Solar energy is on the rise in Sweden. No other energy form is so popular. Yet the evidence suggests that it remains marginal in our country.
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (S) took the lead before the then environment Minister Åsa Romson (MP) and the new climate minister Isabella Lövin ( MP) as the government’s focus on solar cells presented in a solcellstak in Frihamnen in Stockholm last year. Stock Photography.
Recently, preliminary data from the industry association Energy Companies Sweden to solar energy in 2015 reached a new record level.
Though it only means that for the first time could ever show in the statistics. In total solar contribution of 0.1 terawatt hours (TWh) or 0.06 percent of the electricity generated in the country. The level is thus still very low.
The question is how high it gets. Representatives of the solar energy industry is very optimistic and opinion polls suggest that Swedes feel better about solar energy than any other form of energy. More and more people are looking to invest in solar cells.
Not needed?
Still, think several experts that the sun will never be a particularly large source of energy in Sweden.
– Should I hårdra the whole, one can say that the world needs to solar electricity, but not Sweden, says Björn Karlsson, Professor of energy at Mälardalen University.
He points out that Swedish electricity production, based as it is on hydropower, nuclear power, wind power and biomass, is almost one hundred percent fossil.
– Sweden is already absolutely outstanding, he said.
long winters
In addition, solar energy still relatively expensive. The price of solar cells has indeed fallen sharply thanks to a major production in China. But without investment aid and tax rebates would be steep uphill. Counted the subsidies away it still cost much more to produce electricity from solar energy compared to coal power, for example.
– In Spain and Italy the situation is favorable, thanks to solar radiation. There is the cost only half as large as in Sweden and in many parts of the world, solar energy is getting very important. But here at home puts the long surrogate sunshine for sunless winters spanner in the works. One can store energy in batteries, but not over a whole winter, he said.
– If the solar energy accounts for one percent of our electricity in ten years, it is good.
Nuclear power determines
it is obvious, however, that the government hopes for a larger share. Therefore but given Energy Agency to develop a proposal on how the use of solar electricity could increase in the future, a mission that must be reported in the fall.
– There is no specific target. The starting point is to find out what is the right amount, making an assessment on the basis of benefits and costs, says Gustav Ebenå, responsible for the project.
– To some extent, it’s about what happens if nuclear power is phased out. Laid it down, solar energy needed greater.
TT
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