Globe Award 2008

Arontis

Arontis Solar Concentrator AB manufactures a unique solar collector which generates both electricity and heat. The product Solar8, can, when it is mounted on flat roofs in sunny climates, provide the whole building with energy. By concentrating the sunlight with a reflector, energy from the sun becomes the most profitable kind of energy in the future. Arontis has also taken the initiative to a two-year long, national training for solar energy technicians and to a solar energy laboratory for concentrated sunlight, open for all companies that want to work within the field.

Beakon Technologies
By some measures, of all the energy used today over 60% is being lost as waste heat. Beakon Technologies is putting a patented Swedish breakthrough physical invention in the field of thermoelectric to use for the benefit of sustainable human life by helping the world convert waste heat, wherever it occurs, back into useful electric energy. The technology can also be applied to more energy efficient cooling and heating, replacing compressors wherever they are used.

BioCompoTech
Through the unique combination of bio fibres, natural binding agent BioCompoTech has created a strong, light, fireproof, formable and renewable bio-composite material. The material can for example replace non-sustainable materials such as fossil based plastics.  Wood products could also have their core replaced by the material. This could potentially reduce the use fossil based plastics as well as reduce deforestation. A hectare of hemp, our primary bio fibre, absorbs an average of 10 tons of Carbon Dioxide that is effectively encapsulated into our material thus effectively removing this amount from the biosphere.

ChromoGenics
Decrease the use of energy – a mission for ChromoGenics
The air conditioning in buildings is increasing with app. 17 % per year in EU, and in hot climate the air conditioning can account for up to 50 % of fuel consumption in cars in slow moving traffic. With ChromoGenics electrochromic plastic foil with variable transparency attached to windows in buildings and vehicles the use air conditioning can decrease  significantly or in some cases even be eliminated.

Fair Unlimited
Fair Unlimited bases it’s entire business operation on the ambition to benefit marginalised producers in developing countries through a just, respectful and commercially viable trade centred around people, culture and the environment, so called Fair Trade. Our trading relations shall create opportunities for social and economic development while at the same time work to prevent child labour, discrimination and other forms of human rights violations. Since it’s launch in 2004, Fair Unlimited has worked with over 20 producer groups in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Fair Trade products have been delivered to several hundred B2B customers in Sweden, in the end reaching over 20 000 people.

Parans
Parans Solar Lighting introduces a new solution for natural lighting. Sunlight is collected by a solar panel that can be mounted on roofs or facades. The sunlight is focused into flexible fiber optic cables and can then illuminate the building with the healthy sunlight. The advantages for building owners/users are: Improved Wellness & Productivity, Energy Savings, Sustainable building, Increased Property Value.

Rehact
All people and locations are unique and have different need for heating, cooling and fresh air in their buildings. Therefore an environmentally and people friendly building must be able to adjust to these needs without wasting energy. Our solution produces, distributes and stores energy more efficient than other systems. We reduce energy use and increase comfort. Using mostly renewable energy, we reduce the share of purchased energy by 85%, a reduction in CO2  emissions by 6 tons/year for a 50 m2 apartment.

Stridsberg Powertrain
Stridsberg Powertrain develops a way to design hybrid vehicles. Hybrids built after this principle seems to permit 50 to 66 % fuel reduction compared with vehicles with similar body, performance, air resistance, weight and engine technology. This is to be compared with other known hybrid designs that saves up to 30% of the fuel. Our hybrids contains the same amount of electric motors, power electronics and battery as a Toyota Prius, so production cost should be similar.

Umbilical Design
Driven by challenges
Umbilical Design is a company dedicated to space design and technology transfer from the space industry to consumer products in cooperation with the European Space Agency and NASA. We strongly believe that technologies and know-how from the space industry can contribute to the development of sustainable products that improve the Earth socio-environmentally. Together with our clients, we strive to further explore these possibilities, to create new commercial products with lower environmental impact.