Sumitomo SHI/FW secures €50 million commitment for decarbonisation research and development initiative
Sumitomo SHI FW (SFW), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd, is spearheading an ambitious collaboration programme to develop innovative solutions for energy system decarbonisation. This significant initiative demonstrates SHI's commitment to advancing sustainable energy technologies through its global network of specialised companies.
Based in Finland, the Net Zero Energy Ecosystem (NZEE) programme represents a major milestone in collaborative decarbonisation efforts. SFW will lead this five-year initiative with a substantial €50 million commitment to research, development, and innovation activities in Finland, supported by financial backing from Business Finland.
The NZEE programme aims to develop integrated decarbonisation solutions that address the missing links in achieving a comprehensive Net Zero Energy Ecosystem. This ecosystem balances energy consumption with renewable energy production and storage, ultimately helping to achieve net zero or negative carbon emissions across multiple industry sectors.
The programme's scope encompasses an environment where net-zero carbon dioxide emissions are achieved through the strategic combination of renewable energy production, sustainable fuels, carbon capture, and energy storage technologies. By developing these interconnected technologies, the NZEE programme integrates various industry sectors and solutions, expanding the overall energy system and advancing the ecosystem's capabilities.
Business Finland has recognised the programme's potential by awarding SFW a €10 million grant, along with an additional €20 million for ecosystem development and partner projects. The initiative is designed to increase research, development, and innovation investments in Finland by a total of €50 million, with the ecosystem expected to generate at least equivalent additional investment. The programme seeks to collaborate with a minimum of 50 companies and institutions.
The programme will concentrate on four key focus areas that address global decarbonisation needs from diverse perspectives. These areas include the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals from residual biomass and waste, energy security and reliability through long duration energy storage, Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) solutions for energy and heavy industries, and maximising asset value through an integrated digital ecosystem.
Specific activities within these focus areas involve developing an integrated biorefinery for sustainable fuel production, advancing long duration energy storage technologies to address renewable energy intermittency challenges, tackling residual emissions in energy and hard-to-abate industry sectors, and integrating technologies with digital tools to optimise plant operations.
The programme's benefits extend across multiple sectors, including energy, maritime and aviation transport, heavy industries, district heating, and other energy-intensive processes. SFW is actively inviting partners from diverse fields to contribute to these focus areas and participate in this groundbreaking initiative.
Tomas Harju-Jeanty, CEO, SHI FW said: "The program focuses on solutions to achieve climate goals and enhance energy security, which remain fundamental to global long-term resilience, economic stability, and well-being. We are highly committed to advancing Finland's decarbonisation strategy and fulfilling our company's purpose of powering a decarbonised world through this program."
Stefan Nygård, NZEE Program Lead at SHI FW, added: "This program provides Finnish partners with opportunities to innovate, expand their market presence and secure funding, while enabling non-Finnish partners to network and collaborate with Finnish companies. The program's co-innovation projects can help partners generate significant research and business opportunities in new high-growth technology markets. By collaboratively integrating and optimising diverse energy technologies, we can create an NZEE that accelerates renewable energy and long-term progress for humanity."
The NZEE programme was launched through Business Finland's Leading Company challenge competition, a public initiative under Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. These competitions challenge internationally operating companies to tackle major future challenges, drive cooperation, and increase research and development investments in Finland. SFW's selection as one of the winning companies in the 2025 Leading Company challenge competition underscores the programme's significance and potential impact.
Stefan Nygård, NZEE Programme Lead and Vice President of Strategy & Marketing at Sumitomo SHI FW, serves as the primary contact for the programme. Additional information about the NZEE programme is available on the dedicated website at nzee.shi-fw.com.
As a global provider of solutions and services that drive energy decarbonisation, Sumitomo SHI FW offers comprehensive solutions including energy from biomass and waste, long duration energy storage, sustainable fuels, carbon capture, flue gas cleaning, waste heat boilers, and related digitalisation services. The company serves customers across various industries including energy, waste, chemicals, metal, sustainable fuels, cement, and pulp and paper sectors.
With 1,800 talented professionals across 20 locations in 14 countries, SFW brings deep industry knowledge and extensive project delivery experience to the global power and industrial markets. This latest initiative reinforces the company's mission of powering a decarbonised world for everyone.
For more information about SHI FW, visit www.shi-fw.com