This week Lighthouse together with representatives of the shipping sector met the Swedish Energy Agency.

Åsa Burman, Director of Lighthouse, what kind of meeting was this?
- At Lighthouse we meet various funding agencies and discuss the maritime sector. We have met the Swedish Energy Agency research and development department in the past and they have described how they support research and development activities with relevance to energy. Transport is an important area and in 2016 they will review the needs and opportunities within shipping and aviation. This was a follow-up meeting with participants from the shipping industry.

What did you talk about?
- Ship-owners representatives, Anders Thyberg from Wallenius and Per Stefenson, Stena, presented ship-owners activities, maritime challenges in the short and long term and what actions and technological development the shipping companies themselves provide. Carl Carlsson told about Zero Vision Tool and SweshipEnergy and the challenges they see.

What is the next step?
- The Swedish Energy Agency continues to gather knowledge of the maritime area and may in the short term improve the possibility of shipping-related research and development projects to seek future calls in already existing programs.
Our hope is that they in the future will launch maritime oriented call for applications and programs. The plan is also to meet again, in the same constellation, or with broader representation of the maritime industry.

The Swedish Energy Agency is subordinated to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, and regulated by the Government. The Agency finances research for new and renewable energy technologies, smart grids, and vehicles and transport fuels of the future. The Agency supports commercialization and growth of energy related clean-tech.
The Agency also provides energy system analysis, energy forecasts and official energy statistics.