Energy use in Sweden
Swedes use a lot of energy, yet emissions are low. The key? Renewable energy.
Renewable energy could be power generated from water, wind or the sun, or any other source that is replenished through a natural process. The share of renewable energy used in Sweden keeps growing. Already in 2012 the country reached the government’s 2020 target of 50 per cent. For the power sector, the target is 100 per cent renewable electricity production by 2040.
Sweden has a rich supply of moving water and biomass, which contributes to the country’s high share of renewable energy. Hydropower (water) and bioenergy are the top renewable sources in Sweden – hydropower mostly for electricity production and bioenergy for heating.
You can read more about Sweden's energy consumption in a report by the Swedish Energy Agency here.
Renewables
In 2022, more than 60 per cent of Sweden's electricity came from renewable sources.
A green electricity certification
The government’s energy policies have also promoted the use of renewable energy. The Electricity Certificate System – a market-based support system for renewable electricity production – is one example. To qualify, electricity must come from wind, solar, geothermal or wave power; biofuels or small-scale hydroelectric plants.
Electricity retailers are required to buy a proportion of ‘green electricity’ as part of their normal supply, while power producers receive certification for the renewable electricity they generate.
High consumption, low emissions
Few countries consume more energy per capita than Sweden, but Swedish carbon emissions are low compared with those of other countries.
The reason for Sweden’s low emission rate is that some 70 per cent of electricity production in Sweden comes from hydroelectric (41%) and nuclear (29%) power. Sweden currently has three nuclear plants with six nuclear reactors in operation.
In 2022, some 19 per cent of Sweden's electricity came from wind power. Combined heat and power (CHP) plants – mainly powered by biofuels – accounted for around 9 per cent of the electricity output.
Sweden is wise to draw energy from the forest. There's lots of it! Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Biogas, produced in facilities like this, can be used both for heating and to generate electricity. Photo: Ulf Grünbaum/Imagebank.sweden.se
Wind power has grown significantly in Sweden and today accounts for more almost 20 per cent of the country's electricity. Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Sweden is wise to draw energy from the forest. There's lots of it! Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Biogas, produced in facilities like this, can be used both for heating and to generate electricity. Photo: Ulf Grünbaum/Imagebank.sweden.se
Wind power has grown significantly in Sweden and today accounts for more almost 20 per cent of the country's electricity. Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Sweden is wise to draw energy from the forest. There's lots of it! Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Biogas, produced in facilities like this, can be used both for heating and to generate electricity. Photo: Ulf Grünbaum/Imagebank.sweden.se
Wind power has grown significantly in Sweden and today accounts for more almost 20 per cent of the country's electricity. Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Free market
Since 1996 Swedes have been able to choose their power supplier. Around 140 companies sell electricity to Swedish consumers.
Green energy sources
Wind power
Wind power has been the fastest growing source of renewable energy around the world in recent years, and capacity continues to expand in Sweden. In 2000, Swedish production totalled 0.5 TWh, for 2022 that figure was just over 33 TWh. Today, there are more than 4,700 wind turbines in Sweden.
Bioenergy
The largest source of bioenergy in Sweden is the forest. Sweden has more forest than most other countries – 69 per cent of the land area. Bioenergy is primarily used for heating – both in private homes and in district heating – as well as for electricity production and for industrial processes.
Solar energy
The Swedish solar cell market is still limited, with solar energy accounting for around 1 per cent of the total energy generated.
Wave power
In the transition to a sustainable society, wave power may be an important technology in the future, but it is still relatively undeveloped – both in Sweden and abroad. It is a challenge to make the technology commercially viable.
Energy declarations
There is a law on energy declarations in Sweden. The declaration shows how much energy a building consumes in comparison with others.
Heat pumps
A heat pump uses renewable energy sources by transferring heat from the ground, lake water or the air. The number of heat pumps in Sweden has increased dramatically since the 1990s, which has contributed to less energy being used for heating and hot water in buildings.
Ethanol
Ethanol research began in the 1980s, and Sweden has been among the world leaders in this field. But the environmental benefits compared with petrol have been much debated since fertile land is used to produce ethanol, which is made from sugar canes, grains, sugar beets or cellulose.
Hydrogen
Using hydrogen is another potential means of decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. Among with many other countries, Sweden is looking into the possibility of using hydrogen as fuel, or for electricity or heating.
Body heat
So-called passive houses are built without conventional heating systems and are kept warm by the heat given off by their occupants and electrical appliances. Sweden’s first passive house was completed in 2001. Since then, more buildings have followed.
In Stockholm, the body heat from commuters passing through Stockholm Central Station is used to heat a nearby building, and in the southern town of Växjö, there are passive high-rises.
