EXACT, Excellence in Advancing for a Circular Transition

News

• 2026-08-31

  Smart heat pumps could reduce household energy use

  What if your heat pump knew when you were about to take a shower or use large amounts of hot water? It could then produce hot water at the right time instead of heating unnecessarily. This idea lies at the heart of the research conducted by industrial PhD student Manal Rahal at Thermia, where machine learning is being used to make heat pumps smarter and more energy efficient.

  Today, many heat pumps are controlled using fixed rules and pre-set threshold values. The problem is that they do not take into account the fact that household hot water consumption varies over time. A family that showers early in the morning has different needs from a household where most people shower late in the evening. When a heat pump fails to understand these patterns, it can result either in unnecessary energy consumption or an insufficient supply of hot water when it is needed most.

• 2026-06-17

  Bioeconomy and innovation

  On 16–17 June, researchers, companies and clusters gathered for the BioEco Valley Summit 2026. This year’s theme, lignin, fibres and optimised circular processes, highlighted how the bioeconomy can contribute to the green transition.

  The conference was opened by County Governor George Andrén, who emphasised the strong position of Värmland within the forest-based bioeconomy and underlined the importance of collaboration between academia, industry and the public sector in addressing challenges such as climate change.

• 2026-06-04

  EXACT restructures following decision by the Knowledge Foundation – aims to reapply in 2027

  The industrial graduate school EXACT at Karlstad University will continue its work, despite the planned expansion EXACT+ not receiving funding in the next stage. At the end of May, the Knowledge Foundation announced that the initiative would not be granted funding for 2026. At the same time, the foundation is encouraging a new application ahead of 2027.

  In its current form, the industrial graduate school is funded by the Knowledge Foundation and runs from June 2023 to May 2029. During the spring, an application was submitted for additional funding for an expanded initiative – EXACT+. This application was thus rejected in this year’s decision.

  Jörgen Samuelsson, Director of the graduate school, nevertheless remains positive about the future.

• 2026-05-11

  Pulp can replace plastic in future packaging

  Through green chemistry and smart processing, cellulose can be given new properties that result in stronger paper and improved barrier materials. This is demonstrated in a new doctoral thesis from Karlstad University.

  Plastic is currently widely used in paper‑based packaging, such as milk and food cartons, to protect against air and moisture. However, plastic is fossil‑based and difficult to recycle together with paper. In her doctoral thesis, Mozhgan Hashemzehi shows how pulp can be modified in a more sustainable way to reduce the need for plastic in packaging.

• 2026-04-21

  Industrial PhD Students in EXACT Present Their Research in Short Films

  How do you explain advanced research in a way that is understandable even outside academia? Industrial PhD students in the research school EXACT at Karlstad University have now taken on that challenge in front of the camera. Four new short films, in which the doctoral students present their research in a popular‑science format, have recently been published.

  The films are part of a new element in the doctoral education, with a strong focus on communication. Instead of presenting their research solely through traditional academic formats, the doctoral students were tasked with summarising their work in a short film aimed at a broad audience.

• 2026-04-15

  Spring Meeting of the EXACT Research School

  On April 14–15, the EXACT research school held its spring meeting, an opportunity for doctoral students and partner companies to exchange knowledge and experiences. Day one focused on leadership and entrepreneurship, while day two centered on the doctoral projects and the participating companies.

  Bernt Svensson, former Head of Products at Absolent prior to his retirement and a member of the EXACT board, gave a lecture on leadership and the difference between a leadership role and an expert role. The doctoral students reflected on these different roles and shared their concerns, including workload and relationships with colleagues, which make many hesitant to take on a leadership position. A survey by the trade union Ledarna on young managers highlights the same issue: many people aged 18–35 do not want to become managers, for the same reasons expressed by the doctoral students.