
Norra Scen - Arena for green transition
Norra Scen is a seminar series on the green transition in northern Sweden at Vetenskapens hus in Luleå. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and northern Sweden has a unique opportunity to lead the world in the sustainable transition. At Norra Scen, we discuss what is required for the transition to succeed, including opportunities and challenges, the green industry investments and community development in northern Sweden and the interaction between industry, academia and society. The seminar series Norra Scen – Arena for green transition is a collaboration between IVA Nord, LKAB, Luleå University of Technology, Region Norrbotten SSAB and Vattenfall.
Norra Scen: Can there be 100,000 more people in northern Sweden?
Northern Sweden is facing major challenges as the transformation of society is estimated to generate 100,000 new inhabitants as a result of the extensive investments in fossil-free industry. We invite you to a breakfast seminar where we discuss this.
Thousands of jobs can be created in the new industry, but in order to build a sustainable society, other industries also need large labour injections. Not least, schools, healthcare and care are facing major challenges as Norrbotten grows.
Welcome to a breakfast seminar with our moderator Helena Godotter Karlberg who leads a conversation with Rikard Eriksson and Jonas Thörnqvist about the current situation and the future. Will there be 100,000 more people in northern Sweden?
Rikard Eriksson is Professor of Economic Geography at Umeå University and researches labour markets, migration patterns and regional development. He was recently awarded SEK 43 million in funding to research the industrial transformation in northern Sweden.
Jonas Thörnqvist is a Project manager at Region Norrbotten and works with health care planning linked to the green transition.
Recording
Norra Scen: Will Malmbanan be a brake on the social transition?
The railway between Luleå and Narvik carries about 45 percent of the total amount of freight transported by rail in Sweden. Malmbanan is extremely important for the industry in northern Norrland, and thus the whole of Sweden. Sustainable, efficient transport is crucial to the county's competitiveness and attractiveness in a globalised market. The availability of labour and good commuting opportunities mean that Malmbanan also needs to meet the needs of passenger traffic.
In the coming decade, the importance of the Malmbanan will grow further due to the many industries establishing themselves in northern Sweden.
How can the capacity of Malmbanan be increased to enable industry to transport their goods? Is there room for both passenger and freight transport on Malmbanan? Since there are no double tracks on long stretches, the rail network becomes very vulnerable as soon as accidents occur along the way. Many people are reluctant to take the train because it is not reliable. Will freight transport displace passenger transport?
Participants on stage:
- Lisa Ek, moderator
- Ann-Britt Asplund, Sweco
- Björn Svanberg, Sweco
- Carl Wangel, SSAB
- Nils Ahlm, Swedish Transport Administration
- Linda Bjurholt, LKAB
- Marie Torneus, Vy
- Niklas Grönberg, Roadmap for Improved Arctic infrastructure and logistics system
Recording
Norra Scen: Critical minerals in a critical situation
The extraction and processing of metals and minerals is central to the green transition. LKAB has recently identified significant amounts of rare earth metals in the Kiruna area, necessary for the production of electric cars and wind turbines. At the same time, a circular industrial park is being planned in Luleå for this purpose.
The eyes of the world are now increasingly focused on northern Sweden, which has the potential to increase the self-sufficiency of these critical raw materials, not only for Sweden but for Europe as a whole. But how can this be done? What are the challenges? And how can more efficient permitting processes be reconciled with various conflicts of interest along the way?
Join us for an important discussion on a current topic with local, national and global dimensions.
Moderator Karin Hübinette discusses these issues with, among others:
- Tobias Bauer, Associate Professor of Ore Geology, Luleå University of Technology
- Karin Börjesson, head of the community department, County Administrative Board
- Mattias Karlsson, group leader (M), Swedish Parliament
- Louise Karlberg, Head of Forestry and Agriculture, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.
- Pia Lindström, Director of Sustainability, LKAB
- David Högnelid, Strategy Manager Special Products, LKAB
Recording
Norra Scen: The future is electric – but will there be enough electricity?
Most people agree that the future is electric. The electrification of industry, transport and society is one of the keys to meeting the major climate challenge we face. But to reach our climate goals by 2045, Sweden needs more fossil-free electricity production and stable electricity grids. Northern Sweden is no exception.
What are the future electricity needs?
Anna Krook Riekkola, Associate Professor of Energy Engineering, Luleå University of Technology and Mats Billstein, Adjunct Professor of Fluid Mechanics at Luleå University of Technology and Research Manager for Hydropower at Vattenfall R&D.
Will there be enough electricity for everyone?
Moderator Monica Nordlund talks with:
- Niklas Johansson, Director of Communication and Climate, LKAB
- Sandra Grauers, Head of BU Onshore Wind, Vattenfall
- Annika Fredriksson, CEO, Swedish Lapland
Recording
Norra Scen: The role of hydrogen in the green transition
In Europe, northern Sweden is a showroom when it comes to hydrogen. It is the key to a fossil-free energy system. Industry accounts for large parts of the greenhouse gases that we emit in the world and to achieve the global climate goals, these emissions must be reduced. For some industrial processes such as steel production, the most promising technology today is to use renewable hydrogen, as well as for the production of fertilisers and some other substances.
In northern Sweden, the journey towards fossil-free steel has been started by LKAB, SSAB, H2 Green Steel, Grupo Fertiberia and others. The world's eyes are turning to our region to follow a development that is at the forefront and Luleå University of Technology is helping to accelerate that development. Here you have the opportunity to learn more about hydrogen and take part of different actors' views on why a large-scale use of hydrogen in industry is so important.
Introduction
Cecilia Wallmark, moderator and Director of Luleå University of Technology's hydrogen initiative.
What is hydrogen and what does it mean for the region?
Moderator talks with Erik Elfgren, Associate Professor of Energy Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, and Ylva Sardén, strategist at Region Norrbotten.
Panel discussion on the potential of hydrogen for industry
Stefan Savonen, Group Head of Energy & Climate at LKAB
Tomas Hirsch, Group Head of Energy and Emissions Trading at SSAB
Mikael Nordlander, Head of Industrial Cooperation at Vattenfall.
Sweden's strategy and the future of hydrogen
Moderator talks with Jazaer Dawody, Senior Officer/Resource Efficient Society at the Swedish Energy Agency.
Summary and Q&A session
Recording
Norra Scen: Where will everyone live?
The planned establishments and investments in northern Sweden are expected to attract tens of thousands of new Norrbotten residents who actively choose to live here. This requires services, communication, culture and, not least, housing.
How will everything be financed? How do we build for a sustainable future? What responsibility does the state have in the event of a major settlement?
Moderator Helena Karlberg leads the discussion with:
- Eva Nordström, government coordinator for sustainable construction in the North
- Anna-Karin Abrahamsson, County Administrative Board of Norrbotten
- Linus Niva, head of community transformation LKAB
- Alexander Kult, coordinator community transformation Gällivare municipality
- Mia Ahlstrand, project manager North Sweden Green Deal
- Björn Ekelund, practicing architect and researcher at Luleå University of Technology
Recording
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