Höganäs AB, based in southern Sweden, plays an important role in the development of environmentally adapted vehicles by supplying metal specialized metal powders which are used to reduce weight and fuel consumption in engine components and transmissions. The company also develops heat-resistant products that can withstand the higher temperatures reached by ethanol and biodiesel engines.

As a pilot project in the development of eco-efficient motors, Höganäs has set its sights on the most environmentally sound of all vehicles: the bicycle. The traditional bicycle is of course one option, but a bike with a small electric motor is highly coveted in China and other Asian countries, where there is enormous demand for cheap, flexible transportation. This is why Höganäs has chosen to launch its new motor concept at the World Expo in Shanghai.

Life-cycle thinking

The new electric motors from Höganäs will benefit the environment while at the same time saving wear on the rider’s knees. Metal powder gives the motors an advantageous combination of low weight, compact design and high performance.

Combining high power and low weight with a modular design, the Höganäs motor is suitable for use in a wide range of applications.

“Since there’s high demand for combined performance and cost, we chose electric bicycles when we introduced our new concept motor,” says Höganäs  President and CEO Alrik Danielson. “We’re convinced that we have a unique product. It’s lighter than other electric motors, and mounting it on our electric bike gives it a range of more than 7 kilometers. It’s a highly efficient and compact motor for direct power transmission without gears. By combining the high power and low weight with a modular design, the motor is suitable for use in a wide range of applications. It is suitable for light vehicles such as mopeds and scooters, as well as pumps, fans and generators.”

Danielson says the company will license the design to contract manufacturers for production. “Throughout the development process, we have tried to minimize the motor’s environmental impact,” he adds. “The stator uses metal powder made from recycled scrap. The motor used less magnets and copper wire than in comparable, traditional electric motors. And it’s designed for efficient recycling.”

Resource-efficient technology

Powder metallurgy offers several advantages over traditional technologies. Designing with metal powders can help achieve material savings of 20 to 30 percent, reducing overall environmental impacts. Metal powder technology also often reduces production times, since a part made from powdered metal usually requires only minimal processing.

And powder metallurgy production is energy efficient: energy consumption for component manufacturing is about half compared with traditional technologies. About two-thirds of Höganäs’ production of metal powders is based on recycled scrap, which of course lowers resource consumption and environmental impact.

Article published in May 2010

Climate-efficient freight transportation at ABB

With an economy that relies heavily on imports and exports, it’s no surprise that Sweden is also dependent on efficient transportation—after all, Swedish companies have to ship to and from the entire world. Virtually all large Swedish industrial companies operate in international markets, with offices and manufacturing facilities on multiple continents. One of these is the Swedish-Swiss electrical engineering giant ABB.

ABB works to make its freight transport climate efficient, for example by consolidating freight flows, reducing weights and volumes, slimming down packages, increasing the proportion of deliveries that go directly to end customers, reducing partial deliveries, and by carefully tracking lead times and choosing the right transportation solutions.

Local units of the company are assigned targets such as reducing the use of courier deliveries, increasing the proportion of direct deliveries, and switching from plywood to lighter corrugated packaging. This approach reduces both emissions and transport costs, and ABB says there is no conflict between environmental and cost targets.

Nonetheless, ABB has concluded that perhaps the most important measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is through a focus on efficient international logistics. Carbon dioxide measurements made at one of ABB’s divisions shows that emissions allocated to Sweden constitute less than 1 percent of total emissions for the division, a finding that led ABB to broaden its perspective to include logistics solutions.

This means directing larger volumes of air cargo freight to Scandinavian airports for trans-shipment to Singapore, avoiding truck transport to major European hubs such as Frankfurt. Analysts concluded that efficiency and emission targets were both well served by flying planes fully loaded directly from Scandinavia to the final destination. In short, increasing emissions from Swedish transport can help achieve reductions in total emissions, because smart logistics solutions require handling the climate issue as a global problem.

Reducing total impact

With its substantial engagement in imports and exports, ABB saw a need to review its total international transport impact, and then take appropriate action. At the same time, the company says, local and national efforts remain necessary. ABB argues that environmental work cannot be separated from the company’s overall operations, but must be integrated into the continuous improvement efforts undertaken in purchasing, sales, product development, ordering and inventory control.

Taking a holistic approach to logistics and climate change means first getting a detailed picture of where the emissions occur and the size of various sources. Then the search can begin for emission reduction and efficiency opportunities, both at the local and global level. ABB says its work on reducing emissions from transport is built around measurement, analysis, targeting and follow up, giving the company the tools it needs to set priorities.

Article published in June 2010

Safety and environmental considerations are strong arguments for transporting fuel by rail.

Until just a few years ago, all of the aviation fuel used at Stockholm Arlanda Airport was transported by ship to the Port of Stockholm, then trucked through city streets to a northbound highway and some 45 kilometers out to the airport. About sixty tanker trucks, operated by the storage and transportation company AFAB, were required each day to supply fuel to Arlanda.

This heavy truck traffic on Stockholm’s streets was undesirable both from a safety perspective and because of the negative environmental impact, so together with logistics experts at Green Cargo, AFAB set out to develop a new solution that would significantly reduce the problem.

That new solution has been in use since 2006, with tanker ships now delivering the fuel to the Port of Gävle, 175 kilometers north of Stockholm, where it is transferred to trains running into a tank depot just outside the airport grounds. The final leg of the journey takes place in underground pipelines.

There are several advantages to this new transportation solution. First, fuel shipments by truck through the center of Stockholm are eliminated, which improves safety and reduces traffic congestion and pollution. The transportation itself is simpler and more convenient, with faster loading times at the port and deliveries taking place at a few pre-determined times each day, rather than a steady stream of trucks arriving at the airport.

Emission cuts

There are also substantial gains in terms of reduced climate impact. Compared with the previous solution, by boat to Stockholm and truck transportation from there, the new system results in emission reductions of 2,400 tons of carbon dioxide per year—a clear example of how creative thinking and new transport routes can have a major impact on transportation emissions. Train transport, of course, generates significantly lower emissions compared to trucks, as most of the route is operated with electricity from renewable hydropower and nuclear.

Sweden’s airport authority, LFV, gave its 2009 Ecologistics Award to AFAB, Green Cargo and the Port of Gävle. And several European airports have expressed interest in the Arlanda model, which is relatively uncommon. Safety and environmental improvements make a strong case for rail as an alternative to truck transport.

Article published in June 2010

Natural bacteria can keep snow mold at bay

Winter can be a tough time for the grass on golf courses in higher latitudes, with significant damage to greens and fairways often caused by  snow, ice and wind. On top of that, there’s the problem of infestation by microorganisms such as the snow mold fungus Microdochium Nivale. Snow mold is a problem mainly in areas with cold weather but only short periods of snow cover.

Attacks require a susceptible host (grass), an active parasite (fungus) and a suitable microclimate (low temperature and high humidity). When the fungus infects grass, important functions in the plant are damaged or impeded, often leaving behind circular areas where the grass is dead or growth is stunted.

Snow mold spreads in a number of ways. Fungal spores (and mycelium) can travel on air currents, but may also stick to shoes and machinery. Snow mold may be latent in the grass, waiting for the right humidity and temperature to grow into a full-blown infestation. Meadowgrass (Poa annua) is among the most severely affected, but snow mold can affect all grasses.

Reducing pesticide use

As part of a program known as MASE, funded by Sweden’s Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, scientists have worked to identify and refine a suitable soil bacteria that can keep snow mold in check. Testing showed that the bacterial isolate ME700 (a gram-negative bacteria) had appropriate characteristics, and that fermentation makes storage and transportation of the bacteria practical. Field trials conducted at five golf courses throughout Sweden—on courses where autumn snow mold attacks have been common—showed that ME700 can be just as effective as conventional chemical fungicides.

“ME700 has shown good results in southern Sweden and we expect similar success on golf courses in the UK,” says Leif Johansson, a researcher at MASE. Field trials of biological pesticides is carried out at the Sports Turf Research Institute in Bingley in the UK. If ME700 performs as well as is hoped in the UK, the project’s backers will look toward larger markets in northern Europe and the U.S. east coast, where local climates resemble that of southern Sweden.

The Swedish Golf Federation is following the MASE effort to find alternatives toi chemical pesticides with great interest. In its environmental guidelines, the federation recommends that its members reduce their use of fungicides. Many courses are located close to nature reserves and water supplies, and restrictions or bans on the use of chemical pesticides are considered likely in the future.

A long way to the golf course

But even if trials with ME700 are successful, it’s not certain that the bacterium can be commercialized. 
Relevant European Union legislation applies the same conditions on microorganisms and chemical pesticides alike, which means toxicity tests, environmental impact assessment, risk analysis and other studies that can run up large expenses. It takes at least five years to get the active substance approved, and a further two years for product approval. Backers have to have a strong belief in the market potential of alternative pesticides for golf courses—and they need substantial funding to make it to commercialization.

A variety of uses

Research under the MASE project indicates that naturally occurring soil bacteria can be cultured in a lab and later returned to their natural environment to supplement the existing bacterial flora. This can result in agricultural crops with greater resistance to fungal attacks and other diseases, better growth and faster maturity.

Since its inception in 2004, MASE has completed more than 200 field trials of up to ten different microorganisms. In these experiments, results were compared with standard cultivation methods, including chemical controls. Scientists have seen positive effects from the bacteria in most of the test runs to date. Attempts have been scaled up from small areas to areas covering several hundred hectares.

Modern PVC flooring can use plasticizers made from of renewable raw materials.

Even if its main product is woven vinyl flooring, Bolon doesn’t see itself as a flooring manufacturer, but as a design company that manufactures floor coverings. Based in Ulricehamn, Sweden, Bolon has focused on custom-designed floors, earning a committed following among designers, architects and interior designers who appreciate the decorative possibilities of its special designs and collections.

After more than 50 years of manufacturing woven vinyl products, the company’s latest collection is built around a strategic environmental initiative called Bolon® Green, developed to offer flooring products with reduced environmental impacts. Vinyl plastic has earned a reputation as something of an environmental villain, but Bolon is out to prove that PVC, used correctly, can counter that image.

PVC properties

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is one of the most widely used plastics in the world, primarily because its chemical flexibility makes it suitable for a wide variety of applications. Chlorine atoms in the resin make it chemically polar, which means it can be mixed with many different additives to make final products that may be stiff, soft, transparent or colored as needed. PVC is an excellent raw material for any number of processes in the plastics industry, including injection molding, extrusion, calendering (pressing between cylinders) and coating. PVC can be made to hold its shape for a long time, and it’s used extensively in construction industry applications such as piping, electricity cables, window frames and floors. The material’s many other uses include toys and medical equipment.

The development of the new softener has been made possible through close cooperation with universities.

But PVC also has a bad environmental reputation, which can be summed up in three main criticisms:

• PVC contains chlorine, so incinerating plastic can give rise to hydrochloric acid and hazardous dioxins.
• PVC plastic contains several types of environmentally harmful stabilizers, plasticizers and flame retardants, including a group of additives known as phthalates, which have been restricted banned or banned in many countries due to suspicions of serious impacts on human health and wildlife.
• Plastics are manufactured from non-renewable petroleum products, which cause emissions of greenhouse gases when burnt.

These unflattering properties of PVC cause many people to avoid using the plastics when possible. But a lot has happened in recent years, and the environmental performance of PVC has improved substantially without getting a great deal of attention.

A holistic approach

One has the most contested PVC additives has been replaced by more environmentally friendly alternatives. Lead and organotin stabilizers have been replaced with carboxylates such as calcium and zinc soaps. Another example is the elimination of toxic phthalates through a switch to less hazardous substances. A common plasticizer in PVC is DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate), which has a tendency to migrate out of the plastic material and is suspected of causing hormone disruption in animals and humans.

Bolon avoids DEHP, instead using DINP (di-isononyl phthalate) and DIDP (di-isodecyl phthalate), plasticizers which can be used in flooring materials without creating a risk to human health or the environment. And the story of plasticizers for PVC flooring doesn’t stop there.

Bolon’s environmental initiatives, such as replacement of harmful plasticizers with safer alternatives, are an important factor in the company’s long-term market strategy. Bolon is the first manufacturer of PVC flooring in the world to transition to plastic softeners based on renewable raw materials. The new plant-based additive, Epoxidized Soy Bean Oil (ESBO), has previously been used as a secondary stabilizer in PVC, but Bolon is the first to use the substance as a primary plasticizer in flooring materials. The company’s 2010 Botanic collection includes PVC plastics using soy bean oil, and the company’s goal is to successively expand this application in future collections.

The greening of Bolon’s products and production methods includes increasing the recycling of waste materials and the purchase of surplus from other producers. Operations are certified to the ISO 14001 environmental standard, and Bolon’s products are FloorScore Certified, the U.S. floor industry’s label that allows classification under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). In addition, Bolon participates in the Vinyl 2010 initiative, an action plan to reduce the PVC industry’s environmental impacts.

Environmental leading edge

So what is the motivation behind Bolon’s investment in improved environmental performance? Bolon® Green “is both a business opportunity and a responsibility,” says Annica Eklund, the company’s CEO. “It’s clear that the demand for green buildings is on the upswing, and for competitive reasons we have to stake out our position in this industry. Bolon has all of its production facilities here in Ulricehamn, which gives us shorter lead times for testing new solutions,” she continues. “The development of the new softener has been made possible through close cooperation with universities, and through our rapid adaptation of the latest research findings.” She also notes that Bolon® Green “will never be completed; it’s an ongoing project that affects all parts of the company.”

Eklund says customer interest in environmentally adapted products is growing steadily. “It’s one of the first issues that comes up,” she says. “It’s just a basic expectation. At the same time, pricing is still paramount. The market isn’t prepared to pay a much higher price for environmental products.”

Do eco-friendly products show equivalent technical performance at the same price points as conventional products? “They absolutely have the same technical performance,” Eklund says. “We can’t make inferior products. With our focus on public spaces such as offices, hotels and shops, we have very high standards to live up to in terms of wear resistance, durability and other properties. Prices for Botanic are slightly higher than comparable products without the the new softener. However, Botanic isn’t our most expensive product overall, but is in the middle of our price range.”

Article posted in May 2010

Transhipment between trucks and trains takes place quickly, since the containers and trailers are compatible with both types of transport.

A combined truck/rail transportation solution helps the Swedish beverage maker Spendrups cut carbon dioxide emissions by hundreds of tons of each year.

The aluminum cans in which Spendrups sells its drinks are produced near Malmö in the far south of the country, and then transported to breweries in Vårby and Grängesberg, each about 600 kilometers away. Until recently, insufficient rail capacity meant that some shipments to Grängesberg had to be transported by road.

But these days all of Spendrups’ shipments to Grängesberg go by combined rail/truck transport. The cans are carried by truck over the short stretch from the manufacturing plant on the outskirts of the city to the downtown train station, and then loaded in containers or trailers that can be lifted directly on board electric trains for the journey north on railway cars provided by the Green Cargo shipping company. Transhipment between trucks and trains takes place quickly, since the containers and trailers are compatible with both types of transport.

Transport by truck over the entire route would cause emissions of about 1500 tons of carbon per year, while the combined solution amounts to only 250 tons per year.

“This new shipping system is better for the environment and for our climate footprint, and at the same time it cuts costs,” says Michael Hällström, purchasing manager at Spendrups. Green Cargo is able to chalk up further environmental gains by contracting to fill the return transport with goods for another customer, maximizing capacity in both directions.

Switching from road to rail transport makes an especially big difference in greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden, because this country’s electrical generation—mainly nuclear and hydropower—generates significantly less carbon than diesel. Still, all modes of transport are important links in a balanced national transport system. On routes that are not served by rail, truck transport is of course essential. But for long-distance haulage or in areas with congested roads, trains can be far superior. Infrastructure is the crucial ingredient, not least access to transshipment terminals. For example, it may be necessary to load trains directly at the ports where goods are received from other parts of the world. Rail capacity is another important factor that can determine whether it is possible for shipping companies to offer rail transport. Finally, cooperation between cargo owners and transporters is critical to finding workable solutions.

Published in April 2010

Intelligent ventilation improves energy efficiency.

About 15 years ago, Herman Lindborg decided he was tired of the noisy, drafty ventilation systems that produced uneven room temperatures in his laboratory at Lund University in southern Sweden. Inspecting the system, Lindborg realized that the biggest problem was the air diffuser—an essential component of the ventilation system that circulates fresh air into a room and removes stale air.

Working with Akademiska Hus, the real estate management company that owns the university’s buildings, Lindborg founded Lindinvent AB and set out to design a new type of air flow control system that would improve the indoor environment while cutting down on wasted energy.

Akademiska Hus is driven by a need to meet its tenants’ expectations on indoor comfort, while at the same time lowering expenses even as energy prices rise. Keeping lifecycle costs as low as possible became central to Lindinvent’s strategy.

An intelligent air diffuser

In most offices, the need for ventilation varies during the day according to the number of people working, and energy is wasted when the system runs at full capacity even though there’s little need for fresh air. Lindinvent claims its Intelligent Diffuser for Climate Control (IDCC) system saves energy by taking occupancy rates into account.

How can an air diffuser be considered intelligent? The unit has motorized louvers operated by sensors to adapt to ventilation requirements. When the need for air is low, the louvers close, and then open again as the need increases. The sensors can also be connected to lighting and other electrical devices to turn on and off depending upon the presence of people in the room.

By regulating air flow and indoor temperatures on a room-by-room basis, a building in effect becomes a series of individual climate zones. The system is based on air cooled to about 15°C, so lowering the temperature of a room is a simple matter of increasing the air flow. Monitoring is easily carried out using an Internet application or handheld PDAs.

A traditional ventilation system consumes about 150 to 200 KWh per square meter of floor area each year. But solutions built around diffusers from Lindinvent can lower consumption to as little as 50 to 75 KWh per square meter per year.

Lidninvent calls its product “Green Air Diffuser” to underline its extremely low lifecycle costs compared to conventional solutions. This Green Diffuser has been awarded two important Swedish prizes for innovative energy-efficiency solutions: Stora Inneklimatpriset (Indoor Climate Prize) and Stora Energipriset (Energy prize).

Variable airflow at Chalmers University

A practical application of the intelligent diffuser system can be found at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden. In connection with a reconstruction of a large building, engineers decided to install a variable flow air conditioner to replace an older constant flow system.

The rebuilt air treatment system now serves five floors, including offices, corridors and a basement storage space. Air conditioning runs only during normal business hours. If a room is empty and the temperature is below 23°C, the air diffuser provides a minimum flow of 5 liters per second. As soon as someone enters the room, a presence sensor orders the airflow to increase to 10 liters per second. When the room temperature reaches 23°C, each air diffuser can supply up to 40 liters per second to keep it from getting warmer. During the night and on weekends, the air treatment system can either be completely turned off or providing minimum air flow. The system saves 100 percent of the heating of supply air, 50 percent of the electricity for fans and 7 percent of the heat to the radiators.

Article published in March 2010

It can be as inefficient as running half-empty trucks or train cars: The packaging that protects goods during shipment may be much more bulky than necessary, or make optimal stacking difficult. Volume-efficient packaging helps maximize the amount of cargo shipped, reducing vehicle traffic and related emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. And since manufacturers don’t make money from transporting air, it’s yet another example of alignment between environmental and economic goals.
For the Swedish telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson, with its global manufacturing network and customers in every corner of the world, effective logistics is essential to maintaining profit margins in a highly competitive industry. For years the company has worked systematically to make packaging development an integrated part of new product design—and the effort is paying off in the form of reduced weights and volumes.
The new packaging leads to better transportation efficiency, which reduces emissions, cuts costs and makes it easier to recycle waste. For the products that Ericsson sells most, the program has led to replacing plywood with corrugated cardboard for lower weight. That change alone is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 3,000 tons per year.
Ericsson says the positive results mean packaging development will continue to be an important focus. With tens of thousands of products shipped each year, the efficiency gains from improved packaging represent big savings, and the company says it is committed to continued reductions in its overall carbon footprint.

Article published in February 2010.

Wiklunds Åkeri operates about 100 trucks with trip computers that record fuel consumption

The amount of carbon dioxide produced from vehicle engines is directly related to fossil fuel consumption, which means that reducing greenhouse gas emissions translates straight into lower costs for drivers and commercial haulers. This is why automakers put so much effort into fuel-efficient engines and lighter vehicles: their customers pay close attention to the cost of driving.

But the vehicle itself isn’t the only variable when it comes to improving mileage; driver behavior is another important factor. Route planning, smooth acceleration and proper braking have a significant impact on economy and emissions. These efficiency techniques can be referred to as eco-driving.

Eco-driving can be applied to all types of motorized transportation, and courses are available not only for autos and trucks, but also for ships and trains.

The haulage company Wiklunds Åkeri is just one of many Swedish firms that have invested in eco-driving instruction for its operators. In the autumn of 2005, Wiklunds contacted Greater Than, which specializes in resource efficiency in the transport sector. In a trial phase, Wiklunds equipped 12 of its vehicles with data recorders that keep track of driving patterns, and the project quickly yielded results. The company has now equipped about 100 vehicles with on-board computers, cutting fuel use by about 4 percent. Wiklunds’ goal is to raise that figure to 6 percent.

In addition to installing data recorders, Wiklunds trains drivers in eco-driving techniques to keep their skills current and maintain motivation. The company also employs several “savings coaches,” who work with the drivers to analyze driving style. Drivers meet with coaches about once a month to get feedback and tips. Individual salary bonuses are paid to drivers who show particularly high reductions in fuel consumption, and Wiklunds says drivers are largely positive to the program.

Article published in January 2010