Research and development

Vattenfall undertakes research and development (R&D) as part of the Group’s business development. Our aim is to meet the demands and expectations of our customers, to reduce the environmental impact of our operations, to improve the efficiency of our operations, and to contribute to both our climate vision and our overall strategy.

At Vattenfall we see Research and Development, as a tool for Business Development, with both a technological or natural science base. Since Vattenfall’s core business is to produce and sell energy, this is where our focus lies. Vattenfall is focused on development of new or existing technologies, which supports our five strategic ambitions, and can give us a competitive advantage, through making our products more efficient or less costly – or preferably both.

Our climate vision is to be climate neutral by 2050

Making electricity clean is one of these primary targets. Our climate vision – to be climate neutral by 2050 – is an integral part of this strategy. The two most important strategies for Vattenfall’s long-term R&D are climate change and the role of the energy sector in the conversion to a long-term, sustainable society, including the development of tomorrow’s energy system.

Our most important contributions to reducing
global warming

Investment in renewable energy, nuclear power and the new Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology are Vattenfall’s most important contributions to reducing global warming. Our R&D work is vitally important in achieving this. In the Group R&D programmes we devote intensive work to continuous improvements to existing plants.

We are expanding our knowledge of safe and trouble-free operation, reducing maintenance needs, and developing new competitive sustainable solutions for the future. In addition, R&D work is also performed within our various business units. This work is focused on supporting and directly developing the business of each unit within the timeframe defined by the business planning process.

Vattenfall’s Group R&D programmes are organised in six areas

Renewables, Operational Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Capture and Storage, and New Technologies. In 2008 Vattenfall invested SEK 1.529 billion in R&D, of which SEK 143 million was allocated to renewable energy. This commitment should be seen in the light of Vattenfall’s investment scheme. Since most of the technologies for renewable energy are mature technologies, the investments are in the order of tens, and often hundred of times larger than the funds spent on R&D activities.

Hydropower, Wind energy, and Biomass combustion and gasification are all well known. However, CCS, Ocean energy, and electric vehicles are in the development stage, and the R&D budget is proportionally higher in relation to the investments. Vattenfall is the energy company in Europe which spends most money on R&D, close to 1 % of the turnover.

Tomorrow’s energy system

Vattenfall’s R&D work also aims to contribute to the development of tomorrow’s energy system. This future energy system must be able to support sustainable development in society, and not compromise the quality of life of future generations.

At the same time, it will be required to provide energy at a cost that is affordable to society. Energy must be available when and where future generations need it. This means that Vattenfall’s production plants and distribution systems need to have high availability. But it also means that we have to make good choices when designing the energy system.

Meeting these demands, as well as meeting the other demands of our customers, provides a major challenge. A wide palette of technical solutions will be required. There will not be one finite solution. Europe will be dependent on fossil fuels for its energy supply many decades to come – as will the entire world. Meanwhile, we at Vattenfall are aware of our responsibility to make our contribution to transforming the energy supply system into a sustainable one.

It’s because of this commitment that Vattenfall performs research and development – to develop our business, to support our strategies, to improve existing plants, and to contribute to the development of tomorrow’s energy solutions.