GREEN SOLUTIONS

mats denninger
obstacle in China. Needs are also more
diverse there.
“This aspect and the fact that we
have more experience exporting
cleantech to China, means we have
made more progress there,” says
Denninger.
A special office for cleantech
exports, Centec, has been operating in
Beijing since 2008. Similar permanent
offices, albeit smaller in size, are now
also operating in Russia and India.
“I would say that all three markets
have a substantial need for energy
efficiency and waste management
solutions, areas in which Sweden has
significant expertise, particularly
within its municipalities,” says
Denninger.
This link to municipalities also
causes a problem, however.
“Municipalities are good at defining
and procuring functional units and
systems. However, this also means that
we in Sweden lack stakeholders who
can deliver and operate facilities
independently.”
A primary goal of the Swedish
government’s initiative is to increase
exports of Swedish cleantech. According
to Denninger, Swedish cleantech
exports to China doubled between
34 | GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN
2008 and 2009 to over SEK 2 billion.
Exports have remained at that level
since, however. Cleantech exports to
Russia and India are currently SEK 1
billion and SEK 500 million respectively.
The potential is however much
greater. “The key to success is delivering
innovative technology; offering
smart solutions at low prices and
always being ready to take the next step
forward in technological development”.
“Increasing cleantech exports to
these countries is a long-term project.
The perseverance that is needed to
succeed requires high levels of
resources.”
Denninger would like to see more
investors choose to invest in Swedish
cleantech.
“There is a great need for venture
capital and consolidation. Fewer and
stronger stakeholders would be better
equipped to meet the challenges we
face,” he says.
The question, then, is why more
venture capitalists aren’t investing in
cleantech, when everyone seems to
agree that the industry has enormous
potential.
“Unfortunately, the short-term
returns are probably too small at
present,” Denninger concludes.
Facts: the swedish government’s
Cleantech strategy,
2011–2014
On September 1, 2011, Sweden’s
cleantech strategy was presented
by the then Minister for Enterprise
and Energy, Maud Olofsson; the
Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling;
and the then Minister for the
Environment, Andreas Carlgren.
The strategy aims to improve
conditions conducive to the
development and export of new
Swedish cleantech solutions in four
different policy areas; business,
trade, the environment, and
development assistance policy. The
government will invest SEK 400
million in cleantech in the period
2011-2014 to fund short- and
long-term initiatives covering
everything from research and
innovation to exports. As part of its
strategy, the government has
decided on some 20 missions to
over 10 state-funded agencies and
organizations. These missions will
help to create better business
conditions for Swedish companies
in selected areas. The missions’
focus will be based on analytical
data and on dialog with stakeholders
in the area.