The development of safe, secure and green electrical power will be crucial in the transition to a more sustainable society. KTH and Hitachi ABB Power Grids are now entering into a strategic partnership with the intention of long-term collaboration within research and education in this area.
“We are absolutely delighted about this arrangement and Hitachi ABB Power Grids is our first fully international partnership which makes it unique. This increases our reach within power electronics which will be extremely important for the future,” says Mikael Östling, Deputy President with responsibility for strategic collaboration at KTH.
Electricity usage is expected to increase sharply over the next 20 years. Producing, distributing and transforming energy into electricity will be a challenge, irrespective of the source of energy. Replacing fossil fuels with fossil free electricity is another challenge.
“Electrification is absolutely central to the transformation of society and collaboration with higher education within this eco-system is naturally strategically important for us,” says Jenny Larsson, CEO of ABB Power Grids Sweden AB and adds:
“The breadth of KTH research is appealing and is a good fit with our portfolio, such as when it comes to digitalisation, transport, AI, the Internet of Things, industrial processes and urban development. Naturally, KTH’s sustainability profile is also important.”
Strategic resarch
Today, within the parameters of KTH’s strategic partnership with ABB, we are collaborating in various research development projects, such as the Smart Energy City in Norra Djurgådsstaden and SWEGrids, a research centre for smart power networks and storage. Last year, ABB’s Power Grids business entered into a joint venture with Hitachi and now Hitachi ABB Power Grids has its own strategic partnership with KTH.
Several research and development projects, knowledge exchanges via personnel mobility at different levels, know-how development and innovation collaborations are on the agenda for the partnership. As is inspiring KTH students to learn more about power networks to enable them to work within this area in an increasingly global job market after graduating. HitachiABB Power Grids has around 36 000 employees worldwide.
Make a difference
“Energy issues are complex. If we are to maintain the quality of life we are used to and at the same time have a reset, wide-ranging and innovative research will be necessary and here we have plenty to offer each other. The inflow of know-how and talents to and from our students will be important even on a local level here in Sweden where Hitachi ABB Power Grids is world-leading,” says Östling.
Larsson hopes that the partnership will help produce more students with different backgrounds with expertise within electrical power in their locker in future, along with joint research and development projects.
“This will enable us to contribute to pioneering new technology together, which will make a difference in the actual transition,” Larsson says.
This article was first published on April 22 by KTH.
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