About
Glava Energy Center is an innovation cluster and Sweden's largest test bed, innovation center and training provider in solar energy, solar cells, and energy systems. We have Northern Europe's largest test facility for solar energy and solar cells and are the country's largest independent training provider in the field. With close to 90 members, we operate for and within a broad competence network that includes entrepreneurs, academia, industry, startups, and the public sector.
Innovation projects drive development
Our business is based on a strong knowledge network which, with breadth, edge, curiosity, courage, and weight, drives the work for a smart and sustainable energy system forward. We conduct innovation projects with members and project partners such as Karlstad University, companies, municipalities, and the region. Thanks to many joint Interreg projects, we also have close cooperation with the Solar Energy Cluster and the solar energy industry in Norway. Since the start in 2009, we have run around 70 innovation projects in areas such as solar energy, smart grids, microgrids and battery systems.
Our work with innovations
Our members
Training for quality and safety in the industry
The solar energy industry is breaking records year after year. This applies to the number of plants, installed power and the amount of electricity produced. Parallel to the growth party there are some warning signs. Actors such as the Swedish Electrical Safety Authority and insurance companies warn of a lack of installation work, while the industry itself warns of a lack of qualified labor and problems with the supply of skills.
To ensure continued positive development, Glava Energy Center offers a wide range of independent training courses to increase the industry's quality and safety. We also tailor training courses as needed.
Sustainable development through proactive energy leadership
The future electricity supply is a global societal challenge. The energy issue is central to development at all levels of society. This applies to municipalities, regions, sparsely populated areas, and large cities. It is a fact for both the region Värmland and the world.
Glava Energy Center is driven by the belief that public and private actors can and must both contribute to the energy transformation and sustainable development. What is needed is proactive energy leadership in organizations and companies, which in turn can enable both new behavior patterns and innovative products and services. It is our mission to contribute to such a transition to a smart and sustainable energy system.
Our way of working
At Glava Energy Center, around ten people work with project management, innovation technology, training development, coordination, and communication. To base the business on knowledge, the business is connected to an Advisory Board with a breadth of researchers in various fields at Karlstad University and a board full of industry experience.
How it started
The idea to start the Glava Energy Center was born in 2007. Then the solar module factory ScanModul, which was one of the world's most highly automated solar cell module factories, went into high gear in Glava. Factory manager Tommy Strömberg, current chairman of the board of Glava Energy Center, and factory founder Alf Bjørseth began formulating the idea of creating an internationally competitive development center with solar at its core.
The idea was realized in the project FEM (Renewable energy, Energy efficiency and Environment), which ran from 2008-2011 and was co-financed by the EU through Interreg Sweden-Norway. Another important person behind the launch and development of Glava Energy Center was therefore also the Swedish project manager for FEM, Per Eiritz, then active at Stål & Verkstad and a business profile with extensive experience in regional development projects. He was then chairman of the board of Glava Energy Center for 12 years.
The innovation center Glava Energy Center was started in 2009 and within the framework of the FEM project it was formed into an arena where different actors could collaborate to create new conditions for innovation, learning, development, and tests in the field of renewable energy.