Exploring Sustainable Strategic Innovation in the Energy Sector : In the Context of Swedish Companies with Focus on Incremental and Disruptive Innovation

Background: Sustainable strategic innovation plays a big role in the energy sector's development.This thesis seeks to investigate different strategies to sustainable innovation, specifically incremental and disruptive innovation approaches.Sustainable innovation is defined as new or modified processes or products that result in less environmental harm, with or without the aim to do so.The climate impact the energy sector has, makes it important to understand how companies innovate and their different strategic innovation approaches, for the environment and society. Purpose:The purpose of this thesis is to explore how different companies in the energy sector implement sustainable strategic innovation.Method: A qualitative method, using semi-structured interviews with six participants from Swedish energy companies.Questions were tried in a pilot interview and thereafter reviewed and edited.A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the interviews.Secondary data was used, consisting of company reports. Conclusion:The results show that Swedish energy companies integrate sustainability into their business by adapting to Agenda 2030 and by making sustainability a part of the whole organization, rather than a separate function.The results show that most companies use incremental innovation to reduce risks and uncertainty, while some focus on disruptive innovations.The companies' innovations are categorized using the IAM model, where most innovations fit in the core category.4.3.1 Sustainability Report 4.3.2Innovation in the Organization 4.3.3Sustainability in Innovation 4.3.4Challenges in Sustainable Innovation 4.3.5 Incremental Innovation 4.3.6Disruptive Innovation 4.4 Ume Energi 4.4.1 Sustainability Report 4.4.2Innovation in the Organization 4.4.3Sustainability in Innovation 4.4.4Challenges in Sustainable Innovation 4.4.5 Incremental Innovation 4.4.6 Disruptive Innovation 4.5 Tibber 4.5.1 Sustainability Report 4.5.2Innovation in the Organization 4.5.3Sustainability in Innovation 4.5.4Challenges in Sustainable Innovation 4.5.5 Incremental Innovation 4.5.6 Disruptive Innovation 4.6 Karlstads Energi 4.6.1 Sustainability Report 4.6.2Innovation in the Organization 4.6.3Sustainability in Innovation 4.6.4Challenges in Sustainable Innovation 4.6.5 Incremental Innovation 4.6.6Disruptive Innovation 4.7 Kalmar Energi 4.7.1 Sustainability Report 4.7.2Innovation in the Organization 4.7.3Sustainability in Innovation 4.7.4Challenges in Sustainable Innovation 4.7.5 Incremental Innovation 4.7.6 Disruptive Innovation 5.0 Analysis 5.