Energy leadership in focus at annual conference
To secure future electricity for society, companies, industry, transport and households, a sustainable energy system is needed. But how will the energy transition take place? The Glava Energy Center's annual conference on Wednesday 3 May 2023 focused on the importance of proactive energy leadership.
What is proactive energy leadership or what should it look like? During the Glava Energy Center's annual conference on May 3, representatives from various actors such as companies, municipal companies and the County Board gave their views on the issue. One of them was Jan-Anders "Jante" Carlsson, CEO of Näckåns Energi AB.
– We usually say that locally produced and locally consumed must be the smartest thing there is when it comes to energy. Not to cross the river for water. In addition, cooperation is needed. In collaboration with others, you can do almost anything, said Jan-Anders "Jante" Carlsson, CEO of Näckåns Energi, who is part of a collaboration group for Green Power Valley, an investment in a state-of-the-art renewable power center in northern Värmland.
Speakers gave their views on energy leadership
There were plenty of examples of drivers for and results of energy leadership during the conference which took place in Hillringsberg, Glava, outside Arvika. Among the speakers were also Malin Nyström, IT and digitization manager at the municipal housing company ÖrebroBostäder, Stefan Särnehed, CEO at OK Värmland, Maria Falkevik, process manager at the County Administrative Board, Ole Jakob Sørdalen, Chief Innovation Officer, at the battery company PIXII, Lars Olsson, Senior Advisor at Seniorit AB, Ola Mossberg, CEO at the municipal energy company Kils Energi, Anders Norrby, CEO at the municipal technology company Teknik i Väst and Nils Andersson, production manager at AB Hilmer Andersson.
The conference was arranged within the framework of the Aries4 project, which deals with sustainable regional development and is part-financed by the EU through Erasmus+. In addition to lectures, the day at the Glava Energy Center offered the opportunity to view the solar park and some of the innovations developed in the center's innovation system.
Solution at local and regional level
The day ended with a panel discussion on obstacles and opportunities in the energy transition between Åsa Johansson (S), chairman of the regional board in Region Värmland, Anders Björbole, project manager at Coompanion Värmland, Anna Hedberg, regional manager of Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, Maria Falkevik, process manager of the County Administrative Board Värmland and Anders Norrby, CEO at the
municipal technology company Teknik i Väst.
– We politicians have an important role in energy leadership, we must make clear the importance of working with the energy transition. At the same time, the transition is something we must do together. If we take continuous steps forward, we will eventually solve this equation, said Åsa Johansson (S), chairman of the regional board in Region Värmland.
The final words for the conference were given by Magnus Nilsson, CEO at Glava Energy Center.
– We have no other choice but to start practicing proactive energy leadership. There is no simple solution in the energy transition, we have to use all the tools in the toolbox. And the solution – it exists at local and regional level, said Magnus Nilsson.
Captions:
Picture 1: Adam Fjaestad, CEO at Stellavik ABm shows the innovation solar cooking in Glava Energy Center's solar park.
Picture 2: Bjørn Thorud, CTO at Aneo, talks with Trine Kopstad Berentsen, CEO of Solar Energy Cluster and Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Glava Energy Center.
Picture 3: Conference participants outside the Smedjan conference room at Hillringsberg manor.
Picture 4: Panel debate.
Picture 5: Åsa Johansson (S), chairman of the regional board in Region Värmland and Magnus Nilsson, CEO Glava Energy Center.