New Horizons Magazine from Uppsala University 2:2 2012
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NEW HORIZONS MAGAZINE FROM UPPSALA UNIVERSITY 2:2 2012 THEME: ENERGY Green energy from sun and water 8 Construction start for unique wave power array 4 Energy issues involve more than technology 12 DNA analysis yields new picture of Stone Age 17 Emergency care requires training 26 1 New Horizons 2/2012 Uppsala University OCTOBER 2012 THEME: ENERGY 4 Time to test wave power on a large scale New Horizons is Uppsala University’s magazine 8 Green energy from sun and water about research and education. It is issued twice a year, 9 Flywheels in buses – not utopian in English and in Swedish, Nya horisonter. The magazine can be ordered free of charge or downloaded as a 12 Energy issues involve more than technology PDF at the address: www.uu.se/infomaterial UPDATE Address: Communication and External Relations Energy for 14 New construction for research Uppsala University P.O. Box 256 the future 16 Borderless dissemination of publications SE-751 05 Uppsala, SWEDEN Editor: Annica Hulth [email protected] Editorial board: Magnus Alsne, Anders Berndt, Anneli RESEARCH Björkman, Helena Edström, Linda Koffmar, Anna 17 DNA technology yields new picture of life in the Stone Age Malmberg, Gunilla Sthyr, Anneli Waara. 20 Suzanne Kaplan: “I was deeply moved by the research” 22 Religion as a lifestyle Executive editor: Urban Lindberg 24 TV imports to Sweden Layout: Torbjörn Gozzi Printing: Tabergs Tryckeri English translation: DS MacQueen & Associates LLC EDUCATION MIKAEL WALLERSTEDT PHOTO: 26 Emergency care requires training 28 Best in the country for well-being PERNILLA BJÖRK IT WILL SOON BE POSSIBLE to transmit analysing 5,000-year-old DNA Uppsala Director of Communication energy from ocean waves straight into our scientists have found that hunter-gatherers wall outlets. On the west coast, Sweden’s and farmers had different origins – a major first commercial wave power array is be- breakthrough. COLLABORATION ing created, based on research at Uppsala In New Horizons we like to highlight 29 He commentated the Breivik trial University. At the same time research is un- research findings that are useful outside of 30 Millions committed to children’s mental health derway into other energy sources that still academia. One example is Anna Sarkadi’s haven’t taken the step into the market – research on Triple P – a scientifically de- such as artificial photosynthesis, flywheels, veloped method to capture problems in and a new form of nuclear power. children in preschool. By training preschool The issue of energy for the future is one teachers in the method, children receive INNOVATION of our major societal challenges. It’s not just help, and the costs for care are reduced at 32 Disaster help with mobile telephones a matter of technological breakthroughs, the same time. but perhaps rather most of all about us as We will also meet the environmental human beings and what we are capable of entrepreneur and alumn Christina Lampe By choosing this paper we have reduced our doing. We have interviewed Peter Juslin, Önnerud. She talks about her path from climate impact by more than 35per cent. The professor of psychology, who is doing re- doctoral studies at Uppsala University’s paper is produced in Sweden, and the amount of water used in its production is uniquely low. The search on human energy consumption and Ångström Laboratory to running a com- CULTURE raw materials come from “FSC forests”. our ability to change our behaviour. pany in Boston. Her business concept is 34 Choir directors drilled in Uppsala Another great transformation in hu- “energy for the future” – in the form of safe 35 Meeting place for 125 years man history was when we took the step and environmental batteries. from hunting and gathering to farming. The “If you dare to think differently and question is how the notion of tilling the soil create new systems, you can improve the spread in Scandinavia in the Stone Age. By world,” she says. Read it and be inspired! n ALUMNS at THE SAME TIME RESEARCH IS underway 36 Portrait: Battery entrepreneur Christina Lampe-Önnerud 38 Meet inspiring alumns into other energy sources that still haven’T taKEN THE STEP into THE MARKET … 2 NEW HORIZONS 2:2012 3 THEME: ENERGY TEXT: ANNICA HULTH PHOTO: ANDREAS CARLSSON TIME TO TEST ILLUSTRATION: SEABASED In Lysekil the foundation is being laid for Sweden’s first commer- cial wave power array. Wave power stations are being mass wave power produced, based on many years of research at Ångström Labora- – Things have to be done in an orderly manner, says site manager Hans Hillerborn. tory. Now we’ll see whether the With a background at Saab in Trollhättan he knows how important it is to assemble each part in a standardised and predetermined way. Uppsala construction can with- stand the waves and storms and on a large scale turn a long-term profit. THE PROXIMITY OF THE SEA is imme- sea cable to land and straight to the grid. With a background with Saab in Troll- diate in the wave power factory at North When we visit the factory training is un- hättan, he knows how important that is. Harbour in Lysekil. An open door lets in derway at the new laser machine used to – What we’re building has to work flaw- the sound of waves and the cries of seagulls. cut steel. A bit further in Daniel Käller is lessly for 20 years; the demands are high. It’s the power from those waves that is to working from high up, attached to a safety We have to know that it doesn’t leak, that be harnessed and transmitted straight into line in the ceiling. He’s assembling a trans- the welds are done properly and according electrical outlets. lator, built of thin layers of magnets alterna- to instructions. The technology is provided by the com- ting with steel plates. When finished, it will pany Seabased, a spin-off company from weigh more than five tons and constitute JUST A FEW METRES from the fac- Uppsala University. They are to build a the very core of the unit. tory, there’s a quay, where the units will wave power array for the energy com- Daniel Käller is an assembler and previ- be shipped from. When the first 42 units pany Fortum, with partial financing from ously worked with various research projects have been deployed at the bottom of the the Swedish Energy Agency. This autumn at Ångström Laboratory. Now he’s moving sea, they will be tested for a period. Once production will start on 42 wave power sta- to Lysekil to work full time at Seabased. the testing is completed and any tweaks tions, to be finished by next summer. They He worked with the prototype for sev- have been made, a further 378 units will be will then be shipped to Sotenäs outside eral months, but now it will all go much manufactured. There will be a total of 420 Kungshamn for underwater deployment faster. One unit a week will be assembled units in Sweden’s first, and the world’s larg- out to sea. in the factory hall. est, wave power array. Each station rests on a platform of con- – Things have to be done in an orderly Many years of research at Ångström crete and has a line attached to a buoy that manner in order for this to work, says site Laboratory in Uppsala lies behind the units, bobs up and down on the surface. It’s the manager Hans Hillerborn. led by Professor Mats Leijon. His unique up-and-down movements of the waves that – We’re trying to be as economical as system for wave power is based on calcu- is converted to electricity in a linear genera- possible with resources and produce as ef- lations and simulations and has also been tor. ficiently as possible, according to the concept tested in reality outside Lysekil. Moreover of “lean production”. We assemble every part researchers have evaluated the environ- WAVE POWER TRIALS have been run in in a standardised and predetermined way. CONT’D. NEXT PAGE other countries, like Portugal and France. What’s unique about this model is that the “dirty” electricity that comes from the gen- THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 420 UNITS erator is converted to 50 hertz – the stand- IN SWEDEN’S FIRST, AND THE WORLD’S ard frequency in our outlets – in relays un- PHOTO: MATTON PHOTO: der the sea. The electricity is then sent via LARGEST, WAVE POWER ARRAY. 4 NEW HORIZONS 2:2012 5 THEME: ENERGY CONT’D. Time to test wave power on a large scale ciency and increase profitability. possible to mass produce the equipment, metres. The construction also has to with- with great interest. And researchers from – You might think that one per cent up and once it’s up and running minimal main- stand high waves and storms. Uppsala University continue to visit Lysekil mental impact and the marine biological BESIDES WAVE POWER the Division also or down wouldn’t make a difference, but if tenance is needed. – It’s a matter of coping with the occa- frequently. They have a new unit underway and marine ecological aspects. does research on marine current power, wind you consider how much money is involved, sional high wave, says Hans Hillerborn. to be placed in the sea this autumn, at Is- In 2001 Mats Leijon started the compa- power, and electric vehicles. Wave power has there’s a lot to be gained. AT THE LYSEKIL FACTORY industrial With the storm Gudrun fresh in our landsberg outside Lysekil. ny Seabased, but it took the company some made the most progress, but the field is far Jan Sundberg sees two clear advantages thinking will help improve the technol- memory, it’s all about preparing the units – It’s actually strange that we have made time to find funding to construct and test from exhausted, says Jan Sundberg: to wave power.