Nine finalists selected for the first Swedish Energy Prize

Thirty-five unique solutions were nominated. Now nine have made it to the final of the first edition of the Swedish Energy Prize
–      We want to stimulate innovation and collaboration with this award, says Anna Jarnö, Business Manager at Elfack, where the prize will be awarded on 8 May.

The newly established Swedish Energy Prize has been developed to recognise groundbreaking achievements and solutions in the electricity and energy industry.

The competition entries, which must be innovative and contribute to a more efficient or sustainable use of energy, will be on show at Elfack, which takes place at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, 6-9 May.

The 35 shortlisted entries have now been scrutinised by the jury of independent stakeholders and experts. Solutions from these nine companies have made it to the finals: ABB, Amiga, Benning Sweden, CTEK Sweden, DLAB Sweden, Eneryield, Fristads, Hitachi Energy and Magtech.

Björn Sandén, Professor of Innovation and Sustainability at Chalmers University of Technology, is one of the jury members.

– We have received some really exciting solutions for the Swedish Energy Prize. And very diverse solutions, he says.

– It shows that a lot is happening, and new opportunities are being created, right now.

He emphasises the importance of innovation for the energy transition:

– I hope that this newly established prize can stimulate and contribute to that development. The number of entries received, for the first time the prize is being awarded, undeniably indicates a great interest.

Jury member Lowina Lundström, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy Scandinavia, says it was difficult choosing the finalists among the submissions.

– We had a really tough job on the jury! There was incredible diversity and many different perspectives on energy: from clothing and pipe replacement to AI solutions.

She says this also reflects the pace of innovation in Sweden:

– According to the latest Global Innovation Index, Sweden is the leader in the EU and second in the world – after Switzerland but ahead of the United States – when it comes to innovation. The applications for the Swedish Energy Prize confirm this.

– Many grants also rest on good research and development foundations. Here too, Sweden stands out. Of Sweden’s GDP, 3.42% is spent on research and development. This puts us in fifth place in the world.

The Swedish Energy Prize is awarded in two versions: the jury’s choice and the visitors’ choice.

The jury’s work is now entering the next stage, and its choice will be revealed at Elfack on Thursday 8 May. In addition, visitors to Elfack will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite at elfack.com.

So, there could be two recipients of the first Swedish Energy Prize. Or one, if the visitors’ choice coincides with that of the jury.

The Swedish Energy Agency, RISE, Chalmers, Innovatum Science Park, EIT InnoEnergy, Installatörsföretagen (the Installation Companies’ Association), Energieffektiviseringsföreningen (the Energy Efficiency Association) and the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre are behind the recurring award.

The award ceremony will take place at Elfack, the central meeting place for the entire electricity and energy industry, organised by the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre – which is owned by a financially independent foundation, without owners and investors.

– As the purpose of the award is to stimulate innovation and accelerate the energy transition, it is fully in line with the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre’s mission to promote business, says Anna Jarnö, Business Manager for Elfack.

One of the ambitions of the Swedish Energy Prize – and of the entire event – is to underline the need for consensus and collaboration, she emphasises:

– In a time of rapid transition, as we are currently experiencing, this is particularly important. Elfack wants to provide valuable input to decision-makers and operational staff, and facilitate interaction between technologies, systems and market participants.

This year’s Elfack is a record-breaking edition, filling the entire facility with more than 420 exhibiting companies, organisations and authorities from 25 countries.

Want to know more? Contact Anna Jarnö, Business Manager for Elfack at the Swedish Exhibition Centre, tel. 031-708 80 85, [email protected].