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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

IN SWEDEN

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY100% renewable within nature’s boundaries

2 WWF Sweden – Sustainable Energy

For WWF, a sustainable energy system means a safe and sustainable future for people, places and species, in an equitable lowcarbon society resilient to climate change. This system

must also protect the world’s biodiversity and ecosystems, and ensure that humanity’s ecological footprint stays within the Earth’s capacity to sustain life.

1 panda.org/energyreport2 wwf.se/energirapport

The purpose of this report is to illustrate how

Sweden can create a 100% renewable energy system

sustainably. All energy production, even of

renewables, has an impact on the environment

and must be generated by strictly limiting its

adverse effects on climate, biodiversity, landscapes

and ecosystems.

In 2011, WWF launched The Energy Report: 100% Renewable Energy by 20501 showing how renewable energy alone could meet the world’s energy demands in the next 40 years. This system includes energy solutions for the 2.7 billion people that are currently forced to cook over open fires, resulting in serious health problems, and for the 1.4 billion people who lack access to reliable electricity.

According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global climate change presents a serious threat to life on our planet. Today’s massive consumption of oil, coal and gas cannot continue unabated. For the use of such unsustainable energy sources, together with the increasing use of unconventional fossil fuels such as tar sand and shale gas, will undoubtedly lead to continued climate and environmental degradation. Nuclear power is simply not a component of a sustainable future due to its unsolved problems of radioactive waste and risk for accidents, as well as the negative environmental impact of uranium mining and the continued risk of nuclear weapon proliferation.

The purpose of this report is to illustrate how Sweden can create a 100% renewable energy system sustainably. All energy production, even of renewables, has an impact on the environment and must be generated by strictly limiting its adverse effects on climate, biodiversity, landscapes and ecosystems. Energy production must also be seen in a combined land and water use perspective that takes into account the extent to which natural resources can and should be dedicated to the production of energy. It is also essential to consider how many of these resources are needed to produce food and to maintain biodiversity and other ecosystem services.

Based on WWF’s specifications for the year 2050, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) has developed an energy scenario2 that analyses Sweden’s ability to transition to a 100% renewable energy system by this year at the latest, within the framework of ecologically sustainable landscapes, and without seriously impacting ecosystem functions and biodiversity. The scenario is drawn from the local conditions in Sweden, and exemplifies how WWF’s international criteria for the sustainability of various energy sources can be put into practice. It presents a practical alternative rather than an utopian vision, and is solely based on currently existing technologies.

Due to the relative abundance of renewable energy resources, Sweden has a moral responsibility to contribute to the worldwide supply of renewable energy, and to strive

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY 100% RENEwABLE wIThIN

NATURE’S BoUNdARIES

WWF Sweden – Sustainable Energy 3

to establish a globally equitable footprint within the boundaries of our one planet. However the energy scenario is limited to the capacity of the Swedish environment to produce energy, and how this capacity will accommodate Sweden’s current and future energy demands. Challenges, solutions and the distribution of available re newable energy can be identified and discussed by studying similar reports from other countries or regions. This mapping enables a detailed analysis of a global energy system with less negative impact on the ecosystem and biodiversity, as well as an equitably distributed ecological footprint.

The energy scenario clarifies three prerequisites and major challenges that must be dealt with if 100% renewable within nature’s boundaries is to be achieved:

• Totalenergydemandmustbereduced,whichdemandsmoreefficientuse of resources, increased energy efficiency and increased recycling of products.

• Asubstantiallyincreasedcommitmenttoenergysolutionsbasedexclusively on renewable energy.

• Theuseofnaturalresourcesforrenewableenergymustbecarriedout within a sustainable framework.

Based on this scenario, WWF concludes that there is a clear potential for Sweden to transition to a 100% renewable energy system by 2050, with an interim target of 80% by 2030, without significant negative impact on the ecosystem and biodiversity. WWF believes that a formal adoption of a Swedish commitment towards 100% renewable and sustainable energy in the near term is economically feasible, and would generate considerable attention internationally. It would also create favorable conditions for new jobs, innovations and a large number of growing companies. However, this restructuring must be carried out as quickly as possible, if there is to be a reasonable chance of ensuring a living planet for current and future generations!

By 2050, all countries in the world will be able to meet their energy demands using renewable energy alone, according to WWF.

80% RE-NEwABLE

IS PoSSIBLE FoR SwEdEN BY 2030

Photo: Chris Marais / WWF-Canon


The Swedish energy scenario presupposes that society’s energy demand can and must decrease, and that energy will be used more efficiently in the future. To achieve a sustainable energy system, measures and solutions must be implemented across all sectors. Figure 1 illustrates the development of energy demand in residential and services, industry and national transport sectors during the period 1970–2050. According to the scenario energy demand 2050 will be a third lower than in 2010.

Solar energy, wind power, hydropower and bioenergy are the key sources of energy in this scenario. Sweden also possesses extensive biomass assets in its forests. WWF believes that there is a limit to the amount of biomass that can be extracted from these ecosystems. One of the challenges presented in the scenario is how this limited supply will meet its future demands. Hence, the scenario is primarily optimized with regards to the supply and demand of bioenergy.

Long and short distance goods transports will still be primarily dependant on liquid fuels in 2050. Therefore, in the scenario, the need to replace fossil fuel in the transport sector is seen as a major challenge requiring increased electrification. In the scenario, the wellestablished district heating network in Sweden is capitalized on even more than it is today in order to take advantage of the surplus heat generated by the industrial sector. Energy production based on nonrenewable energy sources such as nuclear power, fossil fuels and peat are steadily phased out.

Summary of the Energy Scenario

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE wITh RENEwABLE ENERGY

WWF believes that there is a limit to the amount of biomass that can be extracted from the ecosystems. Hence, the scenario is primarily optimized with regards to the supply and demand of bioenergy.Photo: Philippe Rendu / philippe.se


Figure 2 shows the transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and 100% renewable electricity by 2040. A small amount of nonrenewable energy will remain, largely consisting of coal and coke used in the steel industry. New renewable energy technologies, for example bio algae or ocean wave power, are first introduced on a lesser scale towards the end of the scenario period. The import and export of renewable energy is permitted, but the import of a specific resource, for example biofuels, must not exceed the export of domestic production. This strategy eliminates the risk of Sweden becoming dependent on net imports when the potential to produce this type of resource exist within the country itself.

The scenario indicates a notable surplus of electricity for the greater part of the period 20202050. It also makes the assumption that nuclear power will have a technical lifespan of 50 years, which means that all nuclear power plants will have been decommissioned first during the period 20302040. However, WWF is of the opinion that existing nuclear power plants should be shut down as renewable energy is developed. The electricity surplus makes it possible for Sweden to phase out nuclear power during the period 20202030, thus achieving 100% renewable electricity and 80% renewable energy as early as 2030.

NoN RE-NEwABLE

ENERGY SoURcES SUch AS NUcLEAR

PowER, FoSSIL FUELS ANd PEAT

ARE PhASEd oUT

FIgURE 2: Total energy supply (excluding nuclear power losses) in the Swedish energy system 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050. Source: The IVL Energy Scenario, September 2011

2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

TWhCrude oil and oil productsCoal and cokeNatural gas, gasworks gasPeatNuclear powerHeat pumps (extracted heat)Solar heatSurplus heat from industryWasteBioenergy

New renewable energy tech

Solar photovoltaic

Wind power

Hydropower

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

FIgURE 1: Sectorwise change in energy demand, actual 19702009 and scenario 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050. Source: The IVL Energy Scenario, September 2011

1970 1990 2010 2030 2050

Total

Residential, services etc.

Industry

National transport

TWh

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0


As the transition to a 100% renewable energy system takes place carbon dioxide emissions will decrease. Figure 3 shows the decline of emissions from the Swedish energy system between 1980 and 2050. Taking 1990 as the base year, there will be an 80–90% reduction by 2050. WWF is convinced that carbon emissions in Sweden must be cut by at least 40% by 2020, and by 95% by 2050, in order to keep the world well below 2 degrees global warming. The energy scenario has been designed to achieve a 100% renewable energy system in Sweden within nature’s boundaries by 2050. Figure 3 shows that additional action must be taken if the target of 40% for 2020 is to be reached. This should be achieved, for example, by raising ambitions for energyefficiency, introducing new technologies, alternative energy carriers, accelerating the reduction of industrial emissions or reducing total transport demand.

Another option would be more ambitious measures to reduce the emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) that originate from organic waste and agricultural processes. These gases are not taken into consideration in the energy scenario, though they do account for a quarter of Sweden’s greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing the amount of biodiesel imported to the transport sector would entail an increase in global demand for arable land for biodiesel cultivation. As a result Sweden’s footprint abroad would in crease substantially, contributing to negative environmental effects and a nonequitable distribution of resources. The longterm goal of at least a 95% reduction by 2050 requires stronger and additional measures on both a national and international level.

WWF is of the opinion that carbon emissions in Sweden should be cut by at least 40% by 2020 at the latest.Photo: Pavle Marjanovic

FIgURE 3: Total energyrelated carbon dioxide emissions, actual emissions 19802009 and scenario emissions for 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050. The star highlights 40% reduction by 2020 as compared to 1990. Source: The IVL Energy Scenario, September 2011. 1970 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Million ton CO2

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Actual

Scenario

Target (40% reduction)


In the scenario calculations of emission reductions have been supplemented with a study of the dynamic effects of an increased use of bioenergy, including terrestrial carbon, in connection with an increased utilization of the forest residues tops and branches. The scenario shows that if this increased extraction of biofuels replaces fossil fuels such as oil, the net emission of carbon dioxide will decrease considerably over time. However, the increased use of tops and branches is not carbon neutral in the period covered by the scenario. A continuous annual collection of this biomass yields, when combusted, direct emissions compared to slow decomposition if left in the forest. This illustrates the need to assess which renewable energy sources would be most effective in mitigating future climate change, both in the short and long term, as well as the importance of completely replacing all fossil fuels with renewable energy.

Great potential for solar energy in SwedenFor a greater part of the year there is a large potential for solar energy in Sweden, despite our northern latitude. The Swedish energy scenario envisages that solar energy will expand substantially, and that it will deliver a fifth of total electricity demand, and almost a third of household heating requirements by 2050. This will require a high average rate in the annual expansion of solar energy capacity. The proportion of variable electricity generated by, for example solar and wind power, increases in the scenario to over half of all electricity production by 2050. A significant extension of smart grids is required to make it possible to balance the supply and demand of energy more efficiently, to deal with power peaks and to take advantage of improved storage capacity.

The energy scenario shows that the investments required are feasible from a socioeconomic perspective. It also provides several examples that show how the transition to a renewable energy system can be profitable by replacing fossil with renewable energy production, transporting by rail instead of road, switching to vehicles powered by electricity, and retrofitting houses to meet passive house standards. In other words, investments in a renewable and sustainable energy system should not only be seen as a cost, but as something that provides considerable social benefits such as financial viability and job opportunities, as well as improved ecosystems and increased biodiversity.

Investments in wind power, photovoltaic, electric cars and smart grids etc., often require minerals, metals and other natural resources that can become scarce. It is therefore important to develop alternatives that do not depend on these rare natural resources.

Investments in a renewable and sustainable

energy system should not only be seen as a cost, but as something that provides considerable social benefits such as

financial viability and job opportunities as well as

improved ecosystems and an increased biodiversity.

Pristine watercourses harbor a rich biodiversity.

The Freshwater Pearl Mussel acts as an indi

cator of the high quality and rich biodiversity

in watercourses.

Increasing the amount of biodiesel imported to the

transport sector would entail an increase in global demand

for arable land for bio diesel cultiva tion. As a result

Sweden’s footprint abroad would increase

substantially.

BY 2050SoLAR ENERGY wILL dELIvER A FIFTh oF ToTAL ELEcTRIcITY

dEmANd

Photo: Nigel Cattlin / IBL

Photo: Lennart Henrikson


Energy demand in Sweden, a highly developed industrial nation, will be at least a third lower in 2050 than in 2010 according to the energy scenario. WWF’s global energy scenario shows that global energy demand will then be at least 15% lower than in 2005. Both these results stand in contrast to BusinessAsUsual prognoses, which forecast that the global demand for energy will double at the very least. If energy is used as recklessly as it is today, it will be impossible to meet the demands of the planet’s estimated nine billion inhabitants.

Reduced energy demand does not necessarily mean a decline in economic activity. On the contrary industrial production, passenger traffic, tourism and freight transport can continue to grow – especially in developing nations. Billions living in developing countries need to escape from poverty to enjoy a higher standard of living requiring more energy. This means that energy must be used much more efficiently, and that consumption patterns in richer nations must change. The untapped potential in lifestyle changes, forthcoming technological leaps and changes in the outside world envisaged in the scenario would significantly lower Sweden’s energy demand making an export of renewable energy possible while contributing to more globally equitable energy consumption.

Room for improvement of energy-intensive productsThere is still great room for the improvement of energyintensive appliances. Consumers in Europe can visit www.topten.eu to find the most energyefficient products available on the market today. If the electric motors in fans, pumps and compressors are given suitable dimensions and trimmed appropriately, industrial energy demand could be reduced considerably. Developing recycling strategies for manufacturing industries will also reduce energy demand. Stockpiles of raw materials that require a great deal of energy to produce – steel and aluminium for example – have grown in recent decades, which means that recycling and reuse can now play a more significant role. It is also necessary to find alternatives for raw materials that require the most energy to produce – for example cement and steel.

Product design has a considerable impact on energy demand. If cars are made smaller, with a lighter and more rugged chassis using newly developed materials, the need for energy intensive steel in the manufacturing process will decrease while also reducing the energy needed to run the cars.

More goods and people by railIn the future, more goods must be sent more by rail, while short and medium distance air flights will need to be replaced by highspeed trains. Many business trips can already be replaced by telephone and video conference meetings, which cost less and save both time and energy. Improved air traffic control, green landings, aerodynamic design and better engines will reduce the aircraft industry’s fuel demand. Better harbor, route and weather planning, as well as lower speeds can reduce the maritime sector’s fuel demand.

Today rapid ICT developments offer an unprecedented opportunity to improve and optimize city and regional planning and logistics. A transition to a more energy

Saving Energy

GENERATING moRE whILE USING LESS

AT LEAST

1/3LowER ENERGY

dEmANd IN SwEdEN IN 2050 ThAN TodAY

Stockpiles of raw materials that require a great deal of energy to produce – steel and

aluminium for example – have grown in recent decades, which means

that recycling and reuse can now play a more significant role.


In the future, more goods must be sent more by rail, while short and medium distance air flights will need to be replaced by highspeed trains.

efficient means of public transport can be achieved through improved planning which allows for the increased use of buses, bicycles, podcars and trains. Cities must also be planned in order to better enable walking and biking, which offers added benefits of improved public health and reduced social costs.

New buildings must comply with passive house standardsThe world has more than enough architectural and construction expertise, as well as the technical solutions needed to create buildings that produce more energy than they consume. Despite this, buildings in Sweden account for more than a third of the total energy demand, most of it unnecessarily. In new buildings, energy demand is reduced by implementing solutions that integrate airtight construction, good insulation, heat exchangers, solar energy, energyefficient appliances and LED lighting. The energy scenario presupposes that all new buildings conform to passive house standards in the period 20102020. We must also radically improve energyefficiency in existing buildings. Better insulation can drastically reduce the need for heat and hot water by replacing old windows and installing ventilation systems that recover heat. Even more energy can be obtained by using solar heating and heat pumps. According to the scenario 23% of Sweden’s building stock will have to be retrofitted every year – an ambitious but not impossible goal given that germany has already achieved an annual renovation rate in this range.

The more energy that can be saved, the faster and easier the transition to a 100% renewable and sustainable energy system will be. Sweden carries a great responsi bility to help establish a globally equitable footprint as Swedes currently consume much more energy per capita than the global average.

Buildings in Sweden account for more than a third of the total energy

demand, most of it unnecessarily.

Photo: Mikdam


Bioenergy

wIThIN A SUSTAINABLE FRAmEwoRk

Forests are the most important source of

bioenergy in Sweden. From a sustainability

perspective harvesting of bioenergy in the forest

cannot be carried out haphazardly.

WWF supports sustainably produced bioenergy as a component of current and future energy systems. The challenge is to determine in which cases the production of bioenergy can be considered sustainable. WWF believes that the starting point should be what is biologically and ecologically viable, i.e., management that does not degrade the structure and function of ecosystems. This presupposes that knowledgebased objectives for sustainable agriculture and forestry have been established. The development of these objectives must be carried out in dialogue with environmental, social, and economic stakeholders, and must lead to the development of regulatory frameworks and policy instruments. WWF has defined sustainability frameworks for Swedish agriculture and forestry that impact the potential for sustainable, domestic production of bioenergy, and assumes that Sweden will achieve the environmental objectives established by the Swedish national parliament. WWF also assumes that Sweden will abide by international treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

80% of bioenergy from the forestToday forests deliver almost 80% of everything designated as bioenergy in the official bioenergy statistics. Forests are consequently the most important source of bioenergy in Sweden. From a sustainability perspective harvesting of bioenergy in the forest cannot be carried out haphazardly. The sustainability of biofuels taken from the forest is directly linked to the sustainability of forestry practices where the following must be borne in mind:

•Loss of species is an irreversible process. Today, approximately 2000 red listed species are associated with a lack of biotope and forest structures, e.g. dead wood and old trees. To preserve biodiversity, more consideration to the environment must be taken, coupled with protective measures and increased restoration, than is the case today.

•Nature protection and environmental consideration within forest management must be harmonized with conservation objectives. If this is to be achieved, objectives must be clearly defined and implemented through directives and restrictive measures. Forestry in Sweden must meet the legal requirements and abide by the recommendations of the Swedish Forest Agency. The negative trend in Swedish forestry, as indicated by the Swedish Forest Agency’s own monitoring, must be reversed.

•Intensified forestry cultivation with, for example, increased fertilization and the use of fastgrowing exotic tree species may degrade the resilience of forest ecosystems thereby increasing the risk of forest damage.

•There is room for other cultivation and harvesting practices that do not create large clearcuts requiring site preparation, as is the case with the prevailing clear felling method. These alternative harvesting methods can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and heavy metal leakages, and may also be a more attractive option for the individual forest owner.

•Sweden must abide by international treaties. For example, the decisions taken at COP10 in Nagoya 2010, and the provisions set forth there in the Convention on Biological Diversity. The decision was taken to protect 17% of the land area by establishing ecologically represent ative networks and focusing on particular areas of importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services..

In light of the above, WWF requires that:

•The protection of 22% of productive forest areas through conservation and environmental consideration in the forest landscape. This is to be achieved by protecting 17% of the forest area from commercial forest management, and through conservation and environmental considerations to a minimum of 5% of commercially logged areas. Edge zones should be left around watercourses. Protection may in some cases entail specific forms of forest management and biomass harvesting in order to meet nature conservation objectives.

Photo: Michael Lander/Nordicphotos

A living forest is home to a myriad of species, among them

the eightspotted buprestis beetle, Buprestis octoguttata.

Photo: Biopix: JC Schou


•At least 10% of unprotected productive forest land is to be managed through continuous cover forestry.

•Stump harvesting and intensive cultivation on forest land, with or without fertilization or fastgrowing exotic tree species, should not take place as they are incompatible with sustainably produced bioenergy.

WWF is convinced that support should be given to restorative conservation initiatives in agriculture that can increase landscape and environmental values in combination with the production of bioenergy. In addition, WWF believes that:

•Initiatives utilizing the anaerobic digestion of manure for the production of biogas should be stimulated. These return double gains in climate mitigation as they reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions from the manure while replacing fossil fuels with biogas.

•Catch crops that reduce the leakage of nutrients should be combined with the production of bioenergy.

•Straw and other agricultural byproducts should be used to produce energy that does not deplete agricultural land of organic material, thus sustaining its productivity.

•Cultivation should be controlled by planting the right crop on the right land to enable an increased cultivation of bioenergy crops. Among other things cultivation must be optimized to minimize the emission of climate gases.

WWF’s international bioenergy position takes up most aspectsWWF’s international bioenergy position takes up most aspects related to the production of bioenergy; greenhouse gas emissions, nature conservation, water issues, in direct land use change, sustainable production, food security, as well as including small producers, local populations and indigenous people. WWF’s position sets forth a series of proposals on measures that governments, as well as producers and purchasers, can take to actively contribute to sustainable development. In addition to participating in important international intergovernmental processes relevant to the above, governments should ensure that national objectives linked to renewable energy do not undermine the sustainability of other producing countries.

WWF is an active member of a number of standard and certification systems directly or indirectly linked to bioenergy production, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB), the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). WWF sees these market tools as part of the solution to ensure a domestic sustainable production and consumption of bioenergy. However, it is important that these processes are credible. The State must also take overall responsibility for how bioenergy production can take place within the framework of the country’s natural environment and in relation to other environmental objectives.

22% oF ThE PRodUc-

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TEcTEd ANd UNdER coNSERvATIoN ANd

ENvIRoNmENTAL coNSIdERATIoN

IN ThE FoREST LANdScAPE

At least 10% of unprotected productive

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WWF believes that a wellplanned expansion of wind power in Sweden is a necessary component in the development of an energy system that is strictly limited to renewable energy sources. Because this technology, especially that which delivers offshore wind energy, is relatively new, it is reasonable to assume that it will become increasingly more efficient and less costly in the future. It also means an increased knowledge of the ways wind power affects the surrounding environment and ecosystem. Therefore the precautionary principle must be strictly observed.

In the energy scenario for Sweden, wind power will be expanded to 20 TWh by 2020, and to 30 TWh during the following decade. At this point, between 2030 and 2050, no new wind power sites will be established. Instead existing wind power plants will be made more efficient, and old installations will be replaced by newer ones, so that by 2050, wind power will contribute a total of 45 TWh. WWF believes that this level of ambition can be increased so that wind power will generate 30 TWh in 2020, which is in line with the national planning framework. Regardless of the expansion rate of wind power in Sweden WWF demands that:

•Current environmental impact assessment regulations and legislation are strictly adhered to so that:

– The cumulative environmental effects of wind farms are taken into account.

– In addition to selfregulation routines, indepth monitoring programs note changes in the environment during installation and operation.

– Environmental data and information from these monitoring programs are included in daytoday operation statistics and made available to the public.

•Wind power is not placed in areas that are either officially protected or of other particular value. These areas include:

– All types of specially designated areas containing either threatened or particularly sensitive or valuable species or habitats, such as national parks, nature reserves and Natura 2000 and Ramsar sites.

– Unexploited mountain areas.

– Key biotopes in forest regions.

– Important rest, overwintering or, stopover sites for migrating birds, for example valuable shallow offshore banks.

– Areas that are important spawning grounds for fish.

• The government is responsible for ensuring that a comprehensive national plan is worked out as to how these 30 TWh are best positioned, how environmental impact and cumulative effects are to be minimized, and how any damage incurred should be compensated for. It should also specify areas where wind power and similar activities are not permitted. This plan must be part of the overall national spatial planning of land, waterways and oceans, and take into account the territorial requirements of other activities, as well as the cumulative effect of these activities on each other and on the environment as a whole.

wind power

PLANNING FoR ThE FUTURE

BY 2050

wINd PowER wILL coNTRIBUTE A ToTAL

oF 45 Twh

PRoTEcTEd AREASRegardless of the expansion rate of wind power in Sweden WWF demands that wind power is not placed in areas that are either officially protected or of other particular value. Elderflowered Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina, in riparian meadow: Ängsö National Park in Stockholm Archipelago.

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Hydropower has played an important role in Sweden’s development and is with its unique regulating capacity important for the energy system. Today approximately 75% of Sweden’s total watercourses have been exploited. They account for about half the country’s electricity supply and position Sweden as the 12th largest consumer of hydropower in the world.

Hydropower is a renewable energy source, but its impact on ecosystems and biodiversity is considerable. When hydropower was developed little attention was paid to ecological impact and few of the existing power plants have been modified to facilitate species migra tion or to secure minimum flows. Lakes and streams are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, and over the last 100 years half of freshwater ecosystems in the world have been lost. Moreover between 1970 and 2000 there has been a 50% decline in all freshwater species worldwide.

Need for a more integrated approach to water management An understanding of the negative aspects of hydropower and how to counter them has increased in recent decades. Water management today is often characterized by a more holistic and ecosystem adapted approach. The EU Water Framework Directive is a good example of such a modern, integrated approach.

WWF demands that Sweden pursues an energy policy that complies with Sweden’s established environmental objectives, international treaties and directives for the protection of aquatic environments and their biodiversity. WWF requires that the following steps be taken so that hydropower, even on a small scale, is developed in harmony with ecosystems in our aquatic environments:

•No further hydropower development is to take place in Sweden, neither in major national rivers, tributaries of rivers where hydropower stations have been built, or in rivers yet unaffected by hydropower.

hydropower

wITh FUNcTIoNING EcoSYSTEmS

When hydropower was developed little attention was paid

to ecological impact and few of the existing

power plants have been modified to facilitate

species migration or to secure minimum flows.

Photo shows Porjus Hydropower Plant.

75% oF SwEdEN’S

ToTAL wATERcoURSES

hAvE BEEN ExPLoITEd

Photo: Henrik von Klopp / Scanpix


•Existing hydropower dams must be assessed as to better conform to prevailing environmental conditions, or alternately, demolished to enable Sweden to achieve the goals set up in the Water Framework Directive and the Swedish Environmental Quality Objective Flourishing Lakes and Streams. Among other things this means securing an environmental flow regime in the catchment and bypass channels designed to reduce river fragmentation and facilitate the movements of fish and other migrating species. This also applies when reassessing previous water permits.

•green certificates are to be subject to terms and conditions so that only hydropower plants with modern permits and appropriate environmental adaptations will be allowed to benefit from subsidies.

•The projected increase in precipitation caused by climate change should be used to improve environmental status in rivers and watercourses. The same applies to measures that heighten the inhouse efficiency of the power plants themselves.

•A continuation of powerful, legal protection of the four national rivers, which is both a Swedish and a European responsibility, improved protection and additional designation of Ramsar sites.

Abiskojokk Canyon, Abisko National Park

Secure an evironmental flow regime in the

catchment and bypass channels designed

to reduce river fragmentation and

facilitate the movements of fish and other

migrating species.

Photo: Dan Karlsson / Azote


Innovations

A FASTER TRANSITIoN To 100% RENEwABLE ENERGYglobal energy demand and the emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased exponentially since the dawn of industrialization in the 19th century. Despite the fact that emissions per unit of gDP have declined over the past 25 years, total emissions are rising as a result of increasing energy demand due to population growth, improved living standards and changing consumption patterns. Fossil fuelbased energy sources continue to be subsidized without having to bear the full costs of the impact they have on climate, environment and human health. But there is already a multitude of climate innovations available on the market today for increased energyefficiency and renewable energy production that can radically reduce emissions.

The challenge is not a lack of technology, rather how to create conditions for a rapid and largescale dissemination of the many mature climate innovations currently on the edge of the market. A quick change of gear by such technologies would enable a more rapid transition to more sustainable growth. At the same time, new markets, jobs and a more secure energy supply would be created, and health risks in both industrial and developing countries reduced. Poor conditions for energyefficient technologies and renewable energy mean that these solutions are delayed and their full potential not released. The longer it takes, the higher the cost of transition.

The energy challenge requires transformative innovations, i.e., innovations that entail a fundamental change in the way we deliver the products and services society demands, rather than gradually improving the technologies and systems responsible for the adverse effects on climate and natural resources that we see today. Examples of innovations that are tested, verified, and available but not sufficiently distributed across the market are: superefficient refrigeration and heating systems, compact and highperformance heat exchangers, new materials which are lighter and require fewer resources, algaebased water purification systems, indoor solar illumination, and IT systems that make manufacturing, buildings and transport more energy efficient and that enable a sustainable urban development.

The energy challenge requires transformative

innovations, i.e., innovations that entail a

fundamental change in the way we deliver the products and services

society demands, rather than gradually improving

the technologies and systems responsible

for the adverse effects on climate and natural

resources that we see today.

The photo shows a system with solar panels and fibre optics that funnels natural sunlight to indoor fixtures.

Photo: Parans Lighting


The actors, resources and processes that shape the conditions for the deployment of innovations are part of a national innovation system3. Every country has an innovation system, though the shape and the way they work varies widely. A nation’s ability to develop, commercialize and implement innovations at scale is determined by how well its innovation system works. It is vital to create a framework that both supports the introduction of innovations and stimulates the demand for them. For a technology to achieve commercial success, it must be proven for industrial use. Furthermore, longterm and harmonized legislation, as well as significantly increased access to private capital are fundamental prerequisites for innovationdriven growth.

Almost unlimited opportunities for businessSweden faces several of the same challenges for the deployment of innovations encountered by many countries around the world, while others are of more local character. A particular challenge for Sweden is the large number of public operators in the country which often leads to fragmented support and insufficient results in the commercialization phase. There is also a crucial need, and opportunity, for international cooperation as the market for innovations is both global and borderless. The climate challenge is not a competition that a single country or company can ”win” in competition with others. The energy transition required offers almost endless opportunities for all countries and enterprises, if addressed seriously. The more successful the spread of climate innovations, the faster we will achieve the transition to a renewable and sustainable energy system in both Sweden and across the world.

WWF recommends the following to create better conditions for the commercialization and largescale deployment of climate innovations as part of the transition to an energy system based on 100% renewable energy:

•Set a target to attract ten times more private capital compared to current levels for the commercialization and global deployment of innovations in energy efficiency and renewable energy production.

•Prioritize the expansion of selected, mature Swedish climate innovations by concentrating public support to accomplish greater investments over longer periods.

•Prioritize policies that stimulate market demand for climate innovations, coupled with reduced demand for climatedamaging products and services.

•Reduce the administrative burden when applying for public funding, and stimulate increased initiatives from politicians and officials in catalyzing investments in climate innovations.

•Use state and public sector investments to reward transformative innovations, i.e., solutions that fundamentally change the way in which social and market demands are met.

•To position ourselves globally an innovation and commercialization strategy for Sweden should clarify where in the global value chain for the development and production of solutions Sweden can create the most benefit.

•Show responsibility for the development of the global market for climate innovations by setting up a strategy for importing solutions which will contribute to a more rapid transition of Sweden’s energy system.

10 TImES

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BAL dEPLoYmENT oF INNovATIoNS

3 For further reading see WWF international report: Enabling the Transition: Climate Innovation Systemsfor a Low Carbon Future (2011) – www.climatesolver.org


1. Renewable energy:Immediately start the transition to an energy system based solely on renewable energy while actively phasing out nonrenewable energy. Set a Swedish target of 80% renewable energy and 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and 100% renewable energy by 2050.

2. Sustainable energy: All energy production should take place within the framework of nature’s capacity, with as little negative impact as possible on climate, biodiversity, landscapes and ecosystem functions.

3. Plan renewable energy:Introduce policy incentives and spatial planning so that renewable energy can be established quickly and in locations where impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity are minimal.

wwF demands

To AchIEvE 100% RENEwABLE ENERGY wIThIN NATURE’S BoUNdARIES

The Solar Energy Tower in Seville, Spain, is just over 100 meters in height and consists of 624 suncatching mirrors. The complete plant, which today consists of two towers, is the largest in the world with an installed capacity of 20 megawatts.

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4. Reduce energy demand:Deploy measures to promote recycling, sustainable and durable materials, and discourage excessive material consumption in order to minimize waste and save energy.

5. Increase efficiency:Ensure that society’s demands are met in the most energyefficient way by introducing, for example, strict standards and binding regulations.

6. Invest in travel and transport:Invest in infrastructure for the most energysmart options for travel and transport. Stimulate infrastructure for travelfree meetings by telephone or video conference. Electrify the transport sector as far as possible and develop alternative renewable fuels for transport by truck, sea and air.

7. develop the electricity grid:Develop the electricity grid in order to capitalize on every opportunity to produce and consume renewable energy.

8.Invest in renewable energy: Invest in renewable energy and energyefficient products and buildings. Prioritize investments that achieve the greatest climate and conservation benefits. Use legis lation and policy instruments to stimulate the demand for renewable energy.

9. create better conditions for innovations: Create better conditions for the commercialization and largescale implementation of innovations that enable a more rapid transition towards an energy system based on 100% renewable and sustainable energy.

Cover photo: Detlev Van Ravenswaay / Science Photo Library / IBL

Design and production: ODELIUS #97633

A developed electricity grid make the best use of any opportunity that may arise to produce and consume.renewable energy.

Photo: Björn Holland / IBL

2050A safe and sustainable future for people, places and species, in an equitable lowcarbon society that is resilient to climate change.

wwF.SE• SUSTAINABLE ENERGY – 100% RENEwABLE wIThIN NATURE’S BoUNdARIES

SE

Världsnaturfonden WWF, Ulriksdals Slott, SE-170 81 Solna, Sweden. Tel +46 (0)8-624 74 00. [email protected], wwf.se

Sustainable energy

ScENARIoIt is absolutely possible for Sweden to switch to a 100% renewable energy system without major negative impact on ecosystems and biological diversity.

AdvANTAGESReduced climate impact. Phasing out of nuclear power and fossil fuels. Increased biodiversity and improved ecosystems. Climate innovations. New jobs.

chALLENGESTotal energy demand must be reduced; this necessitates less resource wastage, increased energy efficiency and increased recycling.

RENEwABLE ENERGYSolar energy. Bioenergy within a sustainable framework. Planned expansion of wind power. Hydropower with functioning ecosystems.

100% renewable within nature’s boundaries

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Why we are hereTo stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment andto build a future in which humans live in harmony and nature.

Why we are here

wwf.se

To stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment andto build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

sustainable energy - världsnaturfonden · pdf filea sustainable energy system, ......

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