Sweden's Enabling City Transformation Activity: HYDROSYM-2030

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Helsingborg & Umeå

Swedish

Context and Challenges

HYDROSYM-2030 aims to accelerate deep industrial decarbonisation by harnessing green hydrogen and industrial symbiosis. Helsingborg and Umeå are confronting the “messy middle” of climate implementation—where systemic barriers in investment, infrastructure, and cross-sector coordination often stall progress. By leveraging existing urban and industrial assets—such as waste heat, wastewater streams, and sectoral planning frameworks—the cities seek to become regional lighthouses for low-carbon industry and offer replicable models for other European cities.

Objectives

  • Advance industrial decarbonisation through green hydrogen deployment
  • Develop models for industrial symbiosis and circular resource flows
  • Create integrated transition and technical roadmaps to guide investment
  • Build stakeholder ecosystems and future-ready skills for transformation
  • Deliver scalable, city-level frameworks for industrial climate action

Key Terms

Green Hydrogen | Industrial Symbiosis | Transition Roadmaps | Circular Economy | Investment Readiness

Activites and Innovations

  • Co-developed roadmaps linking technical, governance, and financial needs

  • Development of hydrogen clusters and optimisation of waste heat reuse

  • Mapping of industrial ecosystems and delivery of skills training for future workforce needs

  • Strategic learning workshops and cross-city collaboration

  • Tools for stakeholder engagement and collaborative governance

Emission Domains

  • Industrial process emissions

  • Multi-sector waste management and disposal

  • Land use and resource flows

  • Thermal energy use in buildings

  • All modes of transport and mobility

Levers of Change

  • Governance and Policy

  • Technology and Infrastructure

  • Learning and Capabilities

  • Financing and Funding

  • Data and Digitalisation

  • Democracy and Participation

Expected Impact and Outcomes

  • Accelerated implementation of industrial decarbonisation projects
  • Strengthened innovation and collaboration ecosystems
  • Scalable, investment-ready frameworks for European replication
  • Significant GHG reductions in hard-to-abate sectors