World's First Carbon-Negative Radio Ad Unveiled by Swedish Energy Company Skelleftea Kraft

Nov. 30, 2023

A human exhales 4 per cent carbon dioxide with every breath, a natural consequence of breathing and speaking. However, for Skelleftea Kraft, which has long used recycled film clips to produce climate-smart advertising films, even these small emissions are valuable to avoid.

Together with Swedish advertising agency Volt, Skelleftea Kraft has developed an unusual method to eliminate the human emissions from voice actors starring in radio commercials. "The Carbon Negative Radio Ad" is recorded on inhalation, where the exhaled air is then captured in a piece of advanced diving equipment that binds the carbon dioxide emissions using active lime powder.

This chemical process is called carbonation and involves the lime powder turning into limestone. In this way, the carbon dioxide from exhalation is captured and bound, preventing it from reaching the atmosphere. The Carbon Negative Radio Ad captured 470 mg of carbon dioxide.

Samuel Skwarski, Rojan Munthe, and Kristoffer Wernald, creatives at Volt, in a joint comment, said:

"Sometimes the solution to big challenges can be as childishly simple as it is absurd. We are incredibly grateful for the trust and the opportunity to break new ground with this revolutionizing recording technique during prime time radio."

 

Anki Hogdahl, Marketing Communications Manager at Skelleftea Kraft said:

"Skelleftea Kraft has an ambition to be 100% renewable in everything we do and to create innovative products and services. Therefore, it is also completely natural for us to continue exploring how the advertising we produce and broadcast can be as climate-smart as possible."

 

Skelleftea Kraft's carbon-negative radio advertisement will be broadcast nationally during prime time on: RIX FM, MIX Megapol, NRJ, STAR FM, Bandit Rock, Rockklassiker, Vinyl FM, Lugna Favoriter, Power Hit Radio, Feel Good Hits, Radio Nostalgi, Guldkanalen, Go Country, and more.