Mundus Nordic Green News – 3 March, 2021

2020 shows big dip in Sweden’s transport emissions

According to calculations from the Global Carbon Project, emissions in Sweden decreased by 10% against the global average of 7%. This occurred despite the fact that everyday life in Sweden was less affected by the pandemic, and highlights the impact of passenger vehicles in Sweden’s CO2 profile – having phased out other emissions in previous decades Sweden now needs to get rid of harder-to-abate sources.

 

However, there is some hope on that front. New passenger cars sold in Sweden last year emitted 23% less CO2 than vehicles registered in 2019, according to the Swedish Transport Agency's preliminary statistics. According to Sven Hunhammar, Environmental Director at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), every third new car sold in Sweden in 2020 was rechargeable, either a battery car or a charging hybrid, and the combustion engine cars sold were more energy efficient.

 

Freyr to receive NOK 142 million in support from ENOVA

Freyr AS was awarded NOK 142 million in support from Enova, as part-financing for the development and construction of a pilot plant for the production of battery cells in Mo i Rana. The board of Freyr has, with the support of the award, approved the completion of the contracting processes for the plant, the company writes in a press release. According to the company, the construction of the plant is expected to start in the 2Q21, and will be an important step in realizing Freyr's goal of scaling to 43 GWh production capacity for battery cells by 2025.

 

Finns need to upskill for circular economy jobs

Sitra, Finland’s future fund, is investing in training of a broad range of skills across several fronts. Sitra's recent working paper "The effects of the circular economy on work and skills" examined the effects of the circular economy on four industries central to the development of the circular economy: construction, textiles, plastics and the electronics sector. "The principles and practices of the circular economy will affect almost all workplaces in the future in some way, which requires updating skills," says Kari Herlevi, Sitra's project manager for the circular economy. "The transition to a circular economy does not mean a huge number of new professions or job descriptions. Instead, almost all professions change.

 

Nordics praised for their integrated power market

Nordic solutions are the right way to go to achieve fossil-free energy production, according to the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, at a webinar organised by the Nordic Council. At the webinar, Simson pointed to the Nordic Region as a model for regional co-operation on energy in the EU, praising the Nordic electricity market in particular. Simson cited security of supply and the solution to the issue of integrating renewable energy into Nordic systems as just two of several success factors. “I can only encourage you to continue what you are doing and to lead by example”.  

 

However, although participants in the webinar shared a broad consensus that future energy challenges demand more co-operation, there was also a warning of the risk that the Nordic electricity market is headed away from this. Vice President, Trading and Asset Optimisation at energy group Fortum, Simon-Erik Ollus, said that “We’re at a crossroads, and that stronger Nordic political governance on energy and climate policy is now needed. “But this requires a degree of political willingness in the Nordic capitals.”

 

Anna Kinberg Batra nominated as new Chair of the Board of Swedish Solar Energy

The nomination committee has proposed Anna Kinberg Batra as the new Chairman of the Board of the industry organization Swedish Solar Energy, at the AGM on 23 March. Kinberg Batra, a previous leader of the opposition in Sweden, is Chairman of the Board of Soltech Energy, and works with a variety of boards, advisory and investigative assignments in industries where entrepreneurship drives societal change. She has a degree from the Stockholm School of Economics.

 

50GW of wind power under planning in Swedish waters

Several huge wind farms are planned in Swedish waters. In total, applications for close to 50 GW have been submitted to Svenska kraftnät, the grid operator. In total, around 70GW is planned on land and sea. Around 30GW of this is planned for southern Sweden, where extra power capacity is desperately needed. However, Daniel Gustafsson, Head of the Power Systems at Svenska kraftnät cautions that many projects may not eventually go ahead. “Right now we have a big hump where everyone is chasing to be first. At some point the system becomes "saturated" so that the demand for new projects is stabilized at a lower level.”

 

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