Sweden achieves economic growth and simultaneously cuts carbon emissions thanks to bioenergy

The Swedish Bioenergy Association reports that a major factor behind this ”decoupling” of the correlation between economic growth and emissions is bioenergy, which has increased in Sweden by 79% between 1990 and 2007, from 67 TWh to 120 TWh.

Indeed, according to a recently published follow-up of the Swedish energy statistics by the Swedish Energy Agency, the supply of bioenergy into the Swedish energy system will top 125 TWh this year, exceeding the combined contribution of nuclear and hydro (124 TWh).

The steady growth of bioenergy is the single most important reason for the development of Sweden’s sustainable energy system, says Mr Gustav Melin, President of the Swedish Bioenergy Association. During the last 20 years Bioenergy has grown at a rate of 3.3 TWh/pa, which is equivalent to a decrease of 6,400 square metres of fossil fuel-oil per week.

28 % of Sweden’s total energy supply is now derived from biofuels, with bioenergy being the major source of energy in heating and industry. Biofuel usage is also now growing steadily in the production of electricity and transport fuels and with Sweden announcing that it shall be independent from fossil fuels by 2020, excellent growth opportunities exist for Swedish companies providing bioenergy technology and bioenergy system solutions.

Our dependency on oil should be broken by 2020," said Mona Sahlin, Sweden's minister of sustainable development.

For additional information:

Swedish Bioenergy Association