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Overview
Sweden promotes RES through a handful of mechanisms: the quota system based on electricity certificate trading and a tax regulation mechanism. Most incentives are open to all RES technologies but some impose conditions regarding the capacity or specific renewable energy source (e.g., reduced real estate tax is aimed only at wind power or energy tax allowance supports wind, wave and solar power plants).
Sweden does not have a national 2030 target for renewable energy, but it has set a target of reaching 100% renewable electricity production by 2040 (NECP, 2018). The 2016 trajectory of the Swedish Energy Agency projects a 65% share of RES of final electricity consumption by 2030 (NECP, 2018). -
Summary of support system
● Quota system is the single largest and most significant RES support mechanism in Sweden. Energy suppliers are obliged to prove that a certain quota of their electricity production was generated by RES. ● Tax regulation mechanisms ensure different tax privileges to RES-E.
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Competent authorities
● County Administrative Boards ● Energy Authority ● National Board of Housing, Building and Planning ● Svenska kraftnät (TSO) ● The Swedish Tax Authority
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Summary
Sweden does not have a national 2030 target for renewable energy, but it has set a target of reaching 100% renewable electricity production by 2040. According to the Swedish Energy Agency 2016 trajectory, the share of RES-E will be 65% of final consumption by 2030. The same trajectory predicts a slight increase in RES-HC compared to the 2016 level: a 69% share of RES by 2030.
Onshore and offshore wind are rapidly expanding RES-E technologies in Sweden, regardless of the fact that they face significant obstacles in the permitting process. Most prominently, there are conflicts of interest between wind power developers, the Swedish Armed Forces, and municipalities, which have the right to veto a wind power project. In addition to these challenges imposed on onshore wind, offshore wind development is further complicated by the numerous authorities involved in the various permitting procedures, the staff of which may be inexperienced by the relatively novel offshore technology.
The amount of small and medium-sized heat pumps has expanded rapidly in Sweden: more than half of Sweden’s detached houses have a heat pump installed. Ground-sourced (geothermal) heat pumps are one of the most common heat pump types in the country, and as ground-sourced heat pumps often require some sort of permitting or at least registration procedure, they are the heat pump technology covered in this section. The permitting is rather uncomplicated and quick, which may constitute a reason why heat pumps have gained popularity quickly in Sweden. -
Sequential order of process steps
1. Site selection 2. Administrative authorisation 3. Grid connection permit 4. Other (only relevant for wind onshore and wind offshore)
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Competent authorities
● Swedish Armed Forces/Ministry of Defence ● Municipalities, municipal building committees ● County Administrative Board ● Swedish Energy Agency ● Land and Environmental Court ● Geological Survey of Sweden ● Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate ● Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation ● Ministry of the Environment
