Sumitomo SHI FW leads a Net Zero Energy Ecosystem collaboration program, focusing its decarbonization RDI activities in Finland  

Press release June 11, 2025
Sumitomo SHI FW – Espoo, Finland

The Net Zero Energy Ecosystem (NZEE) enabled in the program is an environment where net-zero carbon dioxide emissions are achieved by combining renewable energy production with sustainable fuels, carbon capture, and energy storage. By developing these new technologies, the NZEE program integrates different industry sectors and solutions into the ecosystem, filling in its missing links. This expands the energy system and advances the ecosystem, The program benefits sectors such as energy, maritime and aviation transport, heavy industries, district heating, and other energy-intensive processes.  

Business Finland has granted SFW a €10 million grant for the program, and €20 million for the development of the program’s ecosystem and partner projects. The initiative aims to increase RDI investments in Finland by a total of 50 million euros, with the ecosystem estimated to generate at least the same. The program seeks to partner with a minimum of 50 companies and institutions. 

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 decarbonization strategy and fulfilling our company’s purpose of powering a decarbonized world through this program.

Tomas Harju-Jeanty, CEO SFW

The program will develop solutions for four key focus areas that address global decarbonization needs from varied perspectives. The focus areas are 1) Production of sustainable fuels and chemicals from residual biomass and waste, 2) Energy security, reliability and resilience using long duration energy storage, 3) Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) solutions for energy and heavy industries and 4) Maximizing asset value with an integrated digital ecosystem. 

The focus areas’ activities include developing an integrated biorefinery for sustainable fuel production, advancing long duration energy storage (LDES) technologies to address the challenges of renewable energy intermittency, addressing residual emissions in energy and hard-to-abate industry sectors, and integrating technologies with digital tools to optimize plant operations. 

SFW invites partners from diverse fields to address these focus areas. 

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 optimizing diverse energy technologies, we can create an NZEE that accelerates renewable energy and long-term progress for humanity

Stefan Nygård, NZEE program lead at SFW

The project was launched by Business Finland, a public organization under Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. By launching Leading Company challenge competitions, Business Finland challenges internationally operating companies to tackle major future challenges, drive cooperation and increase RDI investments in Finland. With the NZEE program, SFW is one of the winning companies of the Leading Company challenge competition in 2025. 

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For more information about the NZEE program, please 

• contact NZEE Program Lead / VP Strategy & Marketing Stefan Nygård,  
  Sumitomo SHI FW, stefan.nygard(at)shi-g.com
• Send us an email at sfw.nzee@shi-fw.com