The Government's Bills on climate and energy policy contain three action plans In order to reach the targets,

1. Action plan for renewable energy
The action plan includes raising the level of ambition in the electricity certificate system, continued efforts to facilitate grid connections for renewable electricity and a planning framework for wind power of 30 TWh.

 2. Action plan for energy efficiency
The Government will invests approximately € 27.7 million per year between 2010 and 2014 on reducing information and knowledge gaps in order to make households and enterprises aware of the opportunities they have to save money, energy and the environment by improving their energy efficiency.

3. Action plan for for a fossil-fuel independent vehicle fleet
To reach the target of a Swedish vehicle fleet that is independent of fossil fuels by 2030, general policy instruments are applied i.e. a price on greenhouse gas emission, beneficial conditions for cars with a low environmental impact running on alternative fuels.

Furthermore, ways in which these targets might be met have included suggestions by the Government of changed taxes and more stringent economic policy measures. EU-wide decisions are also seen as an important means, as are green investments in developing countries.

As of 1 januar 2012, Sweden and Norway has launched a common Electricity Certificate Market, which enables the trading electricity certificates between the two countries. Towards 2020, Norway and Sweden are increasing the RES-E with 26.4 TWh. The Electricity Certificate Market will be in effect until end of 2035.

Renewable energy projections according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Sweden
The National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) for Sweden was submitted in July 2010. The target according to Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC is 49% for the year 2020 and the projected NREAP share in that year is 50.2%.  According to the projection, the most important contribution in the year 2020 is expected from biomass (renewable heating and cooling) (9491 ktoe, 48% of all renewable energy). Second important contribution is expected from hydropower (68.0 TWh or 5847 ktoe, 30% of all renewable energy). The third largest contribution is from biomass (renewable electricity) (16.7 TWh or 1435 ktoe, 7% of all renewable energy). Wind power contributes with 4.5 GW (12.5 TWh) in the year 2020 (onshore wind 4.4 GW and 12.0 TWh, offshore wind 0.2 GW and 0.5 TWh). For solar photovoltaic the 2020 contribution is projected to be 8 MW (4 GWh). For solar thermal the 2020 contribution is projected to be 6 ktoe. The two most important biofuels are projected to contribute 251 ktoe (biodiesel) and 465 ktoe (bioethanol / bio-ETBE) by 2020. The renewable electricity production from solid biomass amounts to 16.6 TWh (1430 ktoe) and for biogas it is expected to be 0.1 TWh (5 ktoe). The consumption of renewable heat is expected to amount to 9415 ktoe for solid biomass and 11 ktoe for biogas. 

Renewable heat and electricity: Wind power
The discussion of wind power in Sweden started in the 1970’s with the oil crisis and continued through the 1980’s with the public debate of nuclear power. The first demonstration turbines were build in the 1980’s and since 1990, the capacity has slowly increased. In recent years though, the capacity has been increasing rapidly.
In 2010, there were installed 308 new wind turbines with a capacity of 574 MW. This makes a total of 1655 installed turbines, which generated 3.5 TWh – an increase of 42 % compared to 2009. Wind power accounted for approximately 2.4 % of the electricity consumption in Sweden in 2010.
During 2009, Parliament approved a national planning framework for wind power equivalent to 30 TWh in 2020, of which 20 TWh would be onshore and 10 TWh would be offshore. A number of simplifications of the planning process for wind power have been introduced. The purpose of an overall planning framework is to position wind power interests in the physical planning process.
Today the two main incentive schemes for the promotion of wind power are electricity certificates and support for technical development.

Electricity certificates
The electricity certificate system is a market-based support system for expansion of electricity production in Sweden from RES and from peat. The system was introduced in 2003, replacing earlier public grants and subsidy systems, with the purpose of increasing, by 2020, the production of electricity from such sources by 25 TWh relative to production in 2002. The certificate system will run until the end of 2035.
 The Renewable Energy with green certificates bill that came into force on 1 January 2007 shifts the quota obligation from electricity users to electricity suppliers. The current aim of the system is to increase the level of renewable electricity with 25 TWh by 2020 relative to the 2002-level.

Electricity producers whose electricity production meets the requirements of the Electricity Certificates Act receive one electricity certificate unit for each megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity that they produce. Demand for certificates is created by the fact that all electricity suppliers, and also certain electricity users, are required to purchase certificates corresponding to a certain proportion (quota) of their electricity sales or electricity use. The quantity of certificates to be purchased is adjusted from year to year in step with progressive changes of the quota proportion, thus generating an increasing demand for the certificates. In turn, this increases the incentive to produce more electricity from energy sources approved for production of certificate-entitled electricity.
Electricity produced from wind power, solar energy, wave energy, geothermal energy, certain biofuels and certain hydro power qualifies for green electricity certificates. With effect from 1 April 2004, electricity produced from peat in cogeneration plants has also qualified for certificates.
The electricity certificate system is intended to support the construction of new plants for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources or from peat. However, in order to limit the cost to consumers of electricity from sources such as older, commercially viable plants, there is a time limit to the right of producers to receive certificates. Plants commissioned after the start of the electricity certificate system are entitled to receive electricity certificates for 15 years, or until the end of 2035, whichever is the earlier.

Support for technological development
Support for technical development in coordination with market introduction for large scale plants offshore. The aim is to stimulate the market, achieve cost reductions, and gain knowledge about environmental effects from wind power. The aid can either be classified as financial support for investment or technology procurement. For the years 2003-2007 the budget was around 38 M€. The market introduction is prolonged another five years with an additional 38 M€ for the period 2008-2012.
Besides the to main incentive programmes, there are various other initiatives to increase coordination and communication. For instance, the Swedish Energy Authority has established a national network on wind power to disseminate information and strengthen communication thereby further facilitating the implementation of wind power (see http://www.natverketforvindbruk.se)

Future programme changes expected
No information avaiable.

Sources

Vindkraftsstatistik 2010, Swedish Energy Agency 2011.

Energy in Sweden 2010, Swedish Energy Agency 2011.

The Electricity Certificate System 2011, Swedish Energy Agency 2011.

Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans of the European Member States,http://www.ecn.nl/nreap (sourced December 2010)

The National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) are all published on the Transparency Platform on Renewable Energy:http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/action_plan_en.htm (sourced July - December 2010)

Interactive EurObserv’ER Database
http://www.eurobserv-er.org
Last update: January 2012