SWEX_Swep Exchange 2022

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2022 SWEP EXCHANGE

The future of energy - what types of energy sources will we be using in the future?

Liquid cooling for the cloud – Minimising the impact of technology on the environment

Improved functionality for optimal BPHE design

Henrik Rietz, Sales Manager Systems and Jens Sjölin, Systems manager Gothenburg, checks an installation of a district cooling Energy Transfer Station (ETS) at Nordstan Mall in Gothenburg, Sweden

Contents

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4

The pandemic and the planet - How COVID-19 has shaped the energy transition

8

The future of energy - What types of energy sources will we be using in the future?

Absolicon solar park heats up Härnösand

16

Liquid cooling for the cloud – Minimising the impact of technology on the environment

10

6

18

Safe, reliable cooling for hydrogen fuel cell systems on commercial vehicles

The Brazilian ice cream market finds a cool solution

HASL – 40 years of success

Supplier relations with common goals 26

20

SWEP launches high efficiency condenser and evaporator for reversible heat pump systems 27

Gittan – 37 years at SWEP and still going strong

27

22

SWEP presented with Trane’s 2021 Continuous Improvement Award!

Sustainability – Let’s start treating the planet as if we planned to stay

SWEP EXCHANGE

Publisher: SWEP, Box 105, SE-261 22 Landskrona, Sweden Editor-in-chief: Malin Bengtsson, malin.bengtsson@swep.net Art Director & Editor: Lisa Loman, lisa.loman@swep.net Contributing copywriters:

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David R. Mayes, Brian Cloughley, Chris Brown Print: TMG Öresund, Taberg Media Group Website: www.swep.net

SWEP launches new eCommerce & Customer Portal!

Follow SWEP

Improved functionality for optimal BPHE design

Printed on 100% recycled paper

What types of energy sources will we be The future of

o, what are the alternatives to oil, gas and coal, and which S ones are actually ready to potentially fill the spot? Here we have compiled a list of energy sources that hold the most promise, some of which are already being used to generate energy around the world.

Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the most familiar of the sources on this list. Solar can be categorized as solar thermal or solar power, with solar thermal dating back to the late 1800s. This is the process of transforming the sun’s rays into heat or electric energy by using liquids, tanks, mirrors and/or photovoltaic cells. Solar has massive advantages, as the total amount of solar energy absorbed by the earth in one hour and 25 minutes is more energy than the entire world uses in one year. Wave Energy Surfers have known about the power of the ocean for centuries. As waves

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had an immense effect on energy prices all over the globe – directly and indirectly. EU imported more than 40% of its gas, 27% of its oil and 46% of its coal from Russia in 2021. And while there had been a general trend towards decarbonization and fossil-free fuels, the war has made this transition more of a necessity.

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using in the future? energy

animals, and one of the world’s most popular energy sources until the mid- 1800s. In biopower systems, there are three basic methods to release the energy stored in the biomass: incineration, anaerobic decom- position, and liquid fuel conversion. One of the modern methods for producing energy with biomass is using direct combustion to spin turbines to drive a generator. This keeps the amount of biodegradable waste in landfills to a minimum while creating useable electricity. Some of the main challenges with biopower are the greenhouse gasses created when burning waste and sourcing enough biomass to power large-scale incinerators. Wind Energy Rows and rows of windmills have become a familiar sight on coastal areas and windswept hills all around the world. The windmill uses the

possibilities that geothermal offers. Iceland is a pioneer in geothermal energy production with geothermal providing over 65% of the country’s primary energy use. This has transformed Iceland from one of Europe’s most energy-poor countries into a country where nine out of ten homes are heated by geothermal. The main challenge with geothermal is finding the underground hot water reservoirs to power the systems, which, in more stable geographic areas is not a possibility.

roll through the ocean, they create kinetic energy which can be harnessed by turbines or other devices and transformed into electricity. The biggest drawback to wave energy is the simple fact that most systems are not robust enough to handle the energy demands of large populations. That, and the unpredictable nature of the ocean, are the challenges that scientists and ocean experts are working to solve. Geothermal Think of a hot spring and then multiply that by 10,000 and you’re getting close to the energy

Biopower Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and

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Easy ways to save energy at home Set your thermostat

kinetic energy of the wind to turn turbines to produce electricity. The idea is so simple that the first windmill to produce electricity was built in 1888. Wind energy is 100% renewable and is one of the leaders in the race to find a future energy source due to its clean, non-polluting method of producing electricity. Some of the challenges associated with wind energy are the initial cost, dangers to local wildlife, noise levels and the aesthetics of having large windmills placed on the landscape.

Every degree above 20 °C can add 10% to your heating bill.

and slows the rotation of the earth by 0.06 microseconds.

Natrium Nuclear One of the most contro- versial sources on the list, nuclear has had a few high- profile accidents that have tarnished its image in the public eye. New, next gen facilities that are being constructed in USA and Japan use Natrium technology. This provides the reactor with a wider operating temperature range and can also be cooled passively – reducing the need for back-up power supplies and cooling systems. While we might not be able to completely stop using oil and gas in the near future, these solutions will greatly reduce our short-term dependency and provide us with the opportunity to test and improve to create long-term renewable sources. At SWEP, we believe in creating energy-efficient solutions that challenge efficiency. We’re excited about how these new solutions will make the transition to green energy faster and easier for our customers while making the world a more sustainable place. n

Hydroelectric One of the oldest and most

prevalent sources of renewable energy is hydroelectric. Its roots can be traced back to water wheels on river banks. Two of the most famous implementations are the Hoover Dam in the United States and Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, China. The volume of water (39 trillion kilograms) held by Three Gorges Dam is so large that it has altered Earth’s moment of inertia

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Making sweet treats a little

razil is the 10th largest ice cream producer in the world and their ice cream industry B currently has more than 10,000 companies. Popsicles form 19% of the Brazilian ice cream market and an estimated 2.5 billion popsicles in a wide assortment of flavors, textures, sizes and colors are produced here every year. Tropical is an ice cream machine manufacturer with an extended portfolio of ice creams and popsicles, and has been a SWEP customer for almost 10 years. Tropical chose SWEP as their supply partner for high performance evaporators which bring more efficiency to their machines. As part of the and popsicle maker Tropical use SWEP evaporator technology to keep their production running smoothly. Popsicles are a delicious treat that provide a sweet treat to families around the world. In Brazil, ice cream

popsicle manufacturing process, a solid heat transfer solution is required, and SWEP’s 80AS range of evaporators provide great performance and confidence to popsicle producers like Tropical. The 80AS adds the advantages of ® our patented AsyMatrix technology to increase thermal performance and reduce pressure drop. Brazed plate heat exchangers have all the vital qualities demanded by industrial process and production applications. Robust and compact, they offer long-term reliability with minimal maintenance.

Their flexible design and SWEP’s ability to customize both the plate and brazing materials bring unbeatable performance and lifetime cost compared with other, older technologies such as Plate & Frame and Shell & Tube. n

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HÖGSLÄTTEN 2023 SOLAR THERMAL PARK Solar collector model: Absolicon T160 Plant area: 10 000 m² Collector area: 3 000 m² Effect: 1,5 MW Energy production:

1 000 000 kWh heat/year

Temperature:

73 -120 °C

Easy ways to save energy at home Turn the water off when shaving, washing hands, and brushing teeth

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Absolicon Solar Collector, a pioneer in the development of sustainable technology, is involved in the development of Sweden’s largest district heating system based on solar concentrating technology. The Högslätten solar thermal park in Härnösand is being built by Absolicon in collaboration with the Swedish Energy Agency and is the first large capacity solar-powered district heating plant built in Sweden in 20 years. Absolicon solar park heats up Härnösand

bsolicon is part- financing the A construction of the plant and will serve as an Energy Service Company (ESCO) by selling solar heat to Härnösand Energi & Miljö (known as HEMAB), the owner and operator of the town of Härnösand’s DH network, 400 kilometres north of Stockholm. HEMAB is fully owned by the city council, serving electricity, tap water and sewage services, district heating and recycling to the citizens of Härnösand. Högslätten is being developed in several phases. The first step, which came into operation in 2021, consists of approximately 1000 m²

solar panels along with a service building for the heat transfer connection to the heat network. The park will be completed in 2023 with heat generated from the 3,000m² field of parabolic trough collectors fed directly into the district heating grid in Härnösand, providing renewable hot water and heating to the city without any combustion involved. Lena af Geijerstam Unger, CEO of HEMAB said “To add solar heat into our present network is a massive step forward, providing our customers with a future-proof and sustainable product”. Absolicon have developed an innovative technological solution to create the high temperatures needed to generate energy for the heat network. They have designed a silver mirror that directs sunlight to a receiver that is essentially a pipe filled with pressurised water. The solar

panels follow the sun during the day, from sunrise to sunset, maximising the heat that can be transferred. Absolicon’s panels are designed to handle up to 160°C to keep a flow temperature of 120°C. The panels are the first of their kind to be certified according to the quality standard Solar Keymark and have the highest measurable efficiency. As a result, surplus energy created by the panels can be stored via the heat network when it is cheap to produce and then utilised when it would be much more expensive to produce. SWEP is involved in the overall project through the provision of our high- capacity B649 brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEs). The power of these units provides the potential to build larger and more cost-effective energy transfer stations with output capacity far higher than what has been possible in the past. n

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Safe, reliable for hydrogen fuel cell systems on commercial vehicles

synergy B

LUEPOWER: battery/hydrogen

FAUN’s BLUEPOWER solution

is an excellent example. This innovative technology combines battery-electric power with a hydrogen fuel cell range extender. BLUEPOWER is a big step toward FAUN’s target of producing only hydrogen vehicles by 2030. BLUEPOWER vehicles are suitable for a wide range of applications and have been operating with one prototype since 2019 and 20 trucks in operation in 2021. In hardworking refuse collection applications, trucks can typically collect tonnes of recyclables per day. The heat exchange challenge In developing BLUEPOWER, FAUN faced the challenge of achieving reliable separation between the two closed loops built into the hydrogen fuel cell skid. It was vital to avoid corrosion and cross-contamination between internal and external cooling loops. FAUN was also seeking a product offering efficiency, competitive pricing and reliably short lead times.

FAUN is a member of the long-established KIRCHHOFF Group’s Ecotec division, based in Germany. FAUN develops and manufactures dependable refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) and street sweepers. All FAUN vehicles harness innovation and modern technology to ensure they meet the latest technical standards.

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cooling

Easy ways to save energy at home Stop standby power waste

Up to 10% of your electricity use could be from gadgets on standby.

SWEP B10T

Recommendations from a partner set FAUN to look into a solution based on SWEP brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHE). The case not only presented a good technology fit, but also a fast

cell skid designed for use in a commercial vehicle.

support service and impressive performance tests in the field.

of corrosion, which makes it ideal for the BLUEPOWER application.

FAUN’s BLUEPOWER refuse collection vehicles have been operating efficiently and reliably for some time now, with their SWEP BPHEs performing entirely as expected. n

SWEP’s ideal solution for BLUEPOWER FAUN selected SWEP B10TSH×10. This all-stainless steel unit is designed for use where there is a risk

The B10TSH×10 has a high flow rate and excellent heat transfer, yet has dimensions of only 289×119×34 mm. Compactness is of course a major advantage on a closely integrated fuel

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How COVID-19 has shaped the energy transition The pandemic

ome of the most memorable images of 2020 came from S Venice. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread tragedy and chaos throughout the world, the famous Italian canals were pictured with crystal clear water and visible marine life. Local environmental changes happened all over the world. In Indian cities, sites of some of the world’s poorest air quality, air pollution fell by 1 70% . Similar reductions were measured in European cities like Milan and Madrid, during their longest lockdowns. Changes happened on a global scale too: in April 2020, daily 2 CO emissions were 17% less than 2 the year before.

For many, these images and statistics brought mixed feelings. On the one

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and the planet

hand, they represented the potential of a cleaner world – they showed that ecological sustainability was possible. On the other hand, this sustainability depended on billions of people being, in effect, locked up. Hardly a practical solution. The photographs from Venice were, then, neither a cause for joy or despair. And, although they didn’t reveal a straightforward solution, they did show us the link between the pandemic and the environment. Around three quarters of man-made greenhouse gas emissions come from energy use, so the interplay between energy and COVID-19 is especially relevant, and this has become a focal point for researchers in the years since. With close observation and research, the pandemic may be able to tell us something about how the transition to a sustainable energy system might work. The energy transition during the pandemic As a major contributor to global emissions, the need for profound changes to our energy system is clear. These changes, collectively known as the energy transition, can

be grouped in two broad categories: energy conservation and renewable energy. The pandemic affected both of these categories. Energy conservation was a side-effect of many of the COVID-19 measures in 2020. Energy consumption fell, largely because of reduced transportation, aviation, and industrial activity. Falling demand led to oil production

hitting its lowest point since 2012, provoking the lowest oil prices in 20 3 years . Estimates vary slightly, but global energy consumption in 2020 has been estimated as 5 to 7.5% less 4 than in 2019 . Despite the overall energy demand falling, the global use of renewable energy actually increased slightly. During lockdowns, electricity from solar photovoltaic and wind energy became cheaper and easier to supply, relative to fossil fuels. As energy demand and prices fell, suppliers used renewables to meet the lower demand, largely because of

their smaller marginal costs. Renewable electricity plants are also often granted priority grid access, further protecting their output. However, although 2020 was a strong year for renewable energy generation and use, its future deployment was negatively impacted. The economic shutdown and the lack of international trade slowed down the manufacturing and construction of renewable energy facilities – for example, plans for new sites were delayed and solar panel factories were closed.

This was reflected in the boom in energy demand in 2021, driven by

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countries’ desire to restart their economies. As with almost all energy sources, generation from renewables soared in 2021. However although this increase was substantial, it was still significantly below what is likely needed to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The increase in renewable energy in 2021 was 7%, but the International Energy Agency estimate that annual renewable electricity generation will need to increase by 12% on average. The share of renewables in global electricity generation increased by only a small 5 amount, 0.4%. Taken together, this suggests that the energy transition flourished only during the unique context of 2020, and that 2021 demonstrated a return to insufficient progress. However, the impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt in many different ways, including in public investment and economic stimulus. Post-pandemic stimulus: a welcome boost or a missed opportunity? After the tragedies and upheaval of 2020, there has been a general consensus that the post-pandemic years should provide an opportunity to reconstruct parts of the economy and make improvements on what was there before. This approach is known as building back better. The main idea is that post-pandemic stimulus spending should do more than prompt economic recovery; it should

also address societal challenges such as inequality, health and the climate crisis. As with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of the global energy infrastructure, and shown the practical benefits of renewable energy and decentralized systems. Therefore, there was a strong case for focusing stimulus spending on the energy transition. This has happened, to an extent, however doubts have been raised about whether there has been enough investment in clean energy, and whether this investment has been effective. Stimulus spending has been monitored by a number of international organizations. By the end of 2021, the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development) 6 estimated that just 33% of their members’ COVID-19 recovery funds have been allocated to “environmentally positive” measures. The Energy Policy Tracker provide a more energy-specific analysis, and 7 estimate that only 38% of energy- related recovery spending went to clean energy. Both these analyses show that significant investment has been made in fossil fuels and other environmentally non-positive projects.

argued that recovery spending has been used to support existing industries and structures, rather than prompting systemic change and boosting the energy transition. On the other hand, it should be remembered that the first priority of recovery spending is economic, so it is unsurprising that support has been given to projects that could deliver quick returns – shale oil in the US being an example. It has also been noted that some economies (notably the EU and South Korea) have spent a far higher proportion of their stimulus packages on climate-friendly measures, so there remains hope that the energy transition will be accelerated at least in some parts of the world. Have we learned anything? During the height of the pandemic, populations were often willing to act in the interests of others. Although a lot of focus has been given to anti-

For some, this has been seen a missed opportunity, and it has been

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References 1. National Geographic (2020) ‘Pollution made COVID-19 worse. Now, lockdowns are clearing the air.’ 2. European Environment Agency (2020) ‘COVID-19 and Europe’s environment: impacts of a global pandemic’ 3. World Bank (2020) ‘Coping with a Dual Shock: COVID-19 and Oil Prices’ 4. Earth System Science Data (2022) ‘Global Carbon Budget 2021’ 5. International Energy Agency (2022) ‘Renewable Energy Tracking Report’ 6. OECD (2021) ‘Focus on Green Recovery’ 7. Energy Tracker Project (2021) ‘Track Public Money for Energy in Recovery Packages’ 8. World Resources Institute (2022) ‘Is Behavioral Science the Secret Ingredient for Effective Climate Action?’ number of institutes, leading to suggestions that concern about climate change has increased and that many people are more willing to alter their behavior for environmental 8 reasons . It may be that one positive outcome of this global tragedy will be an improved understanding of human behavior and an increased willingness to address future crises, including climate change and the energy transition. n mask protests and opposition to vaccines, the change in behavior was clear. Through a combination of communication and legal measures, entire countries were persuaded to, for example, stay indoors for long periods in order to protect vulnerable people. Post-pandemic research has identified behavioral patterns and biases, that, if better understood, could be be used to build more support for the energy transition. As well as teaching us about human behavior in times of crisis, research has also suggested that the pandemic may have changed individual attitudes to climate change. Cross- country research has been done by a

Working from home – a sustainable solution? The COVID-19 pandemic saw something of a revolution in remote working, driving the deployment of technological solutions and providing evidence that it could be a practical and productive way of working. It was widely held that remote working would also bring environmental benefits, such as reduced energy consumption, but this assumption has since been challenged. A review of recent research has shown that most studies indicate that working from home lowers energy use, but this is far from the whole story. The review points out that more robust research – that is, research that takes more factors into account – shows that teleworking can often increase total energy use. One of the main benefits of teleworking is reduced commuting, but working from home can also increase non-work travel. For instance, remote-workers can't stop to buy groceries on their way home from work. Instead, a separate trip is required. Similarly, poorly organized remote working practices can lead to homes and offices being open at the same time, so that more energy is used on things like heating and air conditioning. The conclusion is that remote working is likely to deliver only modest energy savings and that, in many cases, could actually increase total energy consumption.

Source: Andrew Hook et al (2020) Environ. Res. Lett. 15 093003

Is economic stimulus promoting the energy transition?

Fossil 41%

Other 21%

Public money for energy worldwide

Clean 38%

The Energy Policy Tracker NGO has been monitoring stimulus spending worldwide, to assess which forms of energy have received the most support. Somewhat surprisingly, they estimate that more has been pledged to fossil-fuel projects than clean energy.

Source: Andrew Hook et al (2020) Environ. Res. Lett. 15 093003

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Liquid cooling

Minimising the impact of technology on the environment

he Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a worldwide T increase in homeworking. his has lead to even greater reliance on cloud computing as more data gets lodged somewhere in the stratosphere. Or so many of us believe. But actually of course, the data is stored in massive, energy-intensive data centres, all over the world. In July, Knight Frank, the global property adviser, released findings from their Data Centre Report 2021, that show the data centre market has experienced significant growth this year. The report, published in partnership with DC Byte, the leading data centre research and analytics platform, shows EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) markets have seen take-up rise by 4 percent, to 120MW with a 10 percent increase in new supply overall, totalling more than 180MW. In APAC (Asia Pacific) total supply increased by just under 200MW, reflecting a similar pace to 2020 take up – recorded at just over 800MW – making total supply 5800MW across the region.

Data handling is big business throughout the world. Business Development Manager at SWEP, Christer Frennfelt explains how liquid cooled data centres can minimise their environmental impact.

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for the cloud

Easy ways to save energy at home Completely fill your washing machine and dishwasher before turning them on.

In EMEA, the core markets of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Dublin continued their momentum. But the overall trend is towards expansion beyond these markets with Africa poised to become a significant region, highlighted by the level of supply coming online in South Africa and Kenya. Istanbul and Warsaw are also noted in the report as key “edge” markets to watch. Whether this expansion of data centres across the world is a good or bad thing is a moot point as it will continue to happen. It is therefore crucial to find ways to minimise the massive amounts of energy and water that they use and to benefit from the surplus energy that they create. Energy efficient cooling is critical to building more sustainable data centre operations, given that cooling costs can account for more than half of a data centre’s total annual operating cost. There are a number of ways that such cooling can be deployed. Free cooling involves lowering the air temperature in a data centre by utilising naturally cool water instead of mechanical refrigeration. The ambient outdoor air at many latitudes

and elevations can be considerably cooler during certain seasons and times of the day than the air that is heated by data centre equipment. By filtering and humidifying cooler outdoor air and converting it through a heat exchanger for use inside into the data centre, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the use of mechanical cooling for the majority of operating hours, particularly in drier and cooler climates. As an alternative, cold water sourced from a local river, lake or even the ocean can be processed through a heat exchanger into a data centre and used to achieve the same result. Systems that use this approach are often called water-side economizers, which can either be used to cool the

ambient room air or they can directly cool IT equipment cabinets using rear-door heat exchangers or other systems. Mechanical cooling is only needed when the outdoor air temperature becomes too high for free cooling

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HASL –

heat from servers or indeed other machines or industrial processes, can be sourced for various heating applications. For example, data centre excess heat obtained from cooling can be recovered using our SWEP BPHE and supplied directly to a district energy network. As waste heat is an unwanted by-product from another application it therefore has a very low carbon footprint. Given the expansion of data centres across Europe, there is considerable potential for this type of heat recycling, though there is still some way to go to balance the potential costs with the likely environmental benefit. The rise of the data centre is likely to continue for some years to come. While much of the heat they produce is currently wasted, the applications discussed can play a key role in the future provision of affordable, sustainable and low carbon heat and in turn helping to decarbonize the planet. n

systems and consequently, the working life of installed refrigeration systems can be significantly extended. The Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD, the temperature approach between the cold side and the warm side), can be as low as 1K. Even with a larger heat transfer area of the heat exchanger it can still work, but if the ambient goes lower than that, the chiller will take over. A further cooling technology, particularly for dealing with sudden increases in temperature, is an ice storage cooling system. Two of the most common applications of mechanical cooling are absorption cooling, working on the principle of vapor absorption, and chillers, which provide a continuous flow of coolant to the cold side of a process water system at a desired temperature of about 20°C. A chiller uses a vapor compression mechanical refrigeration system that connects to the process water system through an plate heat exchanger, better known as an evaporator. Looking ahead, liquid cooling of servers is the most energy-efficient way to drive the data centre industry forward. This allows optimum energy use in the technology suite, so that more power drives the applications on the servers, rather than the cooling systems. Smaller ‘edge’ data centre facilities (2MW or less in power capacity) that cache content locally in order to offload processing of data and services from central cloud servers, particularly benefit from liquid cooling technology over air cooling techniques. How can excess heat from data centres be utilised and not just wasted? Surplus heat, for example

HASL, one of SWEP’s newest distributors, this year celebrates forty years in business. The company, based in West Lothian, Scotland, was founded by Ted Pringle in 1982. Ted was a heating engineer, college lecturer and a referee in Scottish professional football. His son Gordon Pringle joined the business in 1988 and is now its Managing Director. ordon explains: “Heating Appliances and Spares Ltd, or G HASL as we’re now known, started as specialist product distributors in Heating and Ventilation equipment. Over the years we’ve extended our portfolio to supply high quality products to many areas across the building services sector, working closely with architects, builders, consultants, contractors and end clients.” HASL’s involvement with SWEP began during lockdown in July 2020. Gordon was presenting on water quality and corrosion monitoring in a training webinar hosted by BESA (the UK’s leading building services trade association, of which HASL is an affiliate member). SWEP’s Adam

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40 years of success

what works in theory, we’re the people that have to make sure everything works in real life, so we have to know our stuff!” Although still early in the relationship, SWEP and HASL have recently extended their partnership with HASL having a presence on SWEP’s stand at the London Futurebuild exhibition in early March. The exhibition provides a showcase for some of the most innovative technology, products and services across the construction sector. Gordon again “We’re working closely with SWEP to communicate that consistent good water quality is the life blood of any Heating and Cooling network no matter what its size. From left: Andrew Nimmo, Sales & Contracts Manager, HASL, Christer Frennfelt, Manager Consultants and Utility Business, SWEP and Adam Raymond, Regional Manager UK North and Ireland, SWEP.

Raymond was attending and recognized that Gordon’s and HASL’s knowledge and contacts could help further develop sales of SWEP’s BPHEs across a range of sectors. An approach was made, common

To illustrate this, we had on display an Electronic Coupon Method (ECM) corrosion monitor, showing live data from a remote site.” Adam Raymond, SWEP Regional Manager UK North and Ireland commented: “It was great to have HASL involved with us at Futurebuild. Their display attracted a lot of interest and started up many useful conversations. More broadly, Gordon and his colleagues are really knowledgeable, professional and friendly people to have representing SWEP and opening new doors for us.” Gordon Pringle is confident in HASL’s ability to extend the market for SWEP BPHEs and its other products across the UK. He concludes “There is huge potential out there and with our in- house team of design engineers, we can use our experience in industries like refrigeration and automotive to establish a presence for SWEP. It’s an exciting time to be involved.” n

Gordon Pringle, Managing Director, HASL

ground established, and HASL came on-board as a SWEP distributor in January 2021. Gordon takes up the story “SWEP were impressed that we work and collaborate with such a wide range of long established regional & global companies with numerous product within our specialist portfolio for a long time.” He continues “This isn’t just a job to us. We’re not interested in making a quick sale and moving on. We’re invested in our customers, in the products and the system solutions. It’s about earning client’s trust and in turn, repeat business. We’re as much consultants as we are distributors, we get more calls from consulting design engineers than we do from contractors in many ways. And in this digital world, where everyone is googling to come up with

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37 years at SWEP and still going strong

ow long have you worked at SWEP? H Since 1985 What was SWEP like when you started? We were 7 operators and 5 white- collar workers. Of the 7 operators, one was my aunt, another my cousin and the third was an old classmate. The room we were in had few pallet racks and work tables, which meant that much of the work was carried out on

the floor. I remember cycling home after work one day and feeling really dizzy because I was working with acetone all day without access to extraction for this purpose. Another memory I will never forget was that we often had to walk around to the other companies that were in the area and ask to borrow their trucks and tools. Then you could get told off for borrowing too much that week. But then I always used to

We had a talk to one of this year’s SWEP Innovation Award Winners, Birgitta, mostly known as Gittan, about her time at SWEP.

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Easy ways to save energy at home Don’t leave lights on unnecessarily.

provide a wealth of ideas that both factories can benefit from.

What do you work with now? I am group leader in the All-stainless- steel cell, also often called the ‘pasta cell’. My aim is to grow this small team into a larger group, with a focus on a large selection of products that are in demand in the market. With Niclas Bornegård and Thomas Dahlberg from SWEP's Innovation Department at Research & Development and Lennie Liegnell from Engineering, nothing feels impossible. Thank you! How has SWEP changed over the years? We have grown so much and so incredibly fast over the years, the disadvantage of this has been that we barely had time to grow into our new roles before it was time to get promoted or learn new skills. But they are what we call ‘pleasant worries’. When the American Dover Corporation took over ownership, there was a concern that we would be top-down from the United States, but it turned out to be unjustified. We have experienced a company that grows and thrives and gives back to all employees in one way or another. What made you stay so long? SWEP has given me the best friends (you know who you are), lots of laughs and peace of mind in my everyday life. The management team has done great work when it comes to our safety and the support we receive when we or our families suffer from something unforeseen. I myself know of no other company that offers so much – whether it is a holiday or some other event to be celebrated. And the most important thing of all is that we have always been able to have a voice and an opinion.

What do you do when you are not working at SWEP? I travel as much as I can, hang out with my friends and I also work on my passion projects: home decor and my garden. The SWEP Innovation Award Program The purpose of the SWEP Innovation Award Program is to recognize individuals or teams who have done something significant to drive creativity and innovation which exceeds the expectations of their roles. This can be a product or service innovation, or an improvement in our functions or processes to increase efficiency in a sustainable way, as well as a development of a new market or channel for SWEP. To be recognized, the individual must also be role model for our SWEP Basic Beliefs. Gittan was one of the receivers of this years Innovation Award for inventing an effective and improved process that increased efficiency in a sustainable way. How did you feel when you received the award? Receiving the Innovation Award made me feel recognized and appreciated. I was very moved during the ceremony. It was a small-scale initiative, which I started a few years ago and has grown into part of our daily processes. n

answer that they might need our help at some point, the response I always got was: "Not a chance! Your company won’t last the rest of the year". In the end, many of them applied for jobs at SWEP when their companies were closed down. Despite poor finances and the lack of aids and protective equipment, we were a happy bunch who did our best when the trucks arrived and helped to get all the products ready so that they were delivered to customers on time. You always knew that the management’s goal was to grow and create a good workplace for everyone who worked there. I think that Nils- Gustaf Tobieson, SWEP's first CEO, created a spirit that lives on today. Have you had different roles at SWEP? If so, which ones? I have worked as an operator for all of my years at SWEP. My job has almost always been in the manual work and that has taken me to Slovakia about 20 times. The exchange between the factories is something I hope will develop even more, as I know from my own experience that they strengthen our ties to each other and

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Let’s start treating th as if we planned to From the very beginning, sustainability has been central to SWEP’s objectives. When the company was founded around 40 years ago, our ambition was to create heating and cooling solutions that demanded less energy and resources. That objective will never change, but it’s also important to understand that being an ethical, responsible company demands more. We understand that our actions have consequences, and that they can affect people and the environment in many ways. SWEP’s 2030 goal of carbon neutrality

e have aligned our efforts in sustainability with the W UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to challenge ourselves not only to have clear and tangible goals to strive towards but also to ensure that they are relevant and will make a difference. SWEP started measuring the organization’s carbon footprint with 2016 as baseline year and in 2020 we proudly achieved our goal to reduce the organization’s total carbon emissions by 20%. It was time to set our sights on a new ambition that should be guided by our purpose and vision. We decided that SWEP will operate as a carbon neutral company by the same year that the UN goals highlight: 2030.

With our carbon neutrality goal we plan for net zero emissions in scope 1

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he planet stay

Easy ways to save energy at home Switch off the tumble dryer and air dry your clothes instead.

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energy efficiency, renewable energy production and elimination of fossil fuels in our operations. For indirect emissions we continue to work with our suppliers and forwarders to identify more sustainable products and solutions that align with our sustainability goals. At the moment, two thirds of the energy we buy comes from renewable energy sources and when it comes to decreasing energy usage and emissions, we focus on five major areas: Upgrade equipment Our manufacturing process requires heating of large furnaces, and we are working on implementing systems for utilizing the waste heat generated in this process. In 2021 we implemented the Ectogrid system at our Landskrona plant, which allows us to utilize our waste heat for heating premises with the opportunity to expand the solution and provide heat also to neighboring buildings. To further improve energy efficiency, we have switched to LED lighting in all plants and are continuously investing in equipment upgrades. By upgrading ventilation, air

& 2, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol corporate standard. For SWEP scope 1 & 2 includes stationary & mobile combustion, refrigerants, electricity, and heating. We also measure a partial scope 3 and plan to reduce our emission intensity for these metrics, which include: business travel, transportation of goods, water and waste. Since SWEP started to work with emissions in a goal-oriented way, we have reduced our emissions intensity by 34,21%. This has been achieved primarily through an improved energy efficiency in production and reduction of air and express freight. Following our plan, we will reduce our emissions intensity by an additional 30% between 2020 and 2030. We have chosen emission intensity, calculated as kg of CO2 equivalents per kg approved product, as our main metric since 2020. Because we have ongoing plans to expand our operations, we expect that emission intensity will give a better signal as to the effectiveness of our endeavors over the next few years. SWEP has already taken several measures and will continue to work towards our goal through increased

compression technology and cooling systems we continue to reduce our energy intensity in manufacturing. Install solar panels By 2026, all our plants will have solar panels installed and operating. This will contribute a share of our plants’ electricity needs and is a complement to our activities in energy efficiency and purchasing of renewable energy. Optimized supply chain Transport of goods is an area where we can work together with our customers and supply chain to reduce emissions. Through planning and forecasting we aim to reduce the amount of emission intensive air & express freight with truck and sea shipments. We also work closely with our transportation partners will continue projects around green transport solutions and consolidated freight. Install new equipment As we continuously grow by helping others convert to more efficient heat transfer solutions, we need to expand our production capacity. New generation press lines and more efficient furnaces will decrease emissions compared to produced

Reduction & avoidance of CO e emission 2

Green travel policy - Optimize purpose when travelling

- Selecting climate compensation travel options Extended use of digital communications tools

Install solar panels on all plants by 2026

Upgrade equipment Ventilation, compressors, waste heat utilization

Optimize supply chain (Green certificate) - Minimize air and express freight - Joint venture projects with forwarders on greener transport options - Consolidation of freight

Reduction

Install new equipment New technology will be 20-70% more efficient than present

Offset

2016

2030

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Improved functionality for optimal design

volume. As an example, a new press line was installed in our Slovakian plant in 2021 with an optimized servo power unit. The new press line consumes 75% less energy while delivering 20% higher output in comparison to older press lines. This year we have also installed new vacuum furnaces in our plant in Slovakia, that utilize convection heating and dry pumps, which will further improve energy efficiency in manufacturing. Travels and meetings The ‘new normal’ of post-Covid life has taught us to utilize digital conference tools much more instead of traveling and we continue to see a reduction in business travel compared to 2019. This year we have updated our travel policy with sustainable guidelines and recommendations for more environmentally friendly travel, for the occasions when travel is necessary. Emission offsetting means that any emissions we produce through our daily activities that cannot be eliminated are reduced via investments in carbon sinks, which is any activity that consumes more carbon emissions than it produces. Our primary goal is always to reduce our actual emissions which is why we have chosen to prioritize the activities mentioned above. In order to meet our carbon neutrality goal we may need to offset some emissions, in which case SWEP will choose scientifically proven alternatives. At SWEP, we feel both proud to have taken these steps and confident that we will succeed in our 2030 carbon neutrality goal. n Offset that we cannot reduce ourselves

You may be familiar with SSP G8, SWEP’s unique software developed for heat exchanger calculations. It enables users to input data and to receive heat exchanger options for different applications. SSP G8 is available as a download and is a wellestablished effective tool for engineers around the world, available in several languages. Now there is DThermX. SWEP’s online version of SSP G8 delivers improved functionality for optimal brazed plate heat exchanger design.

Try DThermX online to get:

• Same calculations and improved tools compared with SSP G8 • Full online availability, with no need for download • Fast calculation speed with ability to save and share calculations easily • Interactive start page with latest news • Quick access to Xreference – an online tool that suggests a suitable SWEP replacement product for competing models You can also use DThermX to power embedded selection tools on e.g. dealer websites, where we offer a standardised easy to navigate setup with a range of customisation options. Easy to get started DThermX is just a couple of clicks away and easy to access. If you register for DThermX with the same e-mail you have used for SSP G8, you will retain the same license settings. n

DThermX is SSP G8 online with new features

With the latest developments to our web-based version of SSP G8, not only do you get all the functionality that comes with the desktop version, but there are also several new features and benefits.

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Easy ways to save energy at home

Supplier relations with common goals

Cook with the lid on. Heating up the water in a kettle first helps speed up the process.

hat is your role at SWEP and how does that relate W to our suppliers? I am Sourcing Director and overall responsible for SWEP´s Sourcing function and organization. One of the main requirements we have on our suppliers is that they have certifications (ISO 14001 or others) in place but also show that they are actively working with sustainability within their organizations (waste management, energy efficiency, CSR etc.) What kind of relationships do we have – or would like to have – with our suppliers In general, we want close cooperation with our suppliers, especially those who have a direct impact on our products. Here, we aim to build strong, long-term relationships with our suppliers. We categorize these as our strategically-important or growth suppliers. What role does sustainability play in the selection of suppliers?

We sat down with Sourcing Director Jimmy Boklund and talked about SWEP’s supply strategy.

What do you look for in a new supplier?

When onboarding new suppliers, we look for several things, including: Their business ethics and if they are compatible with ours, overall financial stability, the status of their sustainability journey and their

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SWEP

FI22AS

SWEP presented with Trane’s 2021 Continuous Improvement Award! The Trane 2021 Continuous Improvement Award recognizes suppliers who are using operational excellence principles to drive improvement in key performance metrics. SWEP was awarded this honor because of their ability to supply high quality products in a timely manner, despite the struggles 2021 presented to the manufacturing world.

manufacturing footprint - just to mention a few.

launched is SWEP FI22AS is a high efficiency condenser and evaporator with low global warming impact for reversible heat pump systems. This heat exchanger has been designed to match the rapidly increasing demand for residential heat pumps with high efficiency, low refrigerant charge, low water pressure drop and high asymmetry grade leading to a small carbon footprint. With countries across the world seeking to move from fossil fuelled heating systems to both Air to Water and Ground Sourced Heat Pumps, the FI22AS is set to find a sizeable market. The heat exchanger has been developed with SWEP’s patented AsyMatrix2 technology as well as new innovative distribution system to deliver high thermal performance while ensuring a low secondary side water pressure drop. This makes it ideal for systems with demanding thermal and hydraulic requirements.

Have you ever had to ask a supplier to change something in order to continue as a supplier? There are cases where we have emphasized that they need to improve in certain areas, if they would like to become a SWEP supplier. We address this during our supplier audits and onboarding process, if we identify gaps that we believe the suppliers are able to close. This way, they have the opportunity to join us as a supplier and live up to our supplier and partner expectations. One of our goals for the future is to improve the setup for sustainability tracking and risk management. What parts of the SWEP/supplier relationship has the pandemic changed and that you think will continue indefinitely? Today, we are definitely doing more virtual meetings. It’s a very different way of interacting when compared to the traditional face- to-face meetings, but we have noticed that this has worked out What impact has the supply chain issue had on your role in the last 6 to 12 months? The supply chain issues that the world is experiencing are having a major impact on my role. Even with the robust processes that we have in place to mitigate risks in our supply chain, the last 12 months have still been very challenging for the team. It’s a new challenge that we have to overcome and the team has been doing an excellent job. n pretty well with our current suppliers and everyone is satisfied.

SWEP launches new eCommerce & Customer Portal! In May SWEP launched a new eCommerce & Customer Portal which is a big step in SWEP’s digitalization ambition to better serve our customers and to introduce an improved way of doing business easy and efficiently with us. It is a modern portal with several new features and functionalities. We want to offer our customers more than just an eBusiness site for placing orders; we want to offer a complete eCommerce & Customer Portal!

The FI22AS is optimized for the R290 and R32 refrigerants;

R290 is a natural refrigerant which doesn’t harm the ozone layer and has virtually zero impact on global warming, while providing excellent energy efficiency. R32 is a single

component refrigerant, meaning it is easier to reuse and to recycle.

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