|27 October 2016|
Sweden
Sweden is on track to complete its journey to a sustainable future and produce all its energy from renewable sources in little over 20 years, according to a senior industry figure.
The Scandinavian nation is already a powerhouse when it comes to using renewables with more than half of its 2015 energy production coming from clean sources, primarily wind and hydro. And its transition to 100% renewable energy is set to become a reality by 2040.
Speaking to Reuters, Anne Vadasz Nilsson, Director General of the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate said: “We are not densely populated, we have a lot of good places to put land-based large-scale wind and there is large potential for that in Sweden.
“Nuclear is quite an expensive energy source due to safety regulations and funding for long-term nuclear waste management among other things. Renewables, meaning large-scale wind in Sweden, on the other hand, are cheaper and cheaper to commission and to run. This together with low wholesale prices will make it less likely that new nuclear power plants will replace the remaining ones when they are phased out due to old age.”