The customers’ demand for sustainable energy solutions the most important force of innovation

One reason why the pace of development of new sustainable energy solutions is too slow is that for the customer it is often a safer bet to choose tried and tested technology. What do you and InnoEnergy see as the solutions to this challenge?

– An absolutely key solution to effecting a sustainable energy transition is that new technology must at an early stage secure a market for scale-up tests and optimisation. This requires private actors who take risks. As we see it, private customers can and must be a driving force behind this. In Sweden, there are a number of tradition-bound industries where the pressure to change has been limited, partly because their customers have not asked for sustainable solutions. One of InnoEnergy’s most important roles is to give the customers the knowledge and tools to be even braver.

Which industries have most reason to speed up the transition?

– It is, of course, a responsibility they must all have, but if I have to name a few industries at the top of the list, it is the cement and concrete industry and parts of the building industry. With their emissions being so high, it is extremely pressing for new energy solutions to be implemented. The companies must reconsider many old truths. To have the courage to take that step, they must see both the risk of doing the same old thing and the benefit of thinking afresh. The most credible messengers are the customers; at the end of the day, they are the ones paying. If they make tougher sustainability demands, the offering will change; this is one of the issues we are working on most.

What is InnoEnergy actually doing to encourage this development?

– You could say that our strength lies in the fact that, along with our leading expertise in sustainable energy solutions, we understand the challenges facing industry and its need for transformation and innovation. We help both entrepreneurs and established companies wanting to introduce new sustainable energy solutions with their transition and development. We do so based on the business benefits that are created. We provide services such as education, support for innovation projects, funding and various forms of development partnerships.

Kenneth Johansson was interviewed by Klara Spangenberg, consultant and head of office at New Republic. ‘Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.