Oulu – a living lab for smart cleantech
The region of Oulu has grown into an attractive North-European hub for Smart Cleantech City solutions.
The region of Oulu has grown into an attractive North-European hub for Smart Cleantech City solutions. Oulu is one of the seven smartest cities in the world, and there’s a good reason for that. Extensive researches have been carried out in the region to design and develop smart cleantech city solutions.
Promoting the development and internationalization of local companies, BusinessOulu has helped to turn Oulu into a smart cleantech city, a living lab, where cleantech solutions are adopted without delay. The region has evolved into an area where cleantech solutions are developed quickly from design into sustainable solutions.
Oulu’s wide-ranging cleantech competence stems from the region’s industrial traditions. There’s know-how in ICT, energy efficiency and energy production. As a result of close collaboration between businesses, competence can be converted into Smart Cleantech City solutions. Ranging from household energy and water supply to smart phone solutions that can make life much easier, these solutions affect all people living in smart Oulu.
The region’s know-how is attractive for investors. Based on forecasts, over ten billion euros will be invested into cleantech solutions within the next ten years. Investments into smart power grids and cleantech consumer goods, for instance, are expected to multiply. Smart living and building, geothermal and hybrid solutions and measuring technology, to mention just a few areas of competence, have driven the growth of the area and turned local businesses into attractive investment targets.
Of the many Smart Cleantech City solution providers in the Oulu region, the following companies look particularly interesting.
Cajo Technologies
Cajo’s main product is a patented marking method that can be applied to all materials. Stainless steel color patterning, logos, texts, photographs, informative markings. Cajo offers versatile marking and patterning services from safety markings and business gifts all the way to complete marking and customer branding systems. Cajo’s method and services have been used by VR Track, Boliden, Konecranes, Outokumpu and Kone.
“As one commercial application, Cajo executed color patterning of the exterior of lift cabins. Our unique laser technology offers solutions for color patterning, industrial marking and custom designing of metal products without chemicals”, the company’s CEO Niko Karsikas says.
CleWorks
CleWorks develops smart solutions for the energy sector. Their best-known product is CleBox, designed to effectively manage properties’ energy consumption. CleBox helps to reduce energy bills by switching power consumption automatically to the cheapest hours.
“CleBox is designed mainly for people who use electric heating. It helps to save money, nature, energy, and for network operators it helps electricity load balancing. This user-friendly device can be used at home, holiday cottages and small businesses”, says CEO Jouni Kolvanki.
CleBox is essential part of future smart grid solutions and available today.
IoLiving
IoLiving wants to encourage and guide people in adopting a healthy, safe and cheerful lifestyle.
IoLiving uses smart phones as a link between smart home and web services. This is the first IoT service in the world operated from a smart phone.
“There are typically several smart phones in a family. They work as routers between home appliances and the website. Family members and friends can follow, manage and share daily information, which adds to overall energy efficiency. The idea behind a smart city is to benefit from the already existing appliances and technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) is here already”, says CEO Matti Verkasalo.
Solved – The Cleantech Company
Solved is a cleantech advisory service and digital collaboration platform. Solved brings together the leading experts, environmental challenges and new ways of working in order to co-create appealing solutions.
Over 700 world-class experts from hundreds of companies have already joined Solved. The experts of Solved have modernized district heating solutions in Slovakia, developed the cleantech strategy in Rauma and built up the concept of environmentally positive residential areas in collaboration with YIT.
“Solved has already executed over 160 cleantech projects around the world. We have, together with other companies of the Oulu region, developed the region’s attractiveness, and thus attracted investments to Oulu”, says CEO Janne Hietaniemi.
Valopaa
Valopaa specialises in intelligent outdoor lighting with wireless connectivity and cloud-based controlled systems that does not require extra cabling or switching cabinet installations. Deployment is simple and it is performed with the help of a mobile application. External data sources like traffic intensity, energy prices and weather conditions can be utilised in lighting control. Since the system is a true IoT solution, it is also ready for Smart Grid and Off-Grid solutions and can be managed anywhere via the internet.
“With our intelligent adaptive system, the energy consumption of lighting is typically reduced by half, compared to constant power LED lighting. Streets, parks and other areas become safer. A smart city takes energy efficiency, security and comfortable living environments into account. In addition, lighting management is cost efficient and the system is ready to meet the demand for energy,” CEO Toivo Vilmi says.
www.valopaa.com
Lisätietoa: BusinessOulu, p. (08) 558 410
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