Umeå University - Process IT

Process-IT at Umeå University works with digitalization, energy efficiency, profitability and competitiveness as part of transforming industrial operations. They see that sustainability comes in the bargain in that development.

Process IT has been working for 15-16 years on projects dealing with new measurement techniques to measure emissions, process control to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint, and new digital logistics solutions that reduce climate impact. Together with wind farms and energy companies, for example, they are looking at how hydrogen can be used to store wind power as a battery, a way to store electricity from wind turbines.

Why is it important for Process IT to work with sustainability? 

"Agenda 2030 and long-term sustainability are part of our why, our purpose, it is an overall impact goal that is woven into our work. We work with the major development issues that industry partners or research partners want to work with. This could be with AI, for example, to look at more efficient energy production, where we see clear links to sustainability, although initially this may not be the motive for the development," says Per Levén, chief strategist at Process IT at Umeå University.

What do you hope to achieve together with the other companies and organizations in the co-operation platform Viable Business Hub? 

"Through the collaboration platform, we want to help shorten the path between the parties, so that we can get to strong projects. Alone is no longer strong. In collaboration, we are able to wrestle down tough challenges and can take big steps. We spread the risks and increase the skills of the projects while at the same time we can get the power to bring them to market. We also look forward to joint ownership of test beds and showrooms," explains Per Levén 

How can you contribute and support the companies in order for sustainability work to be an important part of the businesses and business? 

"Our long experience of collaboration in heavy process industries, engineering industries and small and medium-sized companies enables us to specifically support the collaboration platform with digitalization. We hope to provide a digital business and matchmaking platform for the parties where researchers also join, so that the parties find each other quickly and easily, he continues.

What have your successes so far in your sustainability work? 

Process IT works comprehensively with sustainability. But our mission is to solve our customers' problems and challenges in a digital development, which in turn leads to sustainable solutions for our customers.  

What are the important challenges that we can tackle together and find solutions? 

"That through digitalisation as a support together can solve major sustainability challenges. Digital innovations provide competitive advantages that lead to increased sustainability and profitability. We can solve tougher problems in collaboration, with better skills and reduced risk for everyone," concludes Per Levén.