The partner businesses and organisations of STHEC 2023 has provided you with three common challenges. Please, read through the challenges and rank them in your preferred order when applying for STHEC. Let the creativity flow!
Challenge 1
Decarbonisation: Decentralised green energy production
Description:
What possibilities are there to develop technology that ensures independent possibilities to create enough energy in order to support basic infrastructure in all geographical areas? How can we create an electric and heat distribution network that supports the different needs of industry, households and shipping? Is it possible to adapt production to consumption and at the same time take full benefit of variable production (etc. wind and solar electricity)? How can we store excess energy for later use?
Call to action:
Define a future model for energy distribution and a production system that can ensure energy independence in Vaasa region both land and sea. This means that you can focus on either industry & households and/or shipping.
Challenge 2
Rebuild trust and reputation in an unstable environment
Description:
You are working on building a reputation for a fictional company X. The company has operated in their industry for over 100 years and has always had a strong brand with high levels of customer satisfaction. Due to the energy crisis, the costs of producing the company´s products have gone up and accessibility of materials are unstable. This has led to high prizes and long delivery times of the final product. Because of this, the company has lost trust and the customer experience has drastically decreased. Now the company receives negative media attention and their social media channels are flooded with negative comments. Now it is time for the reputation management team to act.
Call to action:
How can we overcome the media and reputation crisis? Build a marketing and communications plan on how to restore the company reputation and increase customer satisfaction. Please note that your task is not to solve the product pricing and delivery issues.
Challenge 3
The future of Energy Academy: A competent and prosperous Vaasa
Description:
Energy Academy brings together all six universities in Vaasa and Energy players such as ABB, Danfoss, EnergyVaasa, Hitachi Energy, Merinova, City of Vaasa, Vaasan Sähkö, VASEK and Wärtsilä. The vision of the Academy is to increase the appeal of the area to students and graduates, as well as to create better connections between working life, academia, and young talents. The Academy insists on making the planet a more sustainable place for future generations and making Vaasa a better place to live, study and work.
Call to action:
Develop a two-year plan of how you would drive the Energy Academy forward. This plan needs to include development activities that appeal to students and graduates, and creates better connections between working life, academia, and young talents in the Vaasa area.
