Sweden presents ambitious energy plans – E24

The Swedish government will almost double energy production until 2045 for the green transition, according to a new plan. Nuclear energy will be a key element in ensuring stable energy supplies.

“Sweden’s competitiveness and well-being depend on access to fossil-free energy at competitive prices,” the government wrote in a recent report. suggestion This concerns Sweden's long-term energy policy, which the three ruling parties have now agreed with the Sweden Democrats.

The country needs According to the government Large amounts of energy in order to reach the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2045.

Sweden sees a need to plan to be able to meet electricity demand by at least 300 terawatt-hours in 2045, says Energy and Industry Minister Ebba Bosch. Press Conference Tuesday.

Swedes It was last year Consumption is about 135 TWh and energy production is 165 TWh. This is roughly in line with Norway's electricity production and consumption.

In the proposal, nuclear energy was given an important role, along with the continued development of solar and wind energy.

The government says the plans are scheduled to be followed up by control stations for the years 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045.

Here in Norway, both governments say, Nhu, Lu And Energy Committee also Norwegian Environment Agency That a significant amount of energy will be needed until 2030 to reach climate goals and achieve a new green industry. but A little energy is currently being developed.

Concerned about the characteristics of wind energy

The Minister of Energy and Industry points out that the new industry has applied for 12,000 MW of power in northern Sweden and 4,300 MW in central Sweden until 2034, and refers to the Svenska Kraftnät network development plan.

– There are a lot in the app pile. We know that it is possible to build this much power generation and grids, because Sweden has done so over the past 10 years. Bush says the power system is 11,000 megawatts larger today than it was ten years ago.

– But this is primarily variable wind energy, which is not required to provide the characteristics that the power system needs. Therefore, it is not enough to simply pump in a lot of power generation and new power grids. Bush says the energy system must be developed with the right characteristics and power so that the new industry can be electrified.

– Like a highway

Bosch claims that Sweden previously relied too heavily on the idea of ​​continuing to produce more energy, without considering the impact on the energy system.

– When we build variable energy production that comes and goes, that means we have to have a highway-like power grid, even on those days when it's just delivered as if it were on a small dirt road in the countryside. This has made the entire system very expensive, which in turn affects the final price for customers, she says.

The Swedish government has long promised to increase investment in nuclear energy. The proposal now is to return physics to Swedish politics, according to the Minister of Energy and Industry.

– If we have variable energy production in the first place, that makes the entire energy system more volatile, and therefore electricity prices also more volatile, even if we take into account the large storage possibilities, the small ecosystem around car charging, and the opportunities in hydrogen where you get… Sweden now for the first time has a suitable strategy.

– Obviously to produce more

Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson points to the need for long-term planning in the energy sector.

-We want there to be more jobs and companies. Electricity is a very important part of this, Svantisson says.

– Obviously we have to produce more electricity. It's all about solar, wind and nuclear, she says.

The Finance Minister indicates that the Swedes will invest in solar and wind energy in the short term. It will also be important, in the medium and long term, to develop more nuclear energy, she says. The network must also be strengthened.

– An important part of this with regard to the electricity grid relates to permitting and licensing processes. At the same time as we are making this proposal, we are also making a proposal to simplify and improve the process of obtaining permission to build the electricity network, says Svantesson.

More nuclear power until 2045

– If we want to achieve our climate goals and move to net-zero emissions by 2045 at the latest, we must start recreating a strong and efficient energy system in Sweden, says Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari.

– We aim to produce 300 TWh of electricity by 2045. In order to achieve this, it will require robust development of nuclear power reactors that can be equivalent to ten new conventional reactors on a large scale. A total production of 2,500 megawatts must also be achieved by 2035, Pourmokhtari says.

This means an impact equivalent to two large reactors by 2035.

– But this doesn't work. “We also need to reach out and achieve comprehensive development of wind and solar energy,” she says.

Calls for long-term planning

Tobias Andersson of the Sweden Democrats is Chairman of the Industry Committee in the Swedish Parliament. At Tuesday's press conference, he noted the need for long-term planning.

If this had been the case from the beginning, we would not have seen the bottlenecks we see in the system today, Anderson says.

Sweden, like Norway, has differences in electricity prices between different parts of the country. Among other things, Andersson says, Sweden could have secured a better-functioning energy system if some of its gas power was used where the energy system faces challenges.

At the very least, a well-placed gas turbine would have greatly facilitated transportation and utilization of the system, he says.

Anderson is convinced that Sweden will now invest more than before in forms of power that provide stable power, and he summarizes the proposal as follows:

– Revenge for Core strengthCore strengthBase power or base load refers to forms of power that can provide a constant supply of electricity, even when solar and wind power do not. These energy sources can include hydroelectric power, nuclear power, or fossil power plants fired by gas, oil, or coal. In the future, there may also be hydrogen-powered power plants (although producing hydrogen results in a significant amount of energy loss)..