With over a century of experience in energy technology, Sumitomo SHI FW (SFW) has emerged as an unheralded force in the global energy transition.
Under the leadership of CEO Tomas Harju-Jeanty, who has been with the company for over two decades, the Finnish-headquartered firm has pivoted from its fossil-fuel history toward enabling sustainable, system-wide solutions for a net-zero future. Deeply passionate about sustainability and the global energy transition, Harju-Jeanty has helped guide SFW through one of the most significant transformations in its history.
“We all have a fossil history, but very few of us see a fossil future,” he said.
In 2017, with the support of parent Sumitomo Heavy Industries, SFW committed to phasing out fossil-fuel tech and refocusing on three key areas: sustainable energy generation, carbon capture and gasification for electrofuels, and long-duration energy storage.
Rather than compete in saturated markets like solar or wind, SFW set out to develop the “missing links” that interconnect the broader energy ecosystem.
“We’re not here to duplicate existing solutions,” Harju-Jeanty explained. “We’re focused on building the bridges between them.”
This shift also required a cultural transformation. Formerly part of a U.S.-based company, SFW joined the SHI group in 2017, a transition he said was profound.
“It wasn’t a 100-day transition, it took years. But we’ve reached a point where Japanese corporate values and Nordic innovation are working in true alignment.”
We’re not here to duplicate existing solutions. We’re focused on building the bridges between them.
Tomas Harju-Jeanty, Chief Executive Officer of Sumitomo SHI FW
Japan’s role has been central in this transformation. Through SHI, the company gained access to a wider pool of technological capabilities and a culture of long-term partnership. The result is a hybrid approach that merges Japanese precision and sustainability goals with European agility in innovation.
One notable outcome is the company’s Net Zero Energy Ecosystem, a five-year research and development initiative launched in Finland with support from Business Finland. It brings together partners across sectors to develop solutions in sustainable fuels, carbon capture and integrated life cycle technologies. “We wanted to bring structure to how these technologies connect,” Harju-Jeanty said.
Today, SFW is active across Europe, the U.S., Southeast Asia and Australia, converting coal assets to sustainable biomass and waste-fueled energy.
Looking ahead, Harju-Jeanty sees promise in sustainable maritime and aviation fuels, as well as in energy storage systems that enable 24/7 renewables.
In an era defined by energy urgency, Sumitomo SHI FW is not just adapting, it is building the very architecture of tomorrow’s energy systems.
