Gas Seminar 1: Biogas as a Key Part of Modern Energy Business solutions

Vaasa Gas Exchange (VGE) is an international networking event for energy experts, focusing on gases including natural gas, LNG, biogas (LBG), and other gaseous fuels for the future. At VGE, enterprises will have the opportunity to meet other actors, driving forces, and potential partners from Finland and abroad. In addition, there will be a free open seminar. VGE is the biggest networking event for the gas industry in the Nordics.

VGE is organised by the University of Vaasa Executive Education in partnership with Gasum, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Stormossen, University of Vaasa VEBIC, VASEK, Wärtsilä, and the Åbo Akademi University, and is part of the Vaasa EnergyWeek event. Vaasa EnergyWeek is an international energy conference consisting of several events.

The Vaasa Gas Exchange 2023 seminar is back with expert speeches and interesting panel discussions. Carbon neutrality and carbon negativity are the key issues today’s business and society development. In the seminar Biogas as a key part of modern energy business solutions, you will be able to learn about what kind of scalable business is possible through digitally connected biogas hubs. As well ideas for sustainable biogas production will be heard. It is also possible to learn how renewable gases could be a solution for road transport. At the end of seminar there will be interesting panel lead by Cynthia Söderbacka from Novia.

Music Hall (Vaasa City Hall)

Thursday 23 March

09:00 - 10:30

Free of Charge

Vaasa Gas Exchange exhibitors

Gas energy Exhibitors

Register to attend EnergyWeek

9:00-10:30 Biogas as a Part of Modern Energy Business solutions

Moderator

Cynthia Söderbacka

Project Leader in the Faculty of Technology & Seafaring-RDI, Novia University of Applied Sciences

Cynthia specializes in sustainable energy solutions, with a project portfolio covering bio and non-bio renewable energy technology-oriented projects. In the 5 years that she has been at Novia UAS, she has embraced the world as a global village and shown great interest in working with people from all backgrounds by being part of and sometimes leading local and international collaborations. Even though her main activities are within the Research Development & Innovation team, she also combines her love for these sustainable energy topics and working with students by being part (Team Coach) of the European Project Semester (EPS) program (a Project Management oriented program where students from other European universities within the EPS network go on exchange for a semester working in multi-national groups on a project), of which Novia UAS is one of its founders. She looks forward to the era when the novel solutions we talk about today will be the traditional solutions.

Back Up Moderator

Andreas Willfors

Project Leader in the Faculty of Technology & Seafaring-RDI, Novia University of Applied Sciences

Andreas leads international R&D projects focusing on different topics at Novia UAS since 2016, but with the largest interest for biogas. Currently he is leading the cross-border collaboration project Boost Nordic Biogas in the new Interreg Aurora programme, where he is mainly focusing on working with the target group for increased efficiency and economical viability, enhancing the research and innovation capacity for biogas in the programme area as well as biochemical methane potential tests. He also has practical experience from the biogas industry as a process operator.

9:00 Towards flexible and scalable biogas business through digitally connected biogas hubs

Karita Luokkanen-Rabetino

Research Programme Manager, VEBIC, University of Vaasa

Karita Luokkanen-Rabetino leads a multidisciplinary “Energy Transition Management” research program in Vaasa Energy Business Innovation Centre (VEBIC) at the University of Vaasa. She has expertise in building and managing scientific research projects in the field of energy, circular economy and IT. Karita holds Ph.D. in business administration and economics with a focus on firm strategic adaption in the changing business environment.

9:15 Aspects for sustainable biogas production

Mika Ruusunen

Professor, Biorefinery Measurements, University of Oulu

Mika Ruusunen is a Professor in Biorefinery measurements at the Environmental and Chemical Engineering Research Unit of the Faculty of Technology at University of Oulu. Mika has more than 25 years on practical research experience on developing bio-based energy conversion processes utilizing biomass and organic residues as a feedstock. There, process development and automatic control methods to increase energy and material efficiencies is in his research focus. The research activities also include design of experimental set-ups including instrumentation, data acquisition, and advanced data analysis – in work and at home.

9:30 Biogas, synthetic methane and hydrogen

Aimo Latvala

CEO, Ab Stormossen Oy

Aimo Latvala has been the CEO of Stormossen since 2020. Aimo has more than 25 years of experience executing and leading product development and customer projects in fields of automation and electrical distribution. The current role provides vast possibilities to combine circular economy with synthetic fuels and the electricity market.