Five-year research project to decarbonise metal production

Mission 0 House, led by Polestar and Lindholmen Science Park, is a unique collaboration between industry and academia with the goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing processes. Jönköping University (JU) is one of five universities involved in the project.

“To be involved in chasing away climate impact in this way is incredibly exciting, especially together with Polestar Performance AB,” says Anders Jarfors, Professor of Materials and Manufacturing - Casting at the School of Engineering (JTH), JU.

Several leading companies, together with the Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen), have jointly guaranteed nearly 100 million SEK for the next five years in Mission 0 House. The universities in the project will contribute scientific expertise and hire a total of 10 new postdoctoral researchers. These researchers, along with senior scientists, will work together to develop future emission-free manufacturing methods. For this, the universities in the project are each allocated SEK 10 million.

A sustainable future for the manufacturing industry

“This funding is an important step towards realizing our vision of a sustainable future for the manufacturing industry. By combining academic research with industrial expertise, we can accelerate the development of groundbreaking technologies and solutions,” says Hans Pehrson, who leads the daily operations at Mission 0 House.

Anders Jarfors emphasises that Mission 0 House puts JU and JTH on the map when it comes to environmental work that extends beyond electrification.

“Reducing the climate impact of materials, and in our case metal materials, is a major challenge,” says Anders Jarfors, Professor of Materials and Manufacturing - Casting at JTH.

“A strong will, enthusiasm and drive”

The SEK 10 million from the Knowledge Foundation will sponsor two postdoctoral researchers at JTH in the Department of Materials and Manufacturing with activities in a new area.

“The money makes it possible to start building a new activity with a strong base in what we already do. At JTH we already work circularly, but the bigger challenge is to influence the upstream climate footprint of the materials used. This means that the work is not only focusing on the component manufacture but extends to the raw materials and their fabrication and synthesis. This is exactly what we will do in the Mission 0 project. We are excited to really take on a new area and be able to influence it. There is a strong will, enthusiasm and drive among those working on Mission 0 House,” says Anders Jarfors.

Close collaboration between industry and academia

Two unique aspects of Mission 0 House are the emphasis on physical presence and close collaboration between industry and academia. This creates a dynamic environment where experts from different disciplines can meet and work together towards a common goal, promoting innovation and accelerating the development of solutions.

The companies Borgstena, Polestar, Sekab, and SSAB represent a broad industrial competence within the automotive, textile, chemical, and steel industries. Their involvement in Mission 0 House ensures that the research is relevant to real-world challenges, and the results have the potential to be effectively implemented by industry.

“Break new ground”

“The Knowledge Foundation’s ambition is to support organizations who want to lead the way. Our contribution to Mission 0 House is a clear example of this. The initiative has the potential to break new ground in several ways, not least through the experimental mission-based approach and the fact that the initiative is led by the industry,” says Eva Schelin, CEO of the Knowledge Foundation.