Kristiina Siilin
Business Development Manager, Helen
Describe your role at your company. What’s the most important issue or topic you are working on at the moment?
I’m working as a business development manager at Helen, which is a forerunner in the energy business. I develop battery energy storage and flexibility business where smart energy flow management is the key to balancing electricity production and consumption. It enables us electricity whenever we need it for example to charge our cars or to heat up our homes. Battery energy storages on the other hand are one great tool in the energy management toolbox to harness electricity.
In the future, we must look at the whole value chain to use our resources efficiently, maximize the product lifetime and close the loops. For the circular and electric future, I try to solve the feasibility, viability and desirability in product and service development to make decarbonization easier for our customers.
Finnish Flow theme in Davos 2022 is Future of Cities. How are you and your company working towards a better future in our cities? What major issues are you hoping to solve?
We are enabling carbon neutral living, mobility and transport as well as business. Helen’s role on the way towards carbon-neutral Helsinki is huge - heating is the largest source of carbon emissions in Helsinki, and by replacing fossil fuels with renewable and sustainable energy sources has a great impact. While replacing fossil fuels Helen is taking an active role in the energy transition and also looking into hydrogen economy and building partnerships for the future. The future of Nordic energy is done together so with our solutions we also help our customers in every city to decrease their carbon footprint. Helen provides holistic solutions at the building and regional levels that optimize renewable energy consumption and production as well as enable electric mobility.
What’s the biggest change you’d like to see in the world?
I want to see a change in the mindset towards waste and circular economy. Waste is the new asset that we need to embrace. We need seamless co-operation and commitment to the same principles, together we create strong ecosystems where value chains are designed from the life-cycle’s point of view, materials are being produced and used efficiently and eventually, resources are being recovered and recycled.
Tell us about your commitment to make this change happen: as a leader, what steps do you intend to take to make this change happen? What are you committed to?
I want to design such services that maximize the usability and utilization of renewable energy. Especially in the battery energy storage business, I am committed to creating the second life market for batteries with partners. I want to find revenue models which will turn the idea of waste upside down and truly support circularity.
How is going to Davos in January going to help you in reaching your goals/commitment? What are your expectations for Davos? Who are you looking forward to meeting there?
I want to discuss how we can together become a thriving circular ecosystem - what I can provide, what you can provide, and where is the most convenient place to combine our needs and capabilities in terms of the circular economy. This applies to many, like used EV batteries but also to CO2. Currently, CO2 is a cost but if we capture and store it, it can be used as raw material such as feedstock in P2X to produce e-fuels or directly in different industries for example in food and beverage or in construction industries. I’m open to meeting people with different backgrounds and talents, from various businesses to bring great minds together.
Why did you choose this painting/piece of art? (at Ateneum) What does it represent to you?
The painting has an important message - if we do not take seriously the actions needed to mitigate climate change, we will end up in a situation where everything dear to us is wasted and there won’t be a second chance to build it again from the bare ground as it was in the late 1800s when Eero Järnefelt painted the Kaski. We cannot leave the problems we have created to future generations, but we have to act now, and we have to do it together.