Mundus Nordic Green News – 17 February, 2021

Fossil-free Sweden demands quick decisions

Fossil-free Sweden, a Swedish government secretariat that works with industry to attempt to align the mission for a new zero-carbon Swedish economy has called on Sweden to make major decisions prior to the next election. In a press release issued today, Svante Axelsson, national coordinator for Fossil-Free Sweden, says that there is an expectation [from industry] for change. “Quick decisions are now required to maintain momentum and lay the foundation for the world's first fossil-free welfare state.”

 

Under Fossil-free Sweden’s aegis, Swedish industry has developed 22 separate roadmaps for taking their industry low-carbon. Fossil-free Sweden has selected 17 of these where urgent decisions are required to contribute to achieving the Riksdag's goal that Sweden will have net zero emissions by 2045.

 

Axelsson focuses on industries that will create incentives for change in road transport, which accounts for about a third of Sweden's greenhouse gas emissions -  the petroleum and fuel industry, the automotive industry (heavy and light vehicles), the electricity industry and the gas industry. The proposals are about how the government can create conditions for electrification of both passenger cars and heavy traffic, and also about how Swedish biofuel production can be built up to replace fossil fuels in road traffic as well as in shipping and aviation.

 

Amongst the major proposals are,

1. In order to be able to electrify industry and transport at a fast pace, the government should commission Svenska kraftnät to produce an electricity grid plan that meets the needs of the fossil-free society, stating which power lines are prioritized and with which timetable the power lines should be drawn. See our Nordic Green blog on the hydrogen economy
2. Maintain the tax exemption for clean and highly mixed biofuels by working for the EU to extend the tax exemption, even after 2021.
3. Develop a timed action plan with concrete milestones for the electrification of heavy transport.
4. Set a national planning goal for biogas and other renewable gases to stimulate investment in Swedish production. The target level is proposed to be in line with the Biogas Market Inquiry of a total of 10 TWh by 2030.

 

Finland's wind power capacity has the potential to increase eight-fold

The Finnish Wind Power Association issued a press release to advise that a total of 21,300 MW of wind power projects are in planning in Finland, significantly higher than a year ago. There is growth, especially in onshore wind projects, which are 18% more than a year ago. A significant part of the projects are ready for construction or already under construction, and Finnish wind power production will double by 2024.

 

Anni Mikkonen, CEO of the Finnish Wind Power Association said, “Now that wind power generation costs have dropped significantly and new investment decisions for onshore wind projects are made without government financial support, wind power has become the fastest way to increase the amount of renewable energy production in our country. Wind power is a sustainable way now and in the future to respond to the increase in electricity demand due to the electrification of society.”

 

According to the Wind Power Association updated list, the projects in the pipeline are equivalent to eight times the current capacity of wind power in Finland. More than 18,500 MW of wind power projects are planned on land and 2,800 MW for offshore. Although some of the projects on the list are still in the early stages of planning, about 30% (6,000 MW) of projects are either under construction or ready for construction without an investment decision (building permit granted). By 2024, Finland's wind power production will double from about 8 TWh hours to about 16 TWh.

 

FREYR receives NOK 39 million in development grants from Innovation Norway

Innovation Norway has awarded FREYR NOK 39 million in development grants as part of Innovation Norway's work to stimulate research and development projects, value creation in Norway and the development of a responsible business community. 

 

FREYR's ambition is to make battery cells with the world's lowest carbon footprint, deploying clean Norwegian energy, new technology, battery materials from regional suppliers and a local ecosystem of subcontractors.

 

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