Fortum Shows Interest in Glava Energy Center's Innovation Environment

Future collaborations for the development of innovations were the focus of attention when representatives from Fortum's Wind and Solar Business area Technology and Innovation team visited Glava Energy Center.

– At Glava Energy Center, there are both interesting test sites and exciting energy projects. It is an environment that holds a lot of potential for collaboration with our business development at Fortum, says Solveig Roschier, Head of Technology and Innovation at Fortum Wind and Solar Business Area. 

At the beginning of January, she visited Glava Energy Center together with master's student Magnus Markkanen from Aalto University, who is working on his thesis at Fortum. The focus of the visit was both to explore possible future collaborations and to take a closer look at Glava Energy Center's technical test beds in for example solar energy, storage and flexibility.

Want to invest in the development of innovations

The Nordic energy company Fortum develops and offers solutions in electricity, heating, cooling, recycling, and waste management. The operations include, among other things, hydropower, nuclear power, combined heat and power, wind power, and solar power. The latter two are areas where the energy company aims to grow.

– Fortum strives to promote the transition to clean energy and therefore wants to invest in the development of and innovations within wind power, solar energy, and smart energy solutions, says Solveig Roschier.

Fortum has been a partner and member of Glava Energy Center since the innovation cluster was started in 2009. At that time, the energy company, among other things, was involved in the development of one ground-mounted so-called On-grid systems in Glava Energy Center's solar park. The solar panels in the system are still connected and provide the grid with solar electricity. Now there is hope for new future joint projects with a focus on innovation.

– We have extensive experience in driving innovation projects, often together with small companies and startups. It would be very rewarding and interesting for us to work on innovations together with a large energy company like Fortum, says Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Glava Energy Center.

Caption: Solveig Roschier, Head of Technology and Innovation in Fortum's Wind and Solar Business area, Magnus Markkanen from Aalto University, and Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Glava Energy Center, in the solar park in Hillringsberg, Glava, outside Arvika.