May 16, 2008, Los Angeles, CA. Business Region Göteborg of Sweden is this year’s winner of California-based CALSTART’s Charles R. Imbrecht Blue Sky Innovation Award for catalyzing Sweden's use of biomethane as a renewable transportation fuel now powering 15, 000 natural gas cars, trucks and buses and a biomethane powered commuter train operating in Linköping.
Business Region Göteborg (BRG) is a municipality owned company working for sustainable growth within industry and business in the Göteborg Region. "This is great honor for us and our biomethane industry in Sweden," said BRG’s chairman, Göran Johansson, who is also the Mayor of Göteborg. Göran Värmby, Head of Business & Environment for BRG and Chairman of Biogas West added, "to be highlighted by such an organization as CALSTART is really important for us and will contribute to a breakthrough worldwide for biomethane. This will also support the ongoing energy cooperation between Sweden, California and the USA.” In west Sweden where Biogas West has been operating, about 7,000 gas cars, trucks, buses and heavy duty vehicles are operating with biomethane.
“Sweden has been a driving force in the international quest for environmentally-friendly sustainable transportation, and we are proud that Business Region Göteborg has been recognized this year by CALSTART,” says Nina Ersman, Consul General of Sweden. This is just one example of the advanced know-how and leading technology Sweden has developed in environmental technology. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in 2006 to strengthen the cooperation in this area between Sweden and California. The MoU serves as platform for further commercial cooperation and technology transfer. “Several California and Swedish companies have utilized this opportunity and we invite California companies, not yet participating, to contact us,” added Ersman. The Consulate General of Sweden in Los Angeles will arrange a number of round table discussions during the rest of the year.CALSTART’s Blue Sky Awards recognize outstanding marketplace contributions to clean air, energy efficiency and to the clean transportation industry overall by companies, organizations and individuals. Among them, the Charles R. Imbrecht Blue Sky Innovation Award, named in honor of the third and longest serving Chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC), was established in 1999 to recognize innovative actions taken to develop future markets for advanced, sustainable transportation that cleans the air, improves energy efficiency and helps reduce greenhouse emissions. Recipients of the Blue Sky Awards are among several dozens of individuals, companies and organizations nominated internationally for their market leadership and real actions in advanced green transportation. “The year’s winners represent the best in our expanding industry: taking real actions with real products to improve air quality, combat global warming, ensure our energy security and create sustainable jobs," said CALSTART President and CEO John Boesel. In addition to BRG, 2008 Blue Sky winners are Eaton Corporation, of Cleveland, Ohio, Southern Counties Express, Inc., of Los Angeles, CA, Union Pacific Railroad Co., of Omaha, NE, and ZipCar, of San Francisco, CA
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Business Region Goteborg works to strengthen and develop trade and industry in the Göteborg region. It is a non-profit company representing 13 municipalities with the goal to contribute to strong growth, a high level of employment, and diversity in trade and industry in the region. www.businessregion.se
Calstart is a non-profit organization that brings together more than 150 companies and organizations from around the world. Its purpose is to support and disseminate technological solutions that contribute to lower emissions, more jobs, and better energy efficiency in the transport sector. www.calstart.org
Consulate General of Sweden in Los Angeles represents the Swedish government in the 13 western states and works with issuing visas and passports, cultural exchange and business promotion. As part of the business promotion Sweden and California has an Energy partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding on Renewable Fuels and Energy, signed in 2006. Activities include delegations visiting Sweden and California, business development programs and networking events. www.swedenabroad.com/losangeles ____________________________________________________________________________________________Please address questions about the Consulate of Sweden’s work on energy and environment to Anna Carin Thomér: (310) 566-2324; annacarin.thomer@foreign.ministry.se
Press Contact: Mardi de Veuve Alexis: (310)444-3194; mardi.de-veuve@foreign.ministry.se