Aditi Bhasin

Aditi Bhasin is an expert within circular economy at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and is responsible for international dissemination of sustainable waste management solutions at Smart City Sweden.

An environmental engineer with business acumen and proficient communication skills, Aditi is responsible for international capacity development and knowledge transfer within circular economy topics at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. She has vast experience of international sustainable development projects in India, China, El Salvador, Colombia, among other countries. One of her most recent projects was to evaluate the potential for Swedish biogas solutions in Morocco. At Smart City Sweden, she is responsible for Region East, which covers sustainable practices in Stockholm and the neighbouring municipalities. Aditi has recently developed an exciting virtual tour of Swedish biogas solutions, with the aim to spread our experiences internationally. 

“Imagine a resource-efficient world where all the food waste is utilized as biogas & bio-fertilizer! This conference, let’s come together for an action plan to support other countries in implementing the Nordic success story of biogas.”

Anders Finnson

Anders Finnson is Senior Environmental Advisor at Svenskt Vatten.

Anders has been in the water and environment sector since the last millennia. Anders works at Svenskt Vatten (the Swedish Water & Wastewater Association) which represents all the 300 municipal water and waste water companies in Sweden. His expert fields are control at source strategies for hazardous chemicals, circular economy, waste water treatment processes and biogas production. He is also coordinator for European affairs at Svenskt Vatten and part time based in Brussels since 2021. Anders is since many years engaged in the work of EurEau, the voice of Europe’s drinking water and wastewater service operators, where he is chairing the Joint Working Group on Water Framework Directive.

“An efficient production and use of biogas from municipal waste water treatment plants are one of the keys to transform waste water treatment plants to resource treatment plants. The strategies for sludge management are very closely linked to the possibilities to produce and use biogas for an emerging fossil free market.”

Anker Blom Nielsen

Anker Blom Nielsen is Project Director in Rockwool Nordics and primarily responsible for sustainability projects focusing on circular business models.

He has been working in Rockwool since 1980 and have been a member of the Rockwool Nordics management team for more than 15 years. He started at the factory in Vamdrup and have worked as Factory Manager, Logistic Director, Production Director and now as Project Director.

“By participating here, I hope I can inspire other energy intensive companies to invest in technologies that opens up for using biogas in their production.”

Anna Schnürer

Anna Schnürer is professor in Microbial Biotechnology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and research leader in the Biogas Solutions Research Center

Her research is focused on the possibility to use anaerobic microbial processes for converting organic residual streams into high valuable products, such as energy carriers, chemicals or feed. She has more than 30 years of experience in the area of biogas, with a specific interest in finding links between process biology and function, and runs a lab with different types of anaerobic bioreactors as well as equipment for cultivations of anerobic microbes. She is the group leader of the Anaerobic Microbiology and Biotechnology (AMB) team at SLU, consisting of both researchers, post docs, PhD and master students, and lab engineers. She has published more than 150 scientific papers, is acting as reviewer for different national and international research funding agencies and is continuous engaged in collaborative activities with branch and industry.

“The anaerobic digestion process offers great possibilities for production of energy and nutrients but also additional out puts and applications not yet fully exploited.”

Anna Wallentin

Anna Wallentin is head of department (Market and Communications) at Swedish Gas Association (Energigas Sverige).

The Swedish Gas Association is a member-funded, industry association dedicated to promoting a greater use of gas energy with an increasing share of renewable gases.

Anna Wallentin started working at the Swedish Gas Association in June 2018. She has experience from the Swedish Ministry of Finance where she served for nearly ten years as Deputy Director at the Tax and Customs Department. She has also a long experience from consultancy work at, among others, Ragn-Sells Miljökonsult. Anna Wallentin ha a MSc degree from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Anna Venturini

Anna Venturini, Policy Officer European Biogas Association (EBA).

Anna Venturini joined the EBA in June 2022 as the Policy Officer in charge of following the transport dossiers and managing EBA Working Groups dealing with transport related topics. Before joining the EBA Team, Anna worked in Brussels for almost five years, first at the European Parliament for an Italian MEP member of the TRAN Committee, then as Policy and Communication Advisor at the Federation of European Private Port Companies and Terminals. Anna graduated with a Master’s in European Studies at ULB in 2017 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Trieste.

Anna Thore

Anna Thore is a green politician for the social democrats. She is chairman for the new Water- and Environmental board in Kalmar municipality.

The purpose of the board is to increase the environmental ambition and to make the coast of Kalmar clean and the municipality sustainable with the targets to be a climate neutral city by 2030 and circular by 2045. Since the board started Kalmar has topped rankings of the best environmental cities in Sweden but there is still much work to do.

“I want Kalmar to take a leading position in biogas best practice, and I’m looking forward to networking and to learn from other good examples in order to succeed with this.”

Anna Virolainen-Hynnä

Anna Virolainen-Hynnä works as an executive director at the Finnish Biocycle and Biogas Association.  

She is actively following the policy and legislation development (environment, climate, waste, agriculture, transport) in Finland and at the EU-level. The Finnish Biocycle and Biogas Association promotes nutrient recycling and biogas in Finland, but the association is also actively advocating in Brussels. 

“I am looking forward to meeting old and new colleagues from the Nordic and Europe. I am sure that this event will be immemorable – biogas is making its breakthrough on the market.” 

Axel Lindfors

Axel Lindfors holds a Ph.D. in Environmental management and engineering from Linköping University, Sweden and has worked with biogas potential estimations for five years.

He is employed as an assistant lecturer at Linköping University, Sweden, performing research on sustainability assessment of biofuels, facilitation of industrial symbiosis, and biogas potential estimations. His doctoral thesis was about the process of, and rationale behind, sustainability assessments, in which he performed several sustainability assessments that included biogas systems of various kinds. He has also performed several regional biogas potential studies, studying regions within Sweden.

“I am excited to get the opportunity to take part in a conference on such an important topic and to learn more about the future for biogas in the Nordics.”

Bertrand Vallet

Bertrand Vallet is Senior Policy Officer at EurEau.

Bertrand has more than 20 years of experience in the water sector. He holds a PhD in civil engineering and gained experience in process development for waste water treatment and modelling for waste water management. For the last 8 years he has been working at EurEau, the European Federation of Water Services, to support water services and help the EU institutions on policy development impacting water services and the protection of water resources.

“It is a privilege to meet with the industry looking at recovering resources from waste water and contribute to the autonomy of supply for energy in Europe. There are many challenges for this and policy can help solve some of them. We need to work all together to make this right.”

Björn Fredriksson Möller

Björn Fredriksson Möller is a Senior Specialist at St1 Biogas in Malmö, Sweden working with Business Development and Public Affairs.

He holds a Ph D in power plant technology from Lund University and has been working in several areas within renewable energy and new technologies such as Biomass Gasification, Carbon Capture and Storage and Power to Gas. He sits on the Advisory Board of f3 – fossil free fuels as well as BSRC – Biogas Solutions Research Center and Bio4Energy.

“Energy and energy systems has always been my profession. It is great to come together to discuss and outline the future for biogas in the Nordics and Europe.”

Bruno Sander Nielsen

Bruno Sander Nielsen, COO Biogas Danmark.

Bruno has spent more than 25 years to promote the production and use of biogas and develop and secure the political awareness and appreciation of biogas in the circular economy, sustainable and climate friendly food and energy sectors. Biogas Danmark represents all the stakeholders in the Danish biogas sector including biogas producers, consultants and suppliers of turnkey biogas plants and components and the energy, waste and agricultural sectors.

Caroline Steinwig

Caroline Steinwig has worked as Technical Adviser Biological Recycling at the Swedish Waste Management Association (Avfall Sverige) since 2014. 

She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management and Policy from Lund University. Previous to Avfall Sverige Caroline has worked with business development projects focusing on biomethane development including injection of biomethane into gas grids and as an environmental consultant with focus on biogas/biomethane. 

“Turning society’s waste resources, like source-separated bio-waste, into digestate (biofertiliser) and biogas is the most pedagogic example of circular economy in practice. I’m really looking forward to learn more and get inspired by other Nordic examples on biogas solutions.”  

Charlotta Sund

Charlotta Sund, CEO and President Tekniska verken i Linköping AB. 

For the last four years Charlotta has been in the position as CEO for Tekniska verken. The strategic agenda for the regional energy and communication company is to drive business that takes into account three different perspectives: Sustainability, Financial performance and Development of society. The business unit for Biogas, that includes both product development, production and sales, is one of the cornerstones of the last years success for Tekniska verken.

 Before joining Tekniska verken Charlotta worked in the global telecommunication industry in different senior management positions. She is on the board of two listed companies, ENEA AB and Hexatronic AB. Charlotta holds a MSc. in Industrial Engineering and Management from Linköping University.

David Bastviken

David Bastviken, professor in Environmental Science at Linköping university, Sweden.

Prof. Bastviken leads or have been leading multiple research projects regarding biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nutrients, and halogens, innovative technologies and approaches to measure associated processes including greenhouse gas fluxes, and formation of disinfectant by-products in water treatment.

Bastviken has been lead- or co-advisor of 20 PhD students, supervised >65 Master or Batchelor Theses, and published > 150 scientific peer-reviewed publications. His work addresses multiple spatio-temporal dimensions and covers local to global scales.

Prof. Bastviken is a European Research Council (ERC) grantee. He is chairing the Swedish Research Council VR advisory group on research infrastructures for the environmental, climate, earth, and space sciences. Bastviken further serves as elected Vice Chair in the Research Council of Formas (the Swedish government research council for sustainable development).  He contributed as a Lead Author to the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

“I look very much forward to participating in discussions during the Nordic Biogas Conference – the topics covered are key for societal development towards sustainability and thereby for our future.”

Emma Kreuger

Emma Kreuger, PhD, is researcher in Environmental Biotechnology, at the division of Biotechnology, Institution of Chemistry, Lund University, Sweden

She has been performing research since 2005, to increase the understanding of anaerobic digestion and develop its applications, for increased sustainability in the use of energy and nutrients. She has mainly worked with anaerobic digestion of plants and agricultural residues and integration with other biofuel production processes and is new in the field of sewage sludge digestion. She collaborates broadly to bring the skills and understanding, needed for each project, together.

Erik Woode

Erik Woode is heading the Biogas Project Development and Execution in Gasum. The mission is to fulfil Gasums target of having at least 2 TWh of Biogas from own production in the market within five years.

Erik has a MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, specialized in Pulp and Paper Technology. Prior to the more than 15 years’ experience within the biogas sector in the Nordics, he was active in the field of industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, worldwide. Erik holds BoD positions in Gasum subsidiaries.

Frank Scholwin

Frank Scholwin is founder and CEO of the Institute for Biogas, Waste Management & Energy and Honorary Professor of Biogas/Bioenergy at the University of Rostock, Germany.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Scholwin is an environmental engineer with a history in biogas research and consulting activities at the German center for bioenergy research (Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gGmbH www.dbfz.de). In 2012 je founded his own Institute for Biogas, Waste Management & Energy (www.biogasundenergie.de) as consulting company for biogas plant operators as well es energy suppliers for biogas and biomethane production, some research, knowledge transfer and trade optimisation. He is active among many other things in the international reference group of the BRC Linköping.

“A pleasure to exchange experiences at the Nordic Biogas Conference to jointly build up a sustainable gases future for whole Europe!”

Geneviève Metson

Geneviève Metson is an associate professor and docent in the division of Environmental and Ecological Modeling at Linköping University, Sweden

She uses both social and natural science methods investigate how to tackle food and water security at multiple scales, in particular how we can more sustainably manage phosphorus and nitrogen from a systems perspective. Her current work includes research on the logistics of recycling organic waste back to agricultural lands (with a focus on biogas) and the role of urban agriculture in sustainable food systems. Before joining the faculty at Linköping university in 2017, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute for Sustainable Futures,University of Technology, Sydney Australia and received her PhD from McGill University in Canada.

Giulia Cancian

Giulia Cancian is the Secretary General at the European Biogas Association.

Before joining the EBA in 2022, Giulia was the Bioenergy Europe’s Policy Director, and lead expert on sustainability.  She gained experience on sustainability, energy and transports working with the solid biomass, biodiesel, non-ferrous metals and hydro equipment European trade associations in Brussels. Giulia holds a MA in International Relation from the University of Rome and a MSc in European Affairs from the Free University of Brussels.

Gunnar Dofri Ólafsson

Gunnar Dofri Ólafsson is the head of Communications and Development at SORPA, Iceland’s largest solid waste processing company and largest biogas producer, and managing director of Metan ehf., a subsidiary of SORPA.

Gunnar has been with SORPA since 2020. He leads SORPA’s business development with an emphasis on the sales and production of biomethane as well as communications with customers and stakeholders. He has a background in law, journalism, and lobbyism, and hosts a podcast on personal finance.

“The use of biogas is in its infancy in Iceland. I am exited to meet with colleagues from all around the world to further the development of the biogas conversation.”

Hanna Zanatta

Hanna Zanatta is a Ph.D. student in Environmental Technology and Management at Linköping University, Sweden.

Hanna Zanatta is a first year Ph.D. student in the Division of Environmental Technology and Management at Linköping University in Sweden. Her research explores the development and diffusion of biogas solutions from a system perspective, focusing on societal conditions in the form of socio-economic systems, institutional structures, and policy instruments. Furthermore, her research is connected to the Biogas Solutions Research Center (BSRC). Hanna has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and a master’s degree in Sustainability Engineering and Management from Linköping University.

“I am looking forward to discussing how to overcome the challenges for the development of biogas solutions, not only in the Nordics but around the world.”

Hans Kreisel

Hans Kreisel, CEO Nordion Energi.

Hans has more than 20 years’ experience from the energy industry with previous positions as CEO of Skellefteå Kraft Group, CEO of E.ON Gas Sweden and General Director of Sydkraft. He holds a degree in law from the University of Lund. Since 2020, Hans has been the CEO of Nordion Energi, a company that was formed with the aim to drive the transition to 100% green energy. He serves as the president of GEODE, the association for European independent distribution companies of gas and electricity, since 2017, and he is also a member of the Electrification Commission.

Henrik Wenzel

Henrik Wenzel is professor in Environmental Engineering at University of Southern Denmark

Henrik Wenzel is professor at the Center for Life Cycle Engineering, Department of Green Technology at University of Southern Denmark. His research focuses on environmental system analysis and system design aiming at optimizing large infrastructure systems such as energy systems and waste management systems in a holistic perspective. He has studied a large variety of alternative fuels for future transport including both biofuels and so-called electrofuels made from CO₂ and hydrogen and has worked in close collaboration with key partners in aviation and shipping.

“I look forward to the discussion on the future of biogas, especially the role of biogas in PtX strategy including methanation of biogas-CO₂”

Henrik Rådberg

Henrik Rådberg is MSc. in Bio Engineering and currently managing Preem’s New opportunities group, within the Strategic business development section.

The group New opportunities develops Preem’s plan on how to reach a climate-neutral value chain in 2035, and holds a portfolio of projects supporting the transition from fossil to renewable.

Håvard Wollan

Håvard Wollan is CEO and co-founder of Biokraft AS, and Group Chief Officer Sales, Sourcing and Sustainability at Scandinavian Biogas Group.

He is also Chairman of the Norwegian Biogas Association. Håvard has worked as an executive, entrepreneur and advisor internationally for more than 25 years. He holds a MSc engineering degree in computer science from NTNU and a MBA degree from Heriot-Watt University. Håvard has invested in and been instrumental in developing several companies, in and outside of Norway.

Jan Liebetrau

Jan Liebetrau is Head of the Department Consulting and Research at the Rytec GmbH, Germany.

Jan Liebetrau’s main expertise are process control of AD processes, methane emissions from biogas plants and landfill operations and management of research activities. Current activities include methane emission identification and reduction at biogas plants and landfill operations. Special focus is on biological methane oxidation. He leads the Task 37 of IEA Bioenergy “Energy from Biogas” since the beginning of 2022.

“I am looking to forward to learn more about the status and perspectives of biogas technology in the Nordics”

Jan Moestedt

Jan Moestedt is an industrial researcher at Tekniska verken i Linköping AB (publ.), the local energy company and the biogas producer in Linköping. He is also a senior adjunct lecturer at Linköping University, the department of TEMA Environmental Change, Sweden.  

He is an industrial researcher at Tekniska verken i Linköping AB (publ.) since 2009, leading the biogas laboratory at the company and working with process optimization and sustainable solutions related to biogas production. He has a PhD from Swedish University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala within anaerobic microbiology and has published several research papers. He also acts as a consultant and has assisted several biogas plants in the Nordics with his expertise from industrial biogas production and does also act as co-supervisor for a handful of PhD-students. 

Jakob Hebsgaard Mogensen

Jakob Hebsgaard Mogensen is Head of Business Development in the green industrial park GreenLab.

 GreenLab is creating a 100% renewable power industrial park, where utilizing symbiotic effects and real-world sector coupling solves the issue of fluctuating renewable generation.

 Jakob is actively working with commercial development of the business park and development of the business models for the “internal market” for various resource streams.

He has an engineering background, holds a MBA and has more than 15 years of experience in Business, strategy and project development and execution from within the utility sector.

Jens Måge

Mr Jens Måge is Technical Advisor at Avfall Norge and board member of the European Compost Network.

He has been at Avfall Norge since 2014, where he works as Waste Management and Circular Economy  Advisor, responsible for biowaste resources and treatment. He has more than 15 years experience from the industry as entrepreneur and working on industry development, policy development, training and sustainability.

“I am thrilled about going to the 8th Nordic Conference in Linköping. I strongly believe in the Nordic model for collaboration and developing the circular biogas and biofertiliser value chains which the World needs to solve the big challenges on energy, carbon and nutrients. I look forward to meeting the biogas community, investors and researchers.”

Johan Englund

Johan Englund is responsible for Public Affairs in Sweden for the gas company Gasum. with 15 years experience of the energy sector.

He has a master’s in molecular biology from Uppsala University and has worked in the energy sector for 15 years. He has worked with public affairs and communication around all the major energy sources and is experienced in the complicated policy frameworks that surrounds energy. He is a member of the board for Energigas Sverige and has worked with the gas sector, and biogas in particular, for the last two years.

“There is so much happening right now when it comes to the political framework, and there are such great opportunities ahead. There are also challenges so I really look forward to the conference and the opportunity to discuss these matters.”

Jón Viggó Gunnarsson

Jón Viggó Gunnarsson is the General Manager of SORPA bs, a municipality owned waste management company in Iceland.

The company is by far the largest and services up to 70% of the households in Iceland. SORPA operates a large part of the value chain’s business activities that turns waste to valuables. In recent years we have been refocusing our operations and services to better align with the community and comply with future legislative objectives.

Jon Viggo Gunnarsson is new to the industry but is very enthusiastic about the circular economy and the challenges imposed by stop thinking linear in this respect. Jón Viggó Gunnarsson holds a M.Sc. degree in mechanical and industrial engineering from Aalborg University. Despite his educational background he has spent twenty years of his carrier in the IT, datacenter and digitalization industry as a leader and manager.

“As a newcomer to the industry I’m looking forward to meeting colleagues in the industry and learn about the opportunities for the biogas as a part of the energy sector’s shift to more sustainable solutions. “

Jutta Laine-Ylijoki

Jutta Laine-Ylijoki is managing director of KIVO Finland, the Finnish Municipal Waste Management Association, Finland.

Jutta Laine-Ylijoki (M.Sc. Tech, Chemistry teacher) has over 25 years professional experience in circular economy, waste management and recycling, environmental research, consulting and project management. This includes recycling technology development, assessment of risks and environmental impacts of wastes and industrial side streams in utilization and disposal. Jutta is expert in circular economy strategies, roadmaps and business concepts, legislative instruments, environmental research, consulting and project management, ecosystem and shareholder analyses, trainings and communication.

Jörgen Ejlertsson

Jörgen Ejlertsson is R&D Director at Scandinavian Biogas Fuels AB and Docent at the Department of Thematic Studies at Linköping university, Sweden. He is currently also a member of the program committee of BSRC.

Jörgen has a MSc degree from the Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU) and a PhD in Water and Environmental Studies from Linköping University (LiU). He 2003 became associate professor at the department of Water and Environmental Studies at LiU and was 2008-2020 adjunct professor at the same department. Jörgen has worked as a process engineer and process manager within the biogas field, wastewater treatment and potable water production from 2000-2005. He is one of the co-founders of Scandinavian Biogas and has been R&D-Director of the company since the start 2005. Jörgens main focus is today on new anaerobic digestion concepts and their implementation in full scale. He and his team are also engaged in performance improvement projects at the operational biogas plants and new investments with SBF.

“I look forward to networking and discussions at the conference in these very dynamic times for the biogas market.”

Kari-Anne Lyng

Kari-Anne Lyng is a senior researcher at NORSUS Norwegian Institute for Sustainability Research and the Norwegian representative in IEA Bioenergy Task 37 Energy from Biogas.

Kari-Anne has worked with research related to biogas value chains in Norway since 2008 and is coordinator for biogas research at NORSUS. She is chairman of the board of Avfallsforsk, a network for waste related research in Norway. Her speciality is life cycle assessment (LCA) and how the methodology can be applied to improve value chains and as input to policy development.

“I believe that the Nordic countries have much to gain from exchanging knowledge and experience, and I am looking forward to viewing biogas from a Nordic perspective.”

Karl Jørgen Nielsen

Karl Jørgen Nielsen is a project manager and team leader in biogas at the Danish company PlanEnergi

He has more than 13-year experience in developing new biogas project, where each plant use >200,000 tons feedstock, including 75% manure.

Advising existing biogas plant in operation, optimizing, making feedstock contracts, and contracts for disposal of digestate.

He was project manager of the Danish agricultural Agency´s research in how to reduce CO₂ losses by getting pig manure quickly out of the stables. The project involved 28 biogas plants and more than 400 farmers with pig production. Experienced in technical due diligence on biogas plants in Denmark and Europe.

Ketil Stoknes

Ketil Stoknes is a PhD researcher and project leader in Lindum AS, Norway, and Associate Professor at the Urban Farming programme of the Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Ketil has researched and developed solutions within composting, mushroom cultivation, bioremediation and environmental technology since he got his Master of Science in vegetation ecology in 1997. Since 2009 he has led R&D projects within organic waste treatment in Lindum, an innovative waste company owned by the Municipality of Drammen, south of Norway. In particular, he has focused on utilisation of compost and anaerobic digester outputs in “circular food” production. In 2020, as a part of scaling up this work at The Magic Factory, he completed a PhD with a thesis titled Circular food; crops from digested waste in a controlled environment.

“Biogas digestion is a great opportunity to make food production more circular. In fact, I think recycling nutrients will soon be the most important task of any biogas plant. I look forward to meeting people at the Nordic Biogas Conference to discuss how our industry can contribute to a sustainable future of food.”

Kåre Fostervold

Kåre Fostervold is Director of Public Relations and acting CEO at Avfall Norge.

He has been at Avfall Norge since 2020. He has 20 years of experience as a politician, and has been a parliamentary representative and state secretary. He also has long and broad experience from the energy industry.

“I look forward to attending the Nordic conference and digging into the opportunities that a circular bioeconomy provides. Functional markets in the Nordic region depend on both cooperation and harmonization of policy, so it is important that we meet and talk. We often share the same challenges too, so let’s learn from each other and merge!“

Lars Mårtensson

Lars Mårtensson is Environment and Innovation Director at Volvo Trucks as well as the chairman of Swedish Life Cycle Center.

He has more than 25 years within the Volvo Group, where he has been Environmental Director at Volvo Penta and Volvo Group. In his present position at Volvo Trucks, he is responsible for environment and innovation and has taken an active part in the launch of the unique gas trucks for heavy transports.

He was during seven years the chairman of the Swedish network Climate Neutral Freight Transports and for two years member of the board of the Swedish Gas Association.

He is now the chairman of Swedish Life Cycle center, which is a center of excellence for the advance of applied life cycle thinking in industry and other parts of society.

“We need to speed up the transition to climate neutral transports and biogas is a part of the solution. I hope the conference will support the speed increase and give clarity on what is needed for biogas”

Lars Vikinge 

Lars Vikinge is the Mayor of Linköping and has been that since 2018. 

He is representing the center party in Östergötland and has a background as Senior Lecturer in Theological Ethics at Linköping University. 

 “In the transformation to a more circular and sustainable society biogas is a crucial component. The Nordic model for biogas solutions is not only sustainable but does also transform potential climate gases to renewable energy. It is also a technology that is operative here and now.” 

Lasse Bork

Lasse Bork Schmidt is Project Developer at Nature Energy Denmark and responsible for Nature Energys expansion in Sweden.

He is educated in Economy from South Danish University in 1999. Before joining Nature Energy he worked as Senior Consultant in the Public Affairs sector and prior to that he was the CEO of the foundation SustainAgri (2005-2016) that was exporting Danish technology to the agricultural sector and financing large scale agricultural projects in various countries such as Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia. He has been managing 8 EU Regional Fund projects. In 2019 he was running as candidate to the European Parliament.

“I look forward to present Nature Energy, which is in an exciting development in the coming years with plans of an expansion at a value around EUR 4 bln. till 2030. And of course to the networking.” 

Lorie Hamelin

Lorie Hamelin is a senior researcher at the Federal University of Toulouse and advisor to the Biogas Solutions Research Center.

Lorie Hamelin, laureate of the 2017 French presidential climate call “Make our planet great again” (Project Cambioscop), heads a research team at the Federal University of Toulouse. Her research focuses on the environmental- and cost- performance of strategies to transit towards a low fossil carbon economy, at national and regional scales. Counting with 14 years of research experience in Canada, Denmark, Poland and France, she developed early methods for life cycle assessments of biogas & overall manure management systems (PhD 2013), headed 2 WPs of EU projects related to biogas and is advisor to the Swedish Biogas Research Centre. She supervised 9 PhD students (6 on-going), 7 postdocs, and several M.Sc. projects.  

“It’s great to be back at NBC, after mostly 10 years – we were understanding the role of biogas in larger system transition and premises to ensure sustainability then, now it’s about making it a reality at scale.“ 

Maria Malmkvist

Maria Malmkvist is managing director for the Swedish Gas Association (Energigas Sverige).

The Swedish Gas Association is a member-funded, industry association dedicated to promoting a greater use of gas energy with an increasing share of renewable gases.

In February 2016, Maria Malmkvist became the managing director of the Swedish Gas Association, where she had worked since May 2013. She has experience from consultancy work at WSP and she was the head of unit Energy efficiency and the deputy department head at the Swedish Energy Agency for several years. Maria Malmkvist has a MSc degree from the Institute of Technology at Linköping University.  

Maria Valtari

Maria Valtari works as head of R&D unit in the Wastewater Department of Helsinki Region Environmental Services HSY, Finland.

Maria Valtari has recently started in her current position at HSY focusing on R&D projects of Viikinmäki, Suomenoja and new Blominmäki wastewater treatment plants in Helsinki region. Resource recovery from municipal wastewater and sludge is one of the focus areas of R&D in wastewater treatment of Helsinki region.

Maria Valtari has more than 15 years of experience in design and development of municipal wastewater treatment processes. She has previously worked as a process designer, a consultant, and a researcher at the university. Maria Valtari has also an ongoing PhD project about the prevention of antibiotic resistance in sludge treatment processes at Aalto University.

 

“Resource recovery, such as biogas production, from municipal wastewater is more a topical issue today than ever before. I look forward to sharing our latest experiences with Nordic colleagues in Linköping.” 

Martti Surakka

Mr. Martti Surakka has been working for AFRY ( earlier Pöyry) since 2007 and specialized in renewable energy, especially alternative gaseous and liquid fuels.

He has 30+ years professional experience, which of about 20 years with biofuels. He has conducted numerous technical and market due diligences, technology evaluations, concept developments and construction monitoring projects for financiers. He has graduated 1992 from Lappeenranta University of Technology Mechanical Engineering as major.

Mathias Fridahl

Mathias Fridahl is senior lecturer in Environmental Change and at the Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, Linköping University.

Mathias Fridahl specialise in climate politics and policy at multiple levels of governance, focusing on negotiating dynamics, policy priorities and preferences, support mechanisms, instrument design and institutional design. Analytically, Fridahl applies statistical analyses of survey data as well as analysis of qualitative data anchored in discourse, governance and transformation management theory. At present, his research is primarily devoted to studying the technical, economic, social and political dimensions of carbon dioxide removal internationally (the UN), supranationally (the EU), and in several nation states.

Matilda Olstorpe

Matilda Olstorpe is Business manager for Circular Innovation at Biototal Norden AB and associate professor in microbiology.

She has worked at Biototal since 2020 building up the business area Circular Innovation. Circular Innovation is Biototal’s Business and Research and Development as well as consultation unit. We are passionate about re-using by-products and creating functional life cycles. We work to develop new products, look at new business areas and develop our existing products concerning biogas, for example. She has a MSc in Agriculture, PhD in Agronomy, and associate Professor in microbiology. She has supervised Master theses, PhD-candidates and authored scientific papers, reports, and book chapters within microbiology. She is also an entrepreneur and has developed several start-ups within aquaculture and microbiology.

“I look forward especially to the discussions and networking at the conference. Together we can solve tomorrow’s challenges.”

Mats Björkendahl

Mats Björkendahl, advisor for Finnish Shipowners Association.

Mr. Mats Björkendahl currently works as an advisor for Finnish Shipowners Association with a focus on environmental and ship’s technical affairs and policy. Mats has been in the marine industry since 1992 and he has worked in different technical positions including technical superintendent, technical manager and as a surveyor but Mats has also worked with environmental technology product-, business- and sales development. Mats graduated in 1996 from “Tekniska Läroverket in Helsingfors” with a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture.

Mats Eklund

Mats Eklund is professor in Environmental Technology and Management and scientific leader of Biogas Solutions Research Center at Linköping university, Sweden.

He is a professor at the technical faculty of Linköping University since 2007. He leads research in industrial and urban symbiosis and is the founder of the transdisciplinary, triple-helix center of excellence called Biogas Solutions Research Center. He has supervised more than 50 Master theses, ten PhD-candidates to their degree and authored more than fifty scientific papers on analysis, development and dissemination of sustainable solutions. He is strategic advisor and evaluator of research projects for the Family Kamprad foundation and evaluator in the Energy Agency biomass research program.

“I look forward especially to the networking at the conference in a very dynamic and promising time for biogas development in the Nordics.”

Michael Wallis Olausson

Michael Wallis Olausson is Director Group Growth at Scandinavian Biogas Fuels.

Michael was employed by Scandinavian Biogas in 2009. Former responsible for Business Area Sweden, since early 2022 responsible for growth development in the Scandinavian Biogas Group, including new projects, acquisitions, and development of new business areas. Michael is a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Swedish Armed Forced, also some years as management consultant at Deloitte. MBA at the Stockholm School of Economics.

Mika Kallio

Mika Kallio is founder of the renewable energy company One1 Oy and nowadays a director of industrial biogas solutions in company One1 Oy.

He was one of the founders of One1 in 2010. At that time company was focusing renewable energy solutions for small scale customers. Later company strategy was focused more on Eaas – type business model where One1 is financing the solutions and provides life cycle services as well. At that time two Finnish energy companies  Lahti Energia Oy and Pori Energia Oy became owners of the company.

Mika holds a master’s degree in technology and MBA. After studies he worked as a project manager in power plant and recovery plant environments and before founding One1 Oy he worked in different financial positions for E.ON Finland Oy and hold CFO positions in other Finnish companies.

Studies from technology and finance besides work experience from both fields has given Mika an excellent overall understanding how to build new biogas ecosystems in the field of distributed energy environments.

“I look forward to share my thoughts with other attending to the conference and make a new networking with Nordics biogas people.”

Mika Wiljanen

Mika Wiljanen, CEO of Gasum, is leading the way towards cleaner energy. 

With decades of experience within the energy industry and several senior positions in major energy companies Mika Wiljanen has driven persistently towards renewable energy solutions. In addition, he has a long international experience and believes that partnerships are the way forward in this extraordinary situation that can be seen in the energy market. One thing is clear – the future of energy is a mix of different sources where they matter most, regardless if it is for industry, maritime or road transport for example. Reducing emissions with cleaner energy the leading star in his work.

”I’m really excited for the opportunity to build Gasum’s next phase together with the company’s committed and skilled people. The need for low-emission energy solutions continues to become more important and Gasum is well placed for the future.”

Murat Mirata

Murat Mirata is an associate professor in Environmental Technology and Management at Linköping university, Sweden.

He leads research and cooperation projects in industrial and urban symbiosis and coordinates higher- and practitioner-education in this area. He supervised cross-sectoral resource collaboration studies on in more than 50 contexts and supported development initiatives in more than 15. His work focuses on trans-disciplinary development determinants, business- and regional development impacts, and facilitation techniques of cross-sectoral resource collaborations.  He is involved in coordinating Swedish and Nordic networks for industrial and urban symbiosis.

“I am excited to learn more about practitioners’ experiences and explore how we can scale up cross-sectoral resource collaborations.”

Ole Morten Petersen

Ole Morten Petersen is CEO at DAKOFA, Waste and Resource Network Denmark.

Ole has more than 25 years of experience in the Danish waste and resource sector. He has previously been director of Bornholms Affaldsselskab (BOFA) for 11 years and was before that Project Manager in the then RenoSam (today Dansk Affaldsforening). Ole’s tasks in DAKOFA are primarily of a managerial nature, but it also turns into regular lectures, articles and participation in own and others’ events in order to speak for DAKOFA’s and thus the sector. Ole is a cand.techn.soc. from Roskilde University and has been Director of DAKOFA since October 2012.

Ragnhild Borchgrevink

Ragnhild Borchgrevink is CEO at VEAS, Norway’s largest wastewater treatment plant.

There she leads its transformation to becoming a biorefinery. The company has assumed a leading role in harvesting and creating value from the resources in the water. Ragnhild Borchgrevink has years of industry, sales and M&A experience from the international pulp and paper industry in Norske Skog and has also served as CEO of the forest owners’ association Viken Skog SA.  She is a board member of Enflow Holding and at OBOS, Norway’s largest building society. Ragnhild Borchgrevink holds a Master of Law (Hons) from the University of Oslo, Norway. 

Sandra Esteves

Prof. Sandra Esteves is a Professor in Bioprocess Technology for Resource Recovery (Energy and Materials) and directs the Wales Centre of Excellence for Anaerobic Digestion at the University of South Wales in the UK.

Sandra is a Professor at the University of South Wales since 2014 and has over 25 years’ experience in biotechnology research, development and full-scale deployment of biological processes. Sandra has directed and co-investigated £12M of R&D projects. Her research has been funded by the EU, Innovate UK, BEIS and UK Research Councils as well as private sector funding.

Sandra is a member of the European Biogas Association’ Scientific Advisory Council and Member of the International Advisory Group for the Swedish Biogas Research Centre & supports AD deployment internationally.

She has provided technical services and R&D collaboration to over 200 companies and informs government on policy. Sandra’s research has focused in the areas of waste and wastewater recovery, in particular organics as well as C1 (CO₂, CO and CH₄) gases, bioprocess conversions design, monitoring, modelling and control, the production of novel anaerobic and aerobic processes and products, microbial ecology, profiling and enrichment and the evaluation of metabolic performance of microbial cultures for the production of energy gases, chemicals and biopolymers. She has successfully supervised 10 PhD graduates (and over 50 MSc Students), mentored 15 post-doctoral fellows and is currently supervising 7 PhD students. Sandra is the co-inventor of 2 patents, 5 trademarks and has published over 70 scientific publications.

“I look forward to the discussions on the latest innovations in anaerobic processes and their role in sustainable circular economy concepts and energy, food and materials self-sufficiency.”

Sharareh Edström

Sharareh Edström is leading Gasum Traffic Swedens business, with the mission to decarbonize the transport sector.

With 13 years of experience from the transport industry where the past years was mainly dedicated to lead business partnerships within triple helix setting to demonstrate that all aspects of sustainability, economic-, social- and environmental, can and should be addressed. Today She leads the same mission from the energy sector as Director for Gasum Traffic Sweden. The future of fuels for the transport sector is eclectic. Different transport applications are best suited to run on specific fuels, which has always been a fact. Nevertheless, she is convinced that by now we know for a fact that both compressed and liquified biogas as fuel, in the transport sector, is the most viable fuel yesterday, today and tomorrow. And we have done the necessary by build the core network in Sweden.

”Alongside the challenges, there are great opportunities ahead and I strongly believe in collaboration to reap the success of our common efforts.”

Stig Amdam

Stig Amdam is working as Sales Manager in Hyperthermics. A biotec-company located in Ulsteinvik, Norway.

He started his career in Hyperthermics in 2019 after working as a project manager for over a decade, mostly within production and delivery of process equipment for oil and gas industry. He joined one of the leading companies in salmon farming industry in 2015, managing projects related to improvement on food processing, water treatment and handling of by-products in the salmon processing plants. Stig’s key customers are biogas producers and salmon farmers on land or in closed pens, to which Hyperthermics offer turn-key solutions to boost biogas production or to create profit on end-products from wastewater.   

“It is always inspiring and educational to meet people and discuss improvement in the way we globally apply our resources and “waste streams”. I believe attending conferences like this pushes the industry forward, by sharing both challenges and opportunities. Hopefully a presentation of the solutions from Hyperthermics will contribute to a push.”     

Thomas Prade

Thomas Prade is a lecturer in systems analysis at the department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Alnarp and research group leader at the Biogas Solutions Research Center.

Thomas is a docent since 2019 and leads a research group in Technology at his home department. He is part of the BRC since 2018 and has been leading the research group on the role of biogas for the bioeconomy prior to his current research leadership at the BSRC. He has authored more than twenty-five scientific papers on assessment, development and dissemination of sustainable agricultural and other solutions. His main research topic is the sustainable agricultural production of biomass for the new bioeconomy.

“I see great opportunities for agricultural residues as a feedstock for biogas production in combination with extraction of other valuable products.”

Tony Clark

Tony Clark has been the Managing Director of Avfall Sverige, the Swedish Waste Management Association, since 2019.

Tony has previously worked in several positions within the Swedish government offices. Prior to joining Avfall Sverige he was senior advisor at the Swedish Ministry of the Environment and Energy, and he has a solid background and experience from the environment sector, including being responsible for the development of the first Swedish and EU producer responsibility legislation and systems for handling electrical and electronic waste. Tony has also been counsellor for trade and investment promotion and head of Sweden’s environmental technology center at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing.

“I’m looking forward to discuss the opportunities and challenges of biogas solutions from a waste management perspective. National as well as EU waste legislation and policy really presents many interesting cases for the biogas industry.”

Tuuli Ojala

Tuuli Ojala is a Ministerial Adviser at the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications.

She works in the Climate and Environment Unit of the Ministry and her tasks are related to climate and environmental policies in road transport as well as in the ICT sector. Currently she coordinates the work of a national working group to enhance the development of the alternative fuels distribution network in Finland. Her educational and professional background consists of a combination of natural and social sciences and various tasks in environmental protection and climate work both in public and private sectors in Finland and internationally.

“Finland has ambitious climate goals for transport and biogas plays an essential role in reaching of these goals. I look forward to exchanging experiences with the Nordic forerunners and discussing the future of biogas as transport fuel.”

Vanya Veras

Ms Vanya Veras, is the Secretary General of Municipal Waste Europe.

Vanya Veras has more than 20 years of experience in waste management legislation, practices and systems. She joined Municipal Waste Europe as their Secretary General in 2012; the association which represents municipalities and their public waste management companies, in their public responsibility and engagement in waste management services.

Vanya Veras is a multinational, multicultural individual who began her career in Brussels in 1996 in the field of environmental policy, beginning her specialisation in waste policy in 1999.

After almost twelve years in Brussels, Vanya was offered the opportunity to return to her home country, Greece, with Coca-Cola Hellenic and there held the position of Environmental Affairs Manager for three years, learning a great deal about the practical functioning of various extended producer responsibility systems in the European Member States within the group’s 28 countries and facilitating the transfer of knowledge between them. Opting to remain in Greece as a freelance consultant, Ms. Veras worked with several companies and local authorities, advising them on a variety of environmental issues, including the position of special advisor on waste management to the then Mayor of Piraeus, Vassilis Michaloliakos.

With the benefit of this combined experience of the waste industry, the producer and the local authority, Vanya Veras is now leading Municipal Waste Europe through the revision of the waste legislation.

Wisdom Kanda

Wisdom Kanda is an associate professor (docent) in Environmental Management and Environmental Technology at Linköping University, Sweden.

His research expertise lies in stimulating the development and international diffusion of environmental innovations with a special interest in biogas solutions and the global south. Wisdom has published 23 scientific articles on this topic in journals such as the Journal of Cleaner Production, Energy Research & Social Science, Business Strategy and the Environment, Environmental Innovations and Societal Transitions, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Wisdom is involved in the supervision of 3 PhD students and has supervised 15 master theses and 16 bachelor theses. Wisdom is also a steering group member of the Sustainability Transitions Research Network and the ecosystem editor for the journal of Environmental innovations and Societal Transitions.

“I look forward to meeting companies and policy makers to discuss our scientific contributions to make them even more relevant for the implementation of biogas solutions in different contexts”

Bengt Gunnarsson

Bengt Gunnarsson is working at Renahav Sverige AB with developing of business in the circular cluster and has a master of engineering from Chalmers Tekniska Högskola.

He has worked specially in the fish process industry in Sweden, Norway and Belgium. Since the end of 1980s the environmental aspects have become more and more important which has resulted in the development of a circular economy in reality since some years.