Background
Resetting the energy system is central to our challenges with climate change. Sustainable Innovation, Power Circle and Linköping University believe flexibility and new services are crucial parts of the way there. Therefore, we are working on creating a new strategic innovation program to support this – Sweden Flex!
How can flexibility contribute to speeding up the transition and making it more resource efficient? By using the electricity grid and production resources we already have more efficiently. It can be about quickly creating space for new connections where there is otherwise a risk of the electricity grid becoming full.
Purpose
The overall aim is to work for a sustainable energy system transformation together with actors from business, academia, industry, and the public sector, nationally and internationally. Through a platform for shared knowledge, processes, legislation, research, and innovation, the opportunities for collaboration become clearer and easier. It also creates the conditions for bringing together discussions we need to have about the major system changes.
About Impact Innovation
Impact innovation is Sweden’s major innovation investment for the 2030s and brings together actors to increase the pace of the transition to a sustainable society. It is a continuation of the ongoing strategic innovation programs that started in 2013. The feasibility studies that have now been granted, of which Sweden Flex is one, will lead to five new programs that will start in 2024. The initiators of Impact Innovation are Vinnova, Formas and Swedish Energy Agency.
Goal
What could a strategic innovation program specifically targeting flexibility and storage deliver? We believe that it would be an important piece of the puzzle to contribute to the transformation and system change, both nationally and internationally, by:
- Remove obstacles to future solutions. It would create better conditions for implementing new innovations in the field.
- Facilitate new business models and markets through support for new players in the energy system. Many actors lack the conditions to seek support for research and development in existing research programs and platforms.
- Better collaboration between actors. Long-term social planning that understands different interests is a challenge that requires commitment and cooperation between new actors who may not see themselves as part of the energy system today. New collaborations and business opportunities can be created when traditional actor roles change.
Participate
Does this sound interesting and do you want to hear more or join the journey? Look out for invitations to workshops via Sustainable Innovations, Power circle and Linköping University newsletters and social channels.
