars and buses. The action that has been most significant is the increased proportion of biofuel in district heating production, combined with the expansion of the district heating network.

Littering is a growing problem. The Keep Sweden Tidy campaign “A Cleaner Environment” aims to change this by influencing people’s behaviour and attitudes regarding littering through different campaigns.

”Storm Bird”, also a concept suitable for high-speed ferries, has an effective adjustable propeller as well as a new hull design, which enables the boat speed to double with insignificant wave formation.

A wool suit, optical fibre and a visionary city plan, were the winners of ‘Saving the Planet in Style 2007’.

Stockholm is one of the forefront cities in the EU when it comes to public transport. Biogas buses are now on the streets of the Swedish capital. Since 2004, the public transport company SL fuel their buses with biogas.

With a new and improved manufacturing process Swedish corporation Midsummer enters the market of solar cells.

Hammarby Sjöstad is a unique and visionary eco-friendly part of Stockholm City. Goal or emissions is to be 50 percent lower than for other new housing areas.

An international consortium of Niam Fund III, Cargill Value Investment and Jarl Asset Management will build a new hotel, conference and office centre in Stockholm city right at the Central Station where the old Post terminal used to be.

Road traffic is one of the biggest polluters in Stockholm. However, there are environmental friendly alternatives to ordinary cars. Vehicles powered by renewable fuels such as ethanol and biogas means cleaner air, lower greenhouse gas emissions and less noise.

Clean Vehicles in Stockholm is a project run by the City, with the purpose of increasing the number of clean vehicles in Stockholm.