The food system accounts for between 20-30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the world's population is growing and so is the need for food. A protein shift, replacing animal proteins with plant proteins, has been identified as a possible solution to both challenges.

Fermentation is a natural process

Researchers are tackling the issue of protein metabolism in a variety of ways, including at RISE using a thousand-year-old technique that has historically been used to extend the shelf life of food and drink. Fermentation is a natural process in which microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and moulds convert one substance into another. When 'fed' with sugar or other carbon sources, microorganisms can produce substances such as acid and alcohol (which affect flavour and preservability), or grow into a protein-rich biomass that can form the basis of novel foods.

"There are really three distinct strands to our work on fermentation and novel foods. The first is to process side streams from the industry. One example is rapeseed press cake, which is what remains after pressing rapeseed oil. It is high in protein and fibre, but has a bitter taste. Here, fermentation could be used to improve the flavour, by adding microorganisms that taste good themselves or that break down the bitter substances," explains Jenny Veide Vilg, Head of Microbiology and Hygiene at RISE.

"This is just one example of how it is possible to reduce waste and increase resource efficiency while creating new foods.

"Another track is called single cell protein. Here, it is the actual cells and proteins in a fungus or yeast that are targeted. By feeding the fungus or yeast with sugar and nutrients, they can grow rapidly and create a huge amount of biomass, which could, for example, replace soya in feed or food. "It's like growing protein in tanks instead of fields," says Jenny Veide Vilg.

Living factories produce milk protein without cows

The third route is precision fermentation, in which microorganisms are genetically reprogrammed to produce specific substances or ingredients. For example, it is possible to program yeasts to produce the milk protein casein, which can be used to make vegan cheese and ice cream. In principle, microorganisms can be modified to produce exactly the protein you want.

"When we make these kinds of genetic changes, we have to find a way to keep them in the organisms. In the lab, we give organisms an evolutionary advantage if they carry a particular gene, so they keep it. Outside the lab, it's harder to have this control, so it's important to make the process robust and scalable," says Jenny Veide Vilg.

From the lab to the lunchbox

Fermentation is researched and tested on several fronts at RISE, not least at the food-approved facilities in Gothenburg and Örnsköldsvik. Food manufacturers come here with their challenges, ranging from flavours in new products to unused by-products, to take advantage of the technical infrastructure and knowledge.

"In fact, we can do everything in fermentation, from selecting the right micro-organism, through biotechnological and genetic adaptation, to the finished product. Thanks to the newly built facility in Örnsköldsvik, we can now also research and develop processes on a scale of up to 10,000 litres, which is important for creating the conditions for scalability," says Jenny Veide Vilg.

"Scaling up is one thing," she stresses, "but moving from research to a product that people want to eat is perhaps the biggest challenge.

"We have researchers at RISE working on the taste and texture of food, but also on neophobia, the phobia of trying new things. In the marine sector, a lot of work is being done to encourage consumers to eat seafood other than cod, salmon and herring. This work must also be done when it comes to fermented novel foods," says Jenny Veide Vilg.

The Swedish wild berries we buy in the supermarket have arrived there as the last link in a long value chain controlled by a few large wholesalers. Foreign workers employed by temporary agencies are flown to Sweden to pick the berries, which are then transported long distances for processing. This means a large carbon footprint and a loss of economic opportunities for the local community.

"Alongside the long value chains, there have always been short, local value chains where berries are picked by locals who then process and sell their products themselves at local markets or, for example, on Facebook," says Anna Molander, project manager at RISE:

"In this collaborative project we wanted to take a closer look at how the local population can be involved in berry picking and how a shorter value chain can be scaled up in a sustainable way."

A local value chain benefits both the environment and the local community. Buying and processing berries locally reduces the number of intermediaries between producer and consumer, reducing the impact on the climate and strengthening the local economy. Working locally is about building a sustainable business model that reduces our dependence on external resources and strengthens the local economy.

Adding value to the local community

Gun Lidestav from Bjurholm municipality in Västerbotten has always been interested in berry picking. In the 1970s and 80s, many people in the area picked berries every year and sold them to local traders. Would it be possible to rekindle that interest? And is there a demand in the community to buy locally produced berries?

"I have been thinking for a long time about a more local system for berries. That the berries that grow in the forests should be turned into jam and cream for local schools and retirement homes via the shortest possible value chain. Especially in these times of environmental and climate crisis, we need to rethink and move away from large global value chains to smaller local ones. Should we really be sending both the berries and the people who pick them all over the world?"

Gun was not hard to convince when Bjurholm Municipality was asked to be a pilot municipality in the FAIRCHAIN project, a Horizon-funded project aimed at creating shorter and more sustainable value chains where the value of berries stays and grows in the region. As part of the project, she and her two adult children set up a business association – Bär i Bygden Bjurholm. She is glad she got involved in the project and is proud of the results, even though it has been a long way from talk to action.

Testing the local value chain for berries in Bjurholm

"From my point of view, this RISE research project was a test – we wanted to find out whether there were enough people in the area who wanted to pick and sell berries, and whether there was demand from local businesses to buy the berries. The answer to both questions was yes," says Gun Lidestav.

During the first test season in 2024, more than 1,000 kg of berries were picked, cleaned and sold in Bjurholm to nursing homes and schools in neighbouring municipalities, as well as to restaurants and small processors with a local profile. Some were also sold to private individuals at market events. If there would have been more capacity, many more berries could have been processed. Gun sees this as a sign that the business model is working.

"For us at Bjurholm Municipality, this project is a way to explore new avenues for our local economy, while at the same time creating awareness and spreading knowledge about the berries that grow in our forests. The input was interesting: what is needed to create a more sustainable, local value chain for berries?" says Claudia Wieczorek, Business Development at Bjurholm Municipality.

Increased interest in berry picking

RISE role in the project was to develop and test, together with the municipality and the business association Bär i Bygden Bjurholm, a new business model where the value of the forest berries stays in the village. With the help of local ambassadors and activities, interest in berry picking has increased. This resulted in more berries being sold to local organisations such as old people's homes and schools, an annual berry festival, an exchange of researchers within the Nordic Wild Berry R&D Network and an app to help local people find berries.

"Thanks to RISE support, we were able to organise ourselves and test our thesis during the 2024 berry season. Now I'm looking forward to more seasons where we can take care of our raw materials locally," says Gun Lidestav.

Tips for getting started with a local, more sustainable supply chain:

Dare to try! 
It's when you start asking you find out where the commitment lies.

"What we thought would be easy turned out to be difficult, and vice versa. But we wouldn't have learnt that if we hadn't tested and started with a real experiment," says Anna Molander.

A functioning infrastructure is essential. 
This is also one of the biggest challenges. How will the berries be taken care of, cleaned, packed, stored, etc.?

"I think this is where many initiatives die. It costs money to solve these problems, so it's important to have the right partnerships in place to make the funding go smoothly.

Building the right partnerships. 
How do we get industry on board? Who are the strong local players? Where are the enthusiasts?

"To test whether a value chain really works, you need to involve local stakeholders. And listen to the expertise we have," says Gun Lidestav.

Times are tough for battery manufacturers across Europe. Do Sweden and Europe have the potential to succeed in battery development at all?

The problem actually goes way back in time. In the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese and European battery manufacturers dominated, but a strategic European decision to abandon lithium technology proved fatal. As the new battery boom took off, Europe essentially had to start from scratch - while countries in other regions built an entire value chain, from mine to factory.

European battery industry has strong will but lacking structure

- Take China as an example. We knew they were buying up mines and processing plants in Africa and South America. It was no secret, but somehow we chose not to act," says Maciej Wysocki, business developer at RISE.

He has worked with batteries for 20 years and sees a European battery industry with strong will - but with a lack of structure. Meanwhile, overproduction, dumped prices and squeezed margins prevail internationally. More than 40 per cent of planned battery factories in the EU have now been scrapped or put on indefinite hold.

"Europe has lost momentum, and that's partly due to trying to do everything at once. You start with Omega before you even finish with Alpha," says Maciej Wysocki.

It's a mistake that he says can be costly: production, recycling, cathode furnaces and international expansion – all at the same time, before you've built up enough revenue.

But it's not just the business models that are failing. In many parts of Europe, there is a lack of both expertise and industrialisation capacity.

At the same time, European battery production is needed to build an efficient and sustainable energy system for the future.

"We must be able to produce batteries in Europe. Relying on imports is not sustainable - neither economically nor politically. This is about creating our own future," says Christina Jönsson, Marketing Manager at RISE.

The Nordic region – a region with favourable conditions for battery development

There are also regions with a better starting point. Christina Jönsson points to the Nordic region in particular - it has access to sustainable energy, geological deposits of several important minerals and a strong environmental regulatory framework.

"We have conditions that do not exist anywhere else. We also have an existing mining industry and good political stability, which is a strength when supply chains are challenged. Even if we don't have everything today, the potential is there," she says.

But to succeed, Sweden needs to focus and identify which parts of the battery value chain we can actually be good at, instead of trying to copy other countries' model for large-scale production.

One answer could be to invest where the margins are - for example in modules, packs and battery design. Or in recycling and smarter reuse, where Sweden already has strengths.

There is also a growing interest in alternative technologies.

"Sodium is one example. It can act as a drop-in chemistry for lithium in many processes, but with raw materials that are more readily available," says Mr Wysocki.

Diversification, both technologically and geographically, could be crucial as the need for reliable battery supply chains grows. At EU level, too, conditions are starting to change.

"The Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU's regulation for securing access to key raw materials, clearly indicates that we need to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports. This is not only about securing access to strategic minerals, but also about shortening authorisation processes and building entire value chains within the EU," says Christina Jönsson.

Sweden can take a leading role in the build-up

The conditions already exist. With the right investments, Sweden can take a leading role in building a more robust and independent battery value chain in Europe.

In this work, RISE acts as a bridge between research and industry, with the capacity to support all the way from cell chemistry and module production to recycling and simulation.

"Our strength is that we work in a more applied way, taking the results one step closer to industrial utilisation. We help companies move from the lab to production," says Maciej Wysocki.

"For example, in the area of modules and packaging, RISE can provide support with everything from simulation, design for recycling and strength to joining, pressing and material selection.

"We help test and optimise the critical stages of production, from construction to dismantling - including design for recycling and reuse," says Maciej Wysocki.

There are also plans to establish a new pilot line that could serve as a national test bed where industry can test concepts, optimise processes and develop new solutions.

New technologies, clearer strategies and smarter collaboration

All these steps – from new technologies to clearer strategies and smarter collaboration – are crucial. Because no matter how we look at the energy system of the future, we cannot escape batteries.

"We will have an electric future - especially if we invest in wind and solar. Then it's all about batteries. You can make hydrogen or electrofuel, but then you lose up to 80 per cent of the energy on the road. Batteries still have the highest efficiency. It's hard to do it any better," says Maciej Wysocki.

Water is crucial for life, societal development, and welfare – but in our part of the world, it is often taken for granted. With climate change and increased global uncertainty, secure water supply is no longer a given.

How do we ensure water availability in a time marked by climate crisis, drought, and heavy rainfall? This was the central question when RISE gathered experts, decision-makers, and innovators at the Forum Samhällsbyggnad 2025 in Malmö.

The moderator for the day was Magnus Arnell, a researcher at RISE and program manager for the innovation program Water Wise Societies. He set the tone for the conference:

- We have historically been spoiled with water in Sweden. We have had plenty of high-quality water. But we see increasing challenges related to water, both now and in the future.

But how can we prepare for the future when there is so much uncertainty? Johan Granberg, an analyst at RISE and a doctoral student at the Swedish Defence University, and Robert Gladh, a project manager in water supply at RISE, opened the conference by discussing uncertainties and choices for the future of water.

- The future is uncertain and constantly changing. Through structured methods, we can prepare for different scenarios and thereby reduce surprises when changes occur. But understanding alone is not enough. It must also lead to action, even if it feels uncomfortable and uncertain. Because it doesn't become less uncertain just because you wait, said Johan Granberg.

One shared water

Climate change is rapidly changing the rules of the game. We see more downpours, floods, and rising sea levels – while periods of drought and water scarcity become more common. Drinking water is also threatened by new, often unknown pollutants that require new technology, increased knowledge, and cross-sector collaboration.

The challenges require a holistic approach – a system change where municipalities, authorities, researchers, companies, and citizens collaborate around common goals, share data, and promote an innovation-driven culture.

Susann Milenkovski, environmental strategist at Region Skåne, together with Shane Carnohan, researcher at RISE, and Marie Karlberg, project manager in industrial transition at RISE, presented challenges and solutions related to water supply in Skåne. How water, as a shared and cross-border resource, requires shared responsibility and cooperation between municipalities to be managed sustainably.

- We need to zoom out and plan society from a watershed perspective. It is only when we collectively take primary responsibility for our shared natural resources that we can manage goal conflicts and give nature's resources the same priority as growth and development. With common tools, increased knowledge, and cooperation in inter-municipal management, we can take joint responsibility for our water supply and plan sustainably in a real way, said Susann Milenkovski.

Continuing on the theme 'One Water – One Resource,' Anna Maria Sundin, project manager at RISE, and Stina Bertilsson Vuksan, environmental strategist in Helsingborg city, highlighted the fact that Sweden faces significant investment needs in the water and sewage sector while requiring a transition to circular, resource-efficient solutions. It is not just about securing drinking water and wastewater treatment but also about recovering nutrients, energy, and water in treatment plants – something that demands innovation, collaboration, new business models, and legislation.

- Water and sewage are an integrated part of society, and overall, this service works well – we deliver water to households, businesses, and industry. At the same time, we face climate challenges, with increased risks of both downpours and drought. This means we must work more actively to create water-resilient communities, use water more wisely, and take advantage of the resources that water actually contains, said Anna Maria Sundin

Reduced water usage through behavior change

Åsa Håkansson, technical manager at Sydvatten, and Sandra Nordström, communication strategist at the same organization, shared their work to create sustainable solutions for future water usage. Together with Josefin Klingberg, project manager in water supply at RISE, they discussed the complex factors affecting water resources in the region and the long-term efforts to reduce water usage.

- To reduce water usage, we need to work with both technology and behavior changes, not either or. And when it comes to influencing people's behavior, communication plays a central role. If we can get people to understand the value of water and that water is a natural resource that should be sufficient for many and for much, then perhaps we can achieve a behavior change that reduces water usage in society by using water in a more sustainable way, said Sandra Nordström.

How do we climate-proof our societies for the future?

The final session focused on climate-proofed cities and communities as downpours, floods, and fires become more common with climate change. On stage were Stina Stenquist, research coordinator with a focus on climate adaptation at RISE, Karvel Andersen, technical specialist at Stockholmshem, Per Törnqvist, Head of Group Ratings at Danske Bank, Niklas Thidevall, lawyer and policy researcher at RISE, and Tommy Danielsson, senior planning strategist at Kristianstad Municipality.

Downpours and floods are already a recurring problem, both internationally and nationally, with significant economic consequences. But the question posed is: who should bear these costs and how can we prevent damage?

- The distribution of responsibility and cooperation between public and private actors is central, and therefore we work broadly with all actors in this chain. Together with property owners, municipalities, insurance companies, banks, and other actors, we develop systems and solutions to protect our communities from the growing climate-related risks and to ensure that our buildings withstand future weather challenges, said Stina Stenquist.

An urgent problem that requires multiple solutions.

Maciej Zakrzewski, Head of Infrastructure at RISE, summarized a packed day filled with many interesting perspectives:

- There are many thoughts. There are many ideas. It is clear that there is not ONE solution. We need to work with policy, technical solutions, communication, and behavior changes. It's not about either or – we need to work with everything to have an effect.

He continued to emphasize the importance of swift action and RISE's central role in the transition:

- What strikes me is a sense of urgency. Because it is urgent. Developing the solutions is just the beginning. We must maintain a high pace, dare to scale up, and ensure that the solutions reach their destination. And here, RISE plays an incredibly important role as a change engine that contributes to structural transformation. We assist with research, expertise, and the actual opportunities to go from idea to action.

With the insight into the need for speed and collaboration, he finally highlighted the importance of a bold and innovative approach to meet future demands:

- Daring to think anew is no longer optional. It is an absolute necessity. Innovation is not just a tool for growth but a survival strategy.