Press releases and news

New project reviewing the expectations and displacement effects of electrifying municipal transportation
There is an increase in the number of municipalities choosing to electrify their public transportation system. Many of these have established biofuel, e.g. biogas, systems. It is important to address and review the implications of the emergence of electrified systems, and the consequences that may arise for regional bio-based and circular economy.

New report on climate impact of electric car batteries
A new IVL report commissioned by the Swedish Energy Agency targets climate emissions associated with electric car battery manufacture. The study is based on life cycle analyses and is an update of an earlier report from 2017.

ReuseHeat wins one of the Global District Energy Climate Awards
The 2019 Global District Energy Climate Awards were revealed on 24 October 2019, during the first Sustainable District Energy Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland. The IVL-lead project ReuseHeat won the Award of Excellence in the category New scheme – a category awarding the vision of a new, highly energy-efficient district energy system.

IVL releases book about electrical waste for high schools
Mobile phones, televisions, appliances and computers are some of the products most commonly found in waste streams around the world, and they are on the increase. Every year, about 50 million tonnes of electronic waste is discarded, and along with that a vast amount of valuable metals. IVL discusses e-waste issues and possible solutions in a popular science book for high schools.

Clean water in focus during Indian politician visit
India´s Jal Shakti Minister of Water Resources, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, visited Hammarby Sjöstadsverk in Stockholm last week. At this unique research and demonstration facility, IVL works together with other companies and researchers to develop techniques to purify and reuse wastewater.

Student camp raised environmental awareness
This summer IVL and the Swedish Institute, SI, arranged a two-week scholarship camp in Sweden. 20 students from India and China got the opportunity to learn about sustainable development and experience smart city aspects of the Swedish capital Stockholm and the region Dalarna.

Green light for large-scale automated textile sorting facility in Malmö
IVL has been given green light for a collaborative initiative to establish the world's first industrial scale automated textile sorting plant. Vinnova is to invest SEK 22 million in the project that will develop innovative solutions to achieve Agenda 2030 sustainability goals. The facility will be built in Malmö and is projected to go online next summer.

Major research initiative targets aquaculture around the Atlantic coast
Today, aquaculture is limited to a small number of highly demanded species. To lessen vulnerability to disease, greater diversity and stronger populations are needed. In a transatlantic EU project, researchers at IVL will develop techniques for cultivating both domestic and alien pacific oysters.

Resource-efficient carbon fiber electrodes for extraction of hydrogen from wastewater
Research work at the Royal Institute of technology (KTH) and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute has enabled the development of a new type of carbon fibre-based electrodes. The electrodes make it possible to efficiently extract hydrogen from sewage waters with high ammonium contents. At the same time the wastewater is purified from ammonium nitrogen, which means a further environmental advantage.

Study shows the environmental effects of scrubbing systems
Next year, new legislation will compel international shipping to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions to air. But instead of using expensive low-sulphur fuels, the global shipping fleet is expected to install so-called scrubbers to wash exhaust emissions with seawater that is then pumped back into the sea. New research from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute indicates that this scrub water will have a negative effect on zooplankton.

Chinese companies strive to halve food waste
The platform Save 12.3 that was launched last year, has started a campaign to reduce food waste in China. More than 500 Chinese catering companies and restaurants support this initiative aimed at halving food waste by 2030.

35 million to real-world traffic emissions studies
Cares, a collaborative project funded by the EU, will develop technologies to improve the measurement of real driving emissions. The project is particularly relevant in the wake of dieselgate, the scandal with software that manipulated emissions from new diesel cars.

Large research grant for developing green chemistry
The Swedish financier Mistra is investing SEK 70 million in the four-year research program SafeChem, which aims to create a sustainable chemicals industry and reduce exposure to hazardous substances. The programme is coordinated by IVL and brings together researchers from Stockholm University, Rise, KTH, Danish DTU and industry-wide actors.

20 students from India and China go to Sweden
IVL, together with Swedish institute, arranges the two-week SEK City Elite Scholarship Camp in Sweden for students from India and China. The selection process is now finalized, and the names of the final 20 students are published.

Full-scale drug purification plant in Simrishamn inaugurated
Recycled wastewater – that is the goal of extended wastewater treatment at the Stengården plant in Simrishamn. IVL, together with the municipality of Simrishamn, has tested a completely new and innovative purification system. On May 24, the facility will go into full scale production. One of the major environmental benefits is the removal of drug residues.

Wastewater treatment in Svalbard eliminates 99 per cent of microlitter
Very little sewage treatment is carried out on the Norwegian Svalbard island group. In a preliminary study commissioned by the Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency, IVL, in collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute and Aarhus University, has analysed the presence of microlitter in the waters around Svalbard and in the outlet of a new treatment plant in the Ny-Ålesund research village. The study shows that the purification process can eliminate 99 per cent of microlitter.

Camp for Indian and Chinese students
IVL, together with Swedish institute, arranges the two-week SEK City Elite Scholarship Camp in Sweden for students from India and China. In the camp they will learn more about sustainable development.

Municipal electric vehicle policies have a considerable impact on residents purchase decisions
Studies carried out by IVL and the University of Gothenburg show that the procurement of an electric vehicle fleet by local councils and investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure ramps up the number of electric cars purchased by local residents.

Large variations in wood combustion emissions
Short-lived climate-impacting air pollutants trigger both climate and health issues. Small-scale residential wood burning is major source of these emissions. A study carried out by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers shows that combustion with a reduced wood load and an inadequate air supply results in higher emissions than normal combustion, this is also happens when unseasoned wood is burned.

Better air in Chile with the Internet of things
The Internet of things project LoV-IoT has been exported. In collaboration with Chilean researchers, local public actors and business partners, the connected sensors will measure air and water pollution in the capital Santiago de Chile.

A trend break is necessary if road traffic climate goals are to be met
The transport sector gives rise to significant carbon emissions. Unlike private motoring where policy instruments are starting to have some effect heavier vehicles emission reductions are coming along at a much slower pace, concludes a Nordic Council of Ministers report, co-authored by IVL.

The ’Million’ programme is being updated to accommodate both the climate and tenants
Homes built under the Swedish ‘Million’ public housing programme can be retrofitted to more or less the same energy standard that new buildings are compelled to meet – while simultaneously maintaining a cap on rent increases. This is amply demonstrated by the EU Cityfied project that has renovated the Linero district in Lund. Preliminary figures show that energy use can be slashed by as much as 40 per cent.

Record number of EPD registrations
A record number of 270 Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) were published in the International EPD System in 2018, breaking the previous record with 85 additional registrations in a single year. Construction products were the main product category, but there were also EPDs registered for a wide range of other goods and services, including food, transport equipment and paper products.

Circular Electronics Day aims to extend the lifespan of electronics
Today’s extensive consumption of electronics lead to alarming amounts of waste and the release of substances hazardous to human health and the environment. Finite natural resources are extracted from the ground at a fast rate and reserves are running low. By prolonging product life, individuals and organizations can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Report from breakfast seminar: The climate summit in Katowice
The climate summit, COP 24, in Polish Katowice last November was an important milestone in the climate negotiations following the Paris agreement in 2015. Particularly successful was the progress with a rule book enabling the Paris Agreement. In late January Mistra Carbon Exit organized a breakfast seminar themed COP 24.