Katerina Swanson
Sweden and Denmark have been working towards reducing their dependence on fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Sweden has set a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, with an intermediate goal of 100% fossil-free electricity by 2040. The country has a rich supply of moving water and biomass, which has contributed to its high share of renewable energy. Denmark, a major oil producer in the EU, has also demonstrated its commitment to ending fossil fuel production by 2050, with an intermediate target of 100% renewable energy by 2030. Both countries are exploring various renewable energy sources, such as wind power, bioenergy, solar power, and hydropower, to meet their climate goals.
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What You'll Learn
Sweden's targets for net-zero emissions by 2045
Denmark has been working towards reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and has made significant progress in the energy sector over the past decade. In 2019, coal supplied less than 11% of electricity, and production is scheduled to end by 2028. Denmark's "Energy Strategy 2050" aims for full independence from fossil fuels by 2050, with a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030. The country has been a leader in wind energy, and wind power provided 57% of the electricity generated in Denmark in 2019.
Sweden, on the other hand, has adopted a climate policy framework with a long-term target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The Swedish Climate Act, which entered into force on January 1, 2018, legally binds the country to this target. The Act ensures that government policies are based on stated climate goals and requires the government to present a climate report in its budget bill annually. Sweden's climate policy framework includes milestone targets for emissions reductions:
- By 2020: 40% lower emissions than 1990 levels.
- By 2030: 63% lower emissions than 1990 levels.
- By 2040: 75% lower emissions than 1990 levels.
- By 2045: At least 85% lower emissions than 1990 levels.
To achieve these targets, Sweden may utilize supplementary measures such as increased carbon dioxide uptake by forests, verified emission reductions outside Swedish borders, and carbon capture and storage based on biomass combustion (bio-CCS). Sweden's climate policy council, an interdisciplinary expert body, ensures that government policies are compatible with national climate targets.
Both Denmark and Sweden are actively transitioning towards more sustainable energy sources and reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. Sweden has a specific target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, with an ambitious policy framework to ensure this goal is met.
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Denmark's fossil fuel production and consumption
Denmark has considerable sources of oil and natural gas in the North Sea and ranked 32nd in the world for net exports of crude oil in 2008. In 2019, coal supplied less than 11% of electricity, and production is scheduled to end in 2028. In 2011, the Danish government announced "Energy Strategy 2050", aiming to be fully independent of fossil fuels by 2050. This goal was repeated in 2015 by a new government despite public scepticism. Denmark's electrical grid is connected by transmission lines to other European countries, and it had the best energy security in the EU in 2013.
Denmark has a long tradition of setting ambitious world-leading national energy targets. The country aims for renewables to cover at least half of its total energy consumption by 2030. This includes 11.5 GW of onshore and 13 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. This target was modified in 2019 to reduce greenhouse gases in 2030 by 70% compared to 1990. The target for 2050 is 100% renewable energy. Over the past decade, Denmark's energy sector has seen significant changes, characterised by a decrease in the total energy supply (TES) and shifts in the energy mix. The TES declined from 812 Petajoules (PJ) in 2010 to 671 PJ in 2019, then slightly increased to 678 PJ by 2022. During the same period, the reliance on fossil fuels significantly reduced, falling from 75% of the energy mix in 2011 to 53% in 2022, well below the International Energy Agency (IEA) average of 79%.
Denmark has drastically decreased its production of electricity from coal. Consumption of coal was more than halved over the ten years between 2004 and 2014. Coal constituted 41% of mass fuels in 2015 and is expected to decrease to 14% in 2025, mostly replaced by biofuels. The two remaining coal power stations were scheduled to cease in March 2023, but due to the energy crisis, they were given a reprieve until June 2024. Denmark consumed 2.1 million tonnes of wood pellets in 2014, expected to increase by 1.2 million tonnes as more coal is replaced. Denmark also burns wood chips and straw, mostly for heating.
Denmark is fourth among IEA member countries in the share of renewables in total final energy consumption (TFEC), with 40% of its TFEC from renewable sources in 2021, surpassing the IEA average of 14%. Renewable energy in TFEC has doubled from 100 Petajoules (PJ) in 2005 to 221 PJ in 2021, primarily due to its increased role in electricity generation. Bioenergy leads the renewable energy mix, contributing 18% to TFEC, followed by wind at 10%, solid biomass at 8%, liquid biofuels at 2%, and solar at 1%. The role of biomass grew as Denmark was phasing out fossil fuels, particularly coal. 20% of electricity produced in Denmark came from biomass in 2019, more than from coal and natural gas combined. In district heating, the use of biomass and biodegradable waste helped bring down the share of fossil fuels and waste to under 40% of the energy mix.
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Sweden's use of renewable energy sources
Sweden has been increasing its use of renewable energy sources. In 2012, the country achieved the government's 2020 target of 50% renewable energy usage. By 2022, over 60% of Sweden's electricity came from renewable sources, with hydroelectric power and nuclear power being the largest contributors. Sweden is also a major exporter of electricity, exporting over 20% of its national electricity production to the rest of Europe in 2023.
Hydropower is the main source of electricity production in Sweden. In 2021, hydropower accounted for 43% of the country's electricity supply. Sweden's landscape is particularly suited for hydropower generation due to its high volumes of water and differences in terrain elevation.
Wind power has also grown significantly in Sweden and now accounts for almost 20% of the country's electricity production. In 2022, Sweden's wind power production exceeded 33 TWh, with more than 4,700 wind turbines in operation.
Biomass is another important renewable energy source in Sweden, particularly for heating. The use of biomass has been encouraged by a high carbon tax on heating fuels, leading to a noticeable increase in biomass usage in the heating and cooling sector. The forest industry is the largest source of biomass feedstock, providing tall oil pitch, tall oil, and methanol.
Sweden has also invested in solar energy, although it currently accounts for a small percentage of the country's total energy generation. The Ports of Stockholm have invested in solar panels, and the country's solar PV capacity has been increasing, reaching 3.9 GW in 2023.
In addition to these sources, Sweden also produces energy from biogas and biofuels. In 2013, bus fleets in several cities relied entirely on biomethane, and local plants produced over 60% of the total biomethane used in Swedish natural gas vehicles.
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Denmark's wind power and biomass
Denmark has been making significant strides towards reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and has set ambitious targets for renewable energy sources such as wind power and biomass.
Wind Power in Denmark
Denmark has long been a leader in wind energy, with a history of harnessing wind power dating back to the early 1900s. The country's commitment to wind power was strengthened in the 1970s after the oil crisis, which severely impacted Denmark as about 90% of its energy use came from oil imports. The success of onshore wind power led to the development of offshore wind farms, with the world's largest offshore wind farm, Horns Reef 1, established in the North Sea in 2002. Denmark now produces almost twice as much wind energy per capita as the runner-up among industrialised countries in the OECD. In 2019, wind power provided 57% of the electricity generated in Denmark, and the country aims to further increase this share.
Biomass in Denmark
Biomass has played an increasingly important role in Denmark's energy mix as the country transitions away from fossil fuels, particularly coal. Biomass is used in district heating, with nearly two-thirds of Danish households supplied with heat distributed through hot water pipes. In 2019, 20% of electricity produced in Denmark came from biomass, surpassing the combined contribution of coal and natural gas. Denmark consumes wood pellets, wood chips, and straw, with the latter two being used primarily for heating. The country is also investing in research and development to convert agricultural residues into bioethanol for the transportation sector.
Denmark's commitment to renewable energy sources is evident through its ambitious targets and policies. The country aims to be fully independent of fossil fuels by 2050, with a focus on wind power, solar PV, and the utilisation of biomass for electricity and heating.
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Sweden's use of hydrogen fuel
Sweden generates about 40% of its energy from nuclear power. The country has also been working on reducing its carbon emissions through various initiatives and partnerships. Sweden's use of hydrogen fuel is one of the key strategies in its plan to achieve its climate goals.
Hydrogen fuel is an important part of Sweden's plan to reduce its carbon emissions. Hydrogen can be used in combination with a fuel cell to power vehicles or as a backup power source for critical infrastructure like base stations and telephone exchanges. Hydrogen gas can also replace fossil fuels in the process industry, and it can be used to balance out peaks and troughs in the electricity grid. Sweden aims to establish a regional hydrogen hub in Luleå, where hydrogen will be produced using wind power and used in the regional process industry, converted into electro-fuel for ships, or exported.
Sweden has also been investing in pioneering green steel projects, such as H2 Green Steel, which aims to build a large-scale green steel production facility in northern Sweden using hydrogen to decarbonise industrial processes. The company plans to produce 2.5 million tons of hydrogen-powered steel annually by 2026 and 5 million tons by 2030. The Swedish venture Hybrit has also delivered the world's first "green steel," produced without using coal.
Sweden is also working on developing the infrastructure needed to support the use of hydrogen fuel. This includes the construction of a rock cavern storage facility in a coastal city in northern Sweden by Vattenfall, SSAB, and LKAB. Additionally, Sweden is looking to establish cross-sectoral local and regional hydrogen clusters (Hydrogen Valleys) to accelerate the expansion of its hydrogen infrastructure.
Overall, Sweden's use of hydrogen fuel is an important part of its strategy to reduce carbon emissions and achieve its climate goals. By using hydrogen in the process industry, transportation, and energy sectors, Sweden aims to reduce its direct emissions significantly while also creating innovations, jobs, and export opportunities.
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Frequently asked questions
Denmark has been an early leader in decarbonisation. In 2022, the government announced a net-zero target by 2045 and 110% emissions reduction by 2050. Denmark has drastically decreased electricity production from coal, with coal supplying less than 11% of electricity in 2019.
Sweden has a number of targets that make up its pathway to net-zero emissions by 2045. In 2005, the Swedish government appointed a commission to reduce the country's dependence on fossil raw materials by 2020. In 2015, the government announced its plan to drastically cut its reliance on fossil fuels by 2020.
Denmark aims for renewables to cover at least half of its total energy consumption by 2030. By 2050, Denmark plans to be fully independent of fossil fuels and become a low-carbon society.
Sweden has a target of 100% fossil-free electricity by 2040. Sweden's growing electricity needs will necessitate a major build-out of new generation capacity, with a focus on nuclear energy and renewable sources such as hydropower and bioenergy.
