Department of Mechanical Engineering

Green Factory - towards carbon neutral production (GREEF)

The GREEF project is part of Business Finland's Sustainable Manufacturing Finland programme.
Mittauslaitteistoa Otaniemessä.

Abstract

Climate change and its management is the most significant challenge facing our society. The Finnish government has set a goal for a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035. The technology industry has published a low-carbon roadmap towards this goal. The means of the emission reduction mostly relate to electrification of processes and machines, improving energy and material efficiency, the circular economy and the use of digital solutions. This requires large-scale industrial R&D investments in the green and digital transition. Environmentally friendly, low-carbon industrial production will be an increasingly important competitive factor in the international market.

Achieving an international competitive advantage requires a joint project between Finnish companies and research institutes.

The GREEF co-innovation project involves Aalto University, The University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and seven Finnish companies of different sizes: SEW Industrial Gears Oy, AGCO Power Oy, Proventia Oy, Leden Group Oy, Delva Oy, EQ System Scandinavia Oy and Componenta Oyj. The project will help companies reduce the environmental impact of their operations and products and accelerate them towards their low-carbon and export growth targets. The project covers a number of green industry themes that apply to each company. While companies focus on their most relevant themes, the GREEF research ecosystem increases the impact on the consortium and the industry as a whole.

The project combines industrial and scientific research in the best possible way. 

The results provide best practices and models for:

  1. sustainable branding in the industrial market;
  2. carbon footprint calculation in manufacturing environment and supplier network;
  3. energy-efficient production control and supply chain; 
  4. the suitability and environmental impact of metal AM methods as a manufacturing method. 

The emerging know-how  enables better identification of the environmental impact of the manufacturing industry and significant changes in operations and products that improve sustainability and competitive advantage.

GREEF webinar presentations

Materials for the presentations given in the 29 November 2023 GREEF webinar are available below:

Funding

Total budget is about 4.8 MEUR, of which Business Finland support is about 2.5 MEUR.

In addition to research organizations, the consortium includes 7 Finnish companies.

The project is part of Business Finland's "Sustainable Manufacturing Finland" program.

Contact

Jari Larkiola

Professor (University of Oulu)

Saila Saraniemi

Professor (University of Oulu)

Pasi Puukko

Senior Scientist (VTT)
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