PR: Kirsty Gogan and Christian Ekberg to advise 100% nuclear electricity provider

Kärnfull Energi, Sweden’s first nuclear-only electricity provider, today announces two new advisors. Last week, artist José Gonzalez and scientist Klara Insulander Björk joined the advisory board — today Kirsty Gogan, co-founder Energy for humanity and professor Christian Ekberg of Chalmers University of Technology joins the group asked to help allocate the company’s annual innovation donation, as generated by Kärnfull’s yearly kWh sales.

It’s been quite a week for Swedish green-tech start-up Kärnfull Energi following its operational launch last Sunday. Lots of customer, ever-growing engagement in social media, an appreciated blog and and an industry-first web shop — all topped off by a revolutionising sign-up process cutting the process of switching to mere seconds thanks to digital ID scheme BankID. Digitally signed powers of attorney means a new level of security, and proof-positive of the company’s ambition to drive innovation in its field.

As for Sweden, however, the country’s nuclear future remains uncertain. Reactor 2 at Ringhals power plant is about to produce its final, yet still highly profitable, kilowatt hour. Kärnfull believes that it is becoming increasingly clear for Swedes that closed-down reactors mean power shortages, rampant system costs, weaker competitiveness and imported coal power. The company is actively working to ensure that Swedish nuclear instead gets appreciated, expanded and provided with the right conditions to become an export success in an increasingly electrified EU.

In order to strengthen the organisation surrounding the company, a number of knowledgeable people have been assigned to an independent advisory board. So far, artist José Gonzalez and researcher Klara Insulander Björk have been revealed, and today the Kärnfull announces two new advisors with know-how, platforms and a sincere commitment to highlight the importance of nuclear power and Kärnfull: Kirsty Gogan and professor Christian Ekberg.

Kirsty Gogan is a world-famous climate expert who has worked with environmental issues throughout her life. She leads the non-profit organisation Energy for humanity (EfH), promoting to solve climate challenges by means of universal access to modern energy services. All fossil-free technologies are part of the organisation's global solution, not least nuclear power.

Kirsty — who also acts as managing partner at LucidCatalyst and as a governmental advisor — is a renowned speaker of topics such as science communication, nuclear competitiveness and innovation. She represented EfH during the COP25 climate conference, building on successful appearances at COP21 and COP23. In 2016, the organisation was nominated to the Business Green Leaders “Green NGO of the Year” award.

Kirsty is also in charge of cost reduction within the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB), a panel providing the UK Government with expert advice on nuclear power issues to secure the country's future climate-smart energy mix and industry.

Kirsty Gogan:

“Although nuclear energy has long been considered a taboo subject within the environmental movement, it will have to play a part alongside all other low carbon options in the journey towards net zero energy supply. Humanity has to figure out how to continue to power civilisation without destroying it, and nuclear is key to complement renewables and support their intermittent power generation in this quest.

Nuclear is often absent from the discourse but truly deserves to be considered alongside the other options, not least considering its potential to achieve very cost-competitive hydrogen production and synfuels production, for use in shipping, aviation and other really hard-to-decarbonise sectors, at scale.

An initiative like Karnfull can act as an important link bringing the voices of ordinary citizens up to industry and governmental levels that seek ways to motivate increased cooperation and partnerships to achieve ambitious climate goals.

Karnfull is interesting in that sense, as it gives households the opportunity to actively choose, and economically support, 100% nuclear power for the first time — bringing attention to the topic and helping showcase the rising popularity of this clean energy source.

Sweden is a leading nuclear nation, and renowned for its history of innovation. I believe Karnfull could be another one of those success stories and I’m delighted to join the advisory board and help effectively distribute the yield of their ambitious initiative to drive funds to clean energy R&D through a donation per kWh sold.”

Professor Christian Ekberg is the holder of Stena's professorship in Industrial Materials Recycling since 2007 and since 2012 Professor of Nuclear Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology. He heads up the university's research activities within nuclear chemistry and industrial materials recycling. In the capacity of head of the Department of Energy and Materials, Christian has mapped, described and developed various concepts for the separation, recycling, and transmutation of nuclear waste.

Christian has also conducted R&D projects within the separation and recycle of metals from end-of-life batteries, solar cells, electronic components and other waste streams. He has written more than 230 refereed journal publications, 7 books or chapters in books, numerous conference proceedings and reports. In addition to that, over 20 articles in the open press reflecting the third task of a university. Professor Ekberg was inducted into The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) in 2014, and the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg (KVVS) in 2017.

Christian Ekberg:

“In the early days of nuclear power the term 'nuclear standard' was coined for products that simply had a higher quality than its competitors'. This was needed in an industry where nothing could be left to chance. Nuclear power and buffoonery do not mix. Hence, it is great to see that Kärnfull takes its business seriously and reinvests in research that makes even better and safer nuclear power possible. They are truly the 'nuclear standard’ amongst electricity providers.”,

Four out of eight adviser unveiled, the remaining four to be announced shortly. Generally, they are all well-known figures in their respective fields — from popular culture to research. They all have international platforms and will help Kärnfull make informed decisions, as well as spread awareness of the company's ambitions far beyond Sweden's borders.

The advisers' role is primarily to annually select three suitable recipient candidates for the kilowatt donation, out of which the company's customers will be eligible to select a winner via vote. Winners can range from start-ups to scholarships, community initiatives to research — basically three rational alternatives associated with nuclear power, where the donation would have real impact.

Christian Sjölander, co-founder Kärnfull

“We are extremely proud to be able to attract such top-quality advisors to a start-up, and believe that it says a lot about the relevance, dignity and level of ambition of our business. We’re enjoying a tremendous momentum currently, and hope that more and more Swedes want to join us as customers in order to reduce their household's level of emissions, strengthen Swedish competitiveness and actively contribute to research and development of new, modern nuclear power via every kilowatt hour consumed. It is not worthy a country of Sweden’s dignity to be under constant threat of power shortages. The key to avoiding them is simply to add more nuclear power to the grid”,

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About Kärnfull Energi

Kärnfull Energi is a part of Kärnfull Future AB, a wholly-owned company by founders Christian Sjölander and John Ahlberg. Kärnfull Energi is an electricity supplier, and hence not an electricity producer that can influence supply and demand of the electricity market. The company, on top of proving market demand and civil action thru electricity sales, aims to improve dinner conversations everywhere by making nuclear power, and its key role in fighting climate change, more understandable and likeable. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, @karnfull.

Contact

• Christian Sjölander, co-founder / christian@karnfull.se / 0739-435605
• John Ahlberg, co-founder
 / john@karnfull.se / 0734-387347