Smart Green Growth in Norway

Abelia arranged a top-level meeting at Soria Moria in Oslo, Norway for low carbon solutions. The meeting was structured as a 24h innovation arena in order to identify and develop (climate) smart solutions.

I did a short presentation and participated in a sparring panel together with Rune Rinnan from Telenor Venture and Christopher Mortensen from Geelmuyden.Kiese that gave feedback on the ideas from the different innovative ideas the groups had. Fantastic energy in the group and I look forward to see the concrete result form the six teams working to develop solutions.

For an overview of the perspective that the top-level was based on please read the inspiring report ”Smart Green Growth – ICT creates possibilities (in Norwegian)”.

Smart Green Growth in Norway

Abelia arranged a top-level meeting at Soria Moria in Oslo, Norway for low carbon solutions. The meeting was structured as a 24h innovation arena in order to identify and develop (climate) smart solutions. I did a short presentation and participated in a sparring panel together with Rune Rinnan from Telenor Venture and Christopher Mortensen from Geelmuyden.Kiese that gave feedback on the ideas from the different innovative ideas the groups had. Fantastic energy in the group and I look forward to see the concrete result form the six teams working to develop solutions.

For an overview of the perspective that the top-level was based on please read the inspiring report ”Smart Green Growth – ICT creates possibilities (in Norwegian)”.

Technology quote of the day: solar film and the Bird’s Nest in China

"I would choose to use solar film to power air-conditioners in the Bird's Nest instead of the current ground-source heat pump," said Ding Gao, an engineer of the landmark building.”

The pace of change is now to fast that anyone responsible for buildings need to totally rethink how we see buildings. There is no reason for buildings being built today to not be net producers of electricity. The question that would be interesting to get an answer to is how many of the existing buildings around the world that could become net producers and how fast…

Technology quote of the day: solar film and the Bird’s Nest in China

"I would choose to use solar film to power air-conditioners in the Bird's Nest instead of the current ground-source heat pump," said Ding Gao, an engineer of the landmark building.”

The pace of change is now to fast that anyone responsible for buildings need to totally rethink how we see buildings. There is no reason for buildings being built today to not be net producers of electricity. The question that would be interesting to get an answer to is how many of the existing buildings around the world that could become net producers and how fast…

Give Europe’s entrepreneurs a fair chance: The Future of Europe Summit

Participated at the Future of Europe Summit in Andorra. Some very interesting sessions and good presentations. One of the best short overviews of the dynamics around the financial crisis I have heard was given by Cinzia Alcidi, Research Fellow, Centre for European Policy Studies, CEPS. Frank suggestions for the way forward was given by a number of participants such as Wolfgang Munchau, Associate Editor, Financial Times. Geoffrey Lipman, Special Advisor to the Secretary General, World Tourism Organization, UNWTO put the current challenges for Europe in a global context and had some very interesting ideas for how Tourism could play a key role in the transition toward a sustainable economy (not just a low carbon economy).

The panel I participated in, “Europe towards a lower carbon economy: from rhetoric to realities after Copenhagen”, focused on what is needed to make Europe a leader in the second phase when real reductions must take place. Europe took the lead when incremental reductions were discussed (5-10% reductions under the Kyoto protocol), but as the focus shift towards the reductions that are needed the next decades (40-80% reductions) Europe seems lost and unwilling to support a new generation a fair chance. The big old companies are dominating the agenda and smaller/smarter companies have a difficult time.

Holger Hartmann, CEO, BadenSolar, Germany 
gave a good overview of the kind of companies that are needed (companies that can create tailor-made solutions based on sustainable and decentralized energy sources). Mark Scott, Reporter, BusinessWeek, UK gave an overview of some of the initiatives that exist and Mihela Hladin, Founder, Greennovate, Slovenia and MAGIC, Made Green In China, gave an example of concrete work in China.

The session was moderated by Gert Van Mol, The Wall Street Journal Europe, who concluded that a leading Europe must be a Europe that collaborates with the world, not the least China. The need for en new generation of entrepreneurs was highlighted as well.