Elflexibel Industri Boosts the Competitiveness of Industry

Elflexibel Industri aims to boost the industry’s competitiveness – Innovatum Science Park is one of the key partners

The electrification of Swedish industry is progressing rapidly, but the power grids are struggling to keep up. This is creating bottlenecks that risk slowing down both growth and the energy transition. Now, Elflexibel Industri is launching—Sweden’s largest initiative focused on advanced digitalization to make industry more flexible in its electricity use—and Innovatum Science Park is one of the key players in this effort.

The initiative is led by Chalmers Industriteknik and brings together nearly 50 companies, research institutions, and public sector organizations. Together, they will develop new digital tools, working methods, and business models that enable industry to use electricity more intelligently without compromising production rates.

Development in real-world industrial environments
A key part of the initiative is that the solutions are developed and tested in real-world production environments in collaboration with industrial companies. By working closely with these operations, the project can test how digital tools, AI-based forecasting, and automated flexibility control work in practice—and how they can be integrated without disrupting production.

This means that companies, research organizations, and startups come together in shared development environments where new ways of working and technologies can be evaluated directly in the day-to-day operations of industry.

"We are now leading the development of solutions needed to bring flexibility to a sustainable industry. For us at Innovatum Science Park, this is a natural continuation of some of our previous projects, where we have had the opportunity to see how digitalization and AI are transforming both the industry’s green transition and its resilience. Elflexibel Industri gives us the opportunity to take the next step and test this on a full scale," says Magnus Kuschel, Innovation Leader at Innovatum Science Park.

A system of transformative initiatives for Swedish industry
Elflexibel Industri is funded by Advanced Digitalization – Vinnova and has a budget of over 300 million Swedish kronor. The goal is to create solutions that can be scaled nationally and contribute to:

• Increased competitiveness for industry

• More efficient use of electricity

• Reduced strain on the power grids

• New business models and ways of working

• A faster transition to sustainable production

For Innovatum Science Park, this initiative represents an opportunity to further strengthen the region’s role as a hub for the industry of the future—and to give companies in western Sweden access to knowledge, technology, and partnerships that make a real difference.

About Elflexibel Industri:

Project period:May 2026–April 2029

Budget:320 million Swedish kronor, of which 147 million Swedish kronor is funding from Vinnova

Coordinator:Chalmers Industrial Technology Foundation

Project partners: ABHilmer Andersson, Autoliv Sverige AB, Billerud Sweden AB (Gruvöns bruk), Broson Steel AB, Broson Wheels AB, Center of Innovation Vårgårda, Chalmers University of Technology AB, DNV Sweden AB, Ellevio AB, Energiforsk AB, Eolus AB, Ericsson AB, ESAB AB, Garantell AB, GITO Heavy Charging Solutions AB, Glava Energy Center Economic Association, Helicon Technologies AB, Herrljunga Elektriska AB, Höganäs AB, Höganäs Sweden AB, Innovatum Science Park (Innovatum AB & Innovatum Progress AB), Jönköping Energi AB, Karlstad University, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Libra Horizon AB, Lindholmen Science Park & AI Sweden, Magna Electronics Sweden AB, Power Circle AB, Rabbalshede Kraft AB, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Rottneros Bruk AB, Scandinavian Horizon AB, Siemens Energy AB, Smögenlax Aquaculture AB, Svenska Kraftnät, Sweco Sverige AB, Telia Sverige AB, Troax AB, Uddeholms AB, Uppsala University, Vattenfall AB, Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Arvika Plant), Volvo Personvagnar AB, Åsbro Kursgård AB