Anne Gustafsson-Pesonen
Business Manager, University of Vaasa Executive Education
tel: +358 50 473 0021
email: anne.gustafsson-pesonen@uvaasaexed.fi
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.
All the presentations are available from HERE.
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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.
9:45 Renewable gases as a solution for road transport
Senior Business Development Manager, Gasum Oy
Jussi Vainikka
Senior Business Development Manager, Gasum Oy
Mr. Vainikka has extensive experience on road transport fuel market and market development for NGVs in Finland and in Nordics. He has been involved in CNG and LNG (including biogas) market development since 2004, being responsible for and participating in development and implementation of business strategy, de-velopment of the refueling station network, productization and commercialization of products and services. Participation in M&A processes has created a broader perspective for him in several market areas. He is also involved in national and EU level business environment advocacy work and follows closely fuel market and transport sector development in EU. Before joining ever so exciting energy sector, which evidently is in transition to clean alternatives, he worked as an academic researcher for automotive industry.
10:00 Panel Discussion
Moderator:
Cynthia Söderbacka, Project Leader in the Faculty of Technology & Seafaring-RDI, Novia University of Applied Sciences
Panelists:
Karita Luokkanen-Rabetino, Research Programme Manager, VEBIC, University of Vaasa
Mika Ruusunen, Professor, Biorefinery Measurements, University of Oulu
Jussi Vainikka, Senior Business Development Manager, Gasum Oy
Aimo Latvala, CEO, Ab Stormossen Oy
Andreas Willfors, Project Leader in the Faculty of Technology & Seafaring-RDI, Novia University of Applied Sciences
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.
Jussi Vainikka
Senior Business Development Manager, Gasum Oy
Mr. Vainikka has extensive experience on road transport fuel market and market development for NGVs in Finland and in Nordics. He has been involved in CNG and LNG (including biogas) market development since 2004, being responsible for and participating in development and implementation of business strategy, de-velopment of the refueling station network, productization and commercialization of products and services. Participation in M&A processes has created a broader perspective for him in several market areas. He is also involved in national and EU level business environment advocacy work and follows closely fuel market and transport sector development in EU. Before joining ever so exciting energy sector, which evidently is in transition to clean alternatives, he worked as an academic researcher for automotive industry.
Organizers