When the municipality's digital systems go down, the entire community is affected. Home care services don't know which users need medicine and food, waste collection is halted when routes can't be determined, and school staff can't access schedules or contact information for guardians. Until the problems are resolved, everyone has to try to work with what they have – analog, with pen and paper.

– Then it becomes an incredible burden to try to catch up, says Johan Rosell, responsible for total defence at RISE and former head of the Centre for Cyber Security at RISE.

Sweden among the most vulnerable countries in Europe

– We are far ahead in terms of digitalisation, but not so far ahead in terms of cybersecurity. There is a gap that makes us vulnerable, says Johan Rosell.

Who is behind the attacks varies – and is not always clear.

– Previously, there was a clear distinction between state actors and cybercriminals. Now, however, we are seeing how they often work together. It has become more difficult to discern whether a group is a criminal hacker collective looking to make money or a state actor with other motives. According to Johan Rosell, it becomes part of a hybrid toolbox designed to undermine trust in our democratic institutions.

Municipalities are particularly vulnerable. In principle, a Swedish municipality is locked out of one of its systems every week. Small municipalities are hit harder and more often because they have fewer resources, making it more difficult to maintain redundancy in the form of backup systems and to recruit cyber security experts.

Attacks are often simple in structure. The most common scenario is someone clicking on a link in a phishing email. A virus then spreads between computers in the network until everything locks up.

– The municipalities then receive a message demanding payment in cryptocurrency to unlock the systems. However, paying is not an option as this only creates more incentives for new attacks. There is also no guarantee that your data will be restored, says Johan Rosell.

The cost of restoring hacked systems is increasing

Instead, systems need to be restored from backups – if they exist. IT consultants often have to be called in to get everything up and running again quickly, which is expensive. Following the high-profile cyber attacks against Swedish municipalities in recent years, the costs amount to tens of millions of Swedish kronor, and in some cases even hundreds of millions.

It's always more expensive to clean up afterwards when you have to bring in people to work three shifts to get the business back on its feet than it is to think ahead. You have to weigh up the costs when talking about investing in cyber security, says Karl Resare, Business Developer at Cyber Range, RISE's cybersecurity test and demonstration environment.

– Just as an individual inspects their car every year, municipalities should inspect their cybersecurity – continuous exercises, training, and risk analyses. Soon, this will also be a legal obligation.

The new EU directive NIS2, which was introduced into Swedish law in January 2026, will make cyber security the formal responsibility of municipal authorities. The new rules impose mandatory requirements for security levels, incident reporting and continuous risk management, and allow penalties to be imposed for non-compliance.

– To help meet these requirements, we have developed a management training course aimed specifically at municipal leaders. They need to understand the requirements, says Johan Rosell.

Advanced training in digital twin environments

In addition, RISE offers training ranging from basic cyber hygiene to specialised courses for technical staff. Certification, vulnerability analysis and advanced exercises in digital twin environments are also available.

– You can see what happens when a system crashes. It's like a computer game – it's safe to test with us. But when you're attacked in real life, you'll be better equipped to cope, says Karl Resare.

As an independent research institute, RISE can act as a neutral partner in the work to strengthen cybersecurity in the public sector.

– We have no other interests than to make Sweden stronger, says Karl Resare.

Conflicting objectives or synergies?

The water sector today balances three overarching objectives:

1. Welfare and prosperity - providing accessible, reliable and cost-effective water supply to all.
2. Sustainability and equity - ensuring that resources are used efficiently, distributed equitably and not depleted.
3. Preparedness and climate adaptation - building resilience to crises such as extreme weather, sabotage and ultimately war.

These objectives are sometimes compatible, but often they clash. For example, investing in resilience and redundancy can conflict with short-term cost efficiency.

– We humans tend to have a so-called negative bias, where we see conflicting goals rather than synergies. But the synergies exist, said Robert Gladh, project manager at RISE, who also spoke at the conference.

He highlighted green-blue solutions in urban environments as an example of how several goals can be achieved simultaneously. Trees, ponds and other nature-like systems not only manage stormwater and protect against flooding - they also create recreational environments and increase biodiversity. Identifying and highlighting these synergies requires a holistic approach - something that foresight work actively trains and supports.

Digitalization: a double-edged sword

Digitalization is one of the most transformative forces of our time. In the water and wastewater sector, it offers great opportunities for streamlining, monitoring and optimizing systems.

– Digital solutions provide better decision support and increase the capacity of organizations, but at the same time new vulnerabilities arise. Increased automation can lead to fewer people being physically present on sites, reducing our ability to detect anomalies manually. The risk of cyber-attacks is also increasing, which means that security issues need to be addressed more seriously, said Johan Granberg.

A new threat landscape requires new thinking

Today, water supply is no longer only threatened by climate change, but also by threats such as rumors, information influence and targeted sabotage.

– As a municipality, we have always had to deal with real events affecting drinking water. What is new is that we now also have to deal with false alarms and rumors. A clear example is the cryptosporidium parasite outbreak in Östersund in 2010 - and the false rumor of a new outbreak in early 2025, said Robert Gladh.

In these contexts, the link between water and sanitation systems and total defense becomes clear.

– Infrastructure attacks are often about undermining societal will rather than providing military effect. This underlines the need for both technical robustness and social resilience, said Johan Granberg.

Foresight in practice - the road to future proofing

To meet this complex reality, RISE offers tools and processes for strategic foresight in the water and wastewater sector. Through scenario planning, system analysis and long-term collaboration, RISE helps municipalities, authorities and water and wastewater organizations to identify robust ways forward.

>> Read more about our offer: Future-proof your water and wastewater operations with foresight and strengthen your preparedness for future challenges

From geopolitical tensions and disrupted trade routes to climate change and market volatility, Swedish industry is under mounting pressure – and transformation is no longer optional. The question now is: how do we shape an industrial landscape that is both robust and future-ready?

Staffan Lund works with industrial transition at the corporate office for regional development at Region Västra Götaland. He’s confident that additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, can be a vital part of the answer. 

What’s the deal with additive manufacturing?

Unlike subtractive or forming manufacturing techniques, additive manufacturing (AM) builds objects layer by layer directly from a digital model. This approach brings a range of advantages: shorter lead times, reduced material waste, greater design flexibility, and the ability to produce components locally. The latter has proven particularly important in recent years, as global disruptions have exposed the vulnerabilities of international supply chains. But can a relatively young and still fairly niche technology really make a difference on a broader industrial scale?

“Additive manufacturing has quickly progressed from a tool for prototyping to a fully viable production method. However, it still represents only a small fraction of overall manufacturing – just a few per cent. As a result, many of its potential sustainability gains, such as reduced material waste, lighter components, and lower emissions, remain largely untapped. Realising this potential will require targeted efforts – and this is where we believe the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing at RISE can make a real difference,” says Staffan Lund.

Increasingly Important Across Multiple Sectors

With the highest industrial employment in Sweden and manufacturing at its core, Västra Götaland is a region where these matters are particularly relevant. Though not traditionally a stronghold for industrial R&D, the region was quick to recognise the strategic value in aligning industrial transformation with the development and integration of additive manufacturing. Accordingly, the technology went on to become one of the region’s primary areas of financial investment in the high-tech sector.

"Since then, the importance of the technology has only grown. Beyond its value to the manufacturing industry, we’re now seeing clear applications in the energy sector – especially within energy production, which has grown significantly in relevance in recent years. This is closely linked to the broader industrial transition, where reliable access to energy is critical. In addition, today’s uncertain global landscape has brought attention to additive manufacturing from a resilience standpoint. We’re also seeing our own sectors – such as healthcare – increasingly begin to explore the potential of this production technology," says Staffan Lund.

And there is yet another area where additive manufacturing has recently come into focus.

“It’s about applications with both civilian and military relevance. As a manufacturing region, Västra Götaland plays an important role in this intersection. While we don’t have large-scale military production, the defence sector depends on manufacturing industries – and on new production methods. That could mean rapidly developing prototypes or restarting the production of components that haven’t been made in a long time. In these cases, additive manufacturing can play a significant role.”

"There is a need for a test and knowledge arena"

Region Västra Götaland has had a close collaboration with RISE for many years and has supported several projects aimed at making additive manufacturing more accessible and accelerating its implementation within industry. Two examples are 3D-Action 2.0 and COMPASS II, the latter of which was recently completed.

“Projects like these give companies the opportunity to more rapidly test new technologies and business models, build essential knowledge, and gain the confidence to invest. We support the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing because there is a need for a test and knowledge arena that lowers the threshold for small and medium-sized enterprises. This, in turn, strengthens competitiveness throughout the entire manufacturing chain – ultimately benefiting large companies as well. Sooner or later, cost calculations, sustainability benefits, and material factors will drive the entire manufacturing sector towards additive manufacturing. But it’s those who move first who gain the real competitive edge,” says Staffan Lund.

Encouraging more to take the leap

Staffan Lund acknowledges that there are still obstacles to overcome, such as the lack of industry standards and a shortage of competence. At the same time, he sees additive manufacturing as an inevitable part of the future manufacturing industry and encourages companies to adopt an AM mindset from the outset.

"When new technologies emerge, it’s easy to hold preconceived notions. That often prevents companies from embracing a shift – which in turn causes them to fall behind and lose competitiveness. When the technology is described simply as 3D printing, it’s hard to grasp just how advanced it really is, or to understand the breadth of possible applications. I believe a large part of traditional manufacturing will have been replaced by additive manufacturing within ten years. That’s why it’s vital for the entire value chain to start integrating an AM perspective early in the development process, and makes use of the opportunities already available to explore both the technology and future business models."

The number of cyber-attacks against government agencies and critical organisations has been on the rise significantly in recent years. This revealed an important issue. In 2024, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) published a report showing that seven out of ten public organisations do not have the basics in place for cyber security work.

Private companies involved in critical activities seem to be slightly better prepared. According to a survey, small and medium-sized enterprises are getting better and better at the acquisition of cyber security knowledge. 

It is clear that all organizations that are connected to Sweden's infrastructure in different ways, from the energy company that supplies electricity and heat to the whole society to the municipal water company that controls the water supply, benefit from resilience training.

– Cyber security is largely about managing the attack. What are you going to do if you come into the office, you turn on your computer, and it doesn't work? It's hard to know unless you've been in that situation, says Karl Resare, business developer at Cyber Range, RISE's cyber security testbed.

Practice being attacked in a secure environment

In the Cyber Range it is possible to create virtual copies of IT environments. This could be a replica of a water treatment plant or a power station. RISE's ethical hackers, researchers who know how to exploit vulnerabilities, will then test how secure the facility is by attacking using different methods.  

– With us, you can practice being under attack in a secure facility. By simulating an attack, the management team has the opportunity to prepare for a real scenario and identify weaknesses, says Karl Resare, continuing.

– This is a site for the preparation of a cyber war, with real soldiers and real weapons. The scenarios played out are real, but there is no risk of things going wrong. A unique feature of the Cyber Range is that it can give no telltale signals. This means that the signals from the electronic equipment do not leave the facility and therefore cannot be intercepted by anyone. Information generated during exercises stays safely within us.

The exercises that take place within the walls of the test facility are just that - exercises. However, situations often arise that are perceived as serious and stressful for those involved. During the exercise, weaknesses are revealed, not only in the IT infrastructure, but also in the way teams work together. Predicting how people will react in a live situation is difficult, but Cyber Range provides the opportunity.

Complex operations to influence

In addition to management teams, the Cyber Range is also home to developers who are trained to think about cyber security during the development of new software. The aim is to start hardening IT environments while still developing.  

– Developers, who have high demands from their customers, usually have a focus on functionality. Cybersecurity is rarely an acute problem until someone malicious finds and exploits a vulnerability, says Resare.

A few years ago, threats to IT security were about money, as in the case of the attack on the Church of Sweden, where hackers locked down the church's digital systems to extort a ransom. That motive remains, but a new type of threat has also emerged - influence operations carried out by other states using IT as a means of support or communication.

– These attacks are much more complex than the financial attacks, which are easier to understand. In Sweden, we have ideals of democracy, openness, opportunity and choice. Hybrid warfare means that false information comes out, which makes these ideals take a step back. This is a very serious matter and makes it more important than ever for organisations that are important to society to be prepared, says Karl Resare.

– Battery storage has an interesting future and there is a market for it, not least in terms of controlling energy use and interacting with self-generated solar energy. This is also what I focused on in my thesis, he says.

One part of the thesis is to investigate the benefits of DC power for a building with batteries for energy efficiency. Typically, both DC and AC are used in houses, where most of the appliances are powered by DC and all the distribution in the house is AC.

– One of the things I looked at was what conditions would be required to make DC favorable for small houses and office buildings. This included how solar radiation and climate affect the technical potential of DC. It turned out that energy can be saved, but there is a catch: few products exist for a market that is still in its infancy.

Electrification of aviation

Patrik Ollas has also analysed a future scenario in which society uses a lot of electric flights and electric car charging.

– What role can solar power and battery storage play for an airport with increased electrification? A third part of the thesis is about battery modeling; how can you modulate the battery to estimate energy losses and more, he says.

Part of Patrick's research is based on the so-called Research Villa at the RISE facility in Borås. Access to this testbed allows the models to be validated and evaluated in real operation.

One way to make investments in battery storage more economically viable is to allow the battery to provide services to the external grid, for example through frequency regulation. The grid in Sweden is supposed to have a frequency of 50 Hz, but this varies during the day depending on production and use.

– Frequency regulation is very topical at the moment. I am a firm believer in battery storage for the future. Its use to reduce peak demand will become even more important as electrification continues. This is also something we are looking at in a follow-up project for application at an airport, funded by the Swedish Transport Administration. "How do you have to design and control a battery in order to be able to charge electric aircraft with high power for short periods of time, and how does the rest of the airport's energy infrastructure interact with this", is one example of a research question being investigated in the project. Today's power supply to airports may not always be able to cope with future scenarios. We know that flights are usually on time and we know when they are due to depart. In that way we also know when the batteries are most needed. 

Patrik Ollas also sees other opportunities for battery storage:

– Major events are an example of an application. You know when the peak is coming and how much is needed. The battery is like the Swiss army knife of the power grid. There are so many different tools and purposes that a battery can serve. Everything from storing excess power (from solar energy), to reducing power peaks, to price arbitrage management, where you buy electricity at night when it is cheap and use the battery when electricity is expensive, he says. 

Batteries as energy contingency

Another interesting application is in the development of resiliency and emergency preparedness, where battery storage can act as a backup power source.

– There are examples of commercial buildings that have installed battery storage systems for emergency operation of mobile phones and other essential components in the event of a power grid failure during a crisis or other event, explains Patrik Ollas.

RISE has been commissioned by the Swedish Energy Agency's test lab to test solar power and battery systems. This means that we will carry out a test sequence of the combination of solar power and battery storage for small house applications.

– We will start with two systems that we will study and show what is possible and what is good to consider, mainly for private individuals. In the long term, we hope to test more systems to further demonstrate the possibilities and how to size the battery storage according to the building conditions. RISE has the expertise to develop the market and support our Swedish companies, he concludes.