Bioenergy from agriculture and forestry
Renewable energy is a priority for the Swedish Government. The changes in our climate highlight the need to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
The supply of fossil energy is limited. Today a great deal of fossil energy is obtained from politically unstable regions, which in the short term can have a negative effect on the security of energy supply. At the same time it is important that energy production is cost-effective and sustainable while maintaining international competitiveness.
Sweden is well placed for the production and use of renewable energy. Many of the country´s rivers are used to produce water power, forest covers more than sixty per cent of the country's total area and new studies show that the availability of wind resources is good. The market also offers many different forms of renewable energy that can contribute to the transition to alternative energy sources and the achievement of the environmental objectives. Swedish energy policy has long focused on technological neutrality, which means that frameworks for development have been set up without defining any particular form of energy to be used. This has been one of the cornerstones of the successful
Swedish concept. A clear example is the carbon dioxide tax introduced in the 1990s, which has led to a substantial decline in the use of fossil fuels in district heating production.
What is bioenergy?
Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass and is used today in heating, and electricity and fuel production. Biomass refers to "biological material that has undergone very little or no chemical or biological conversion." Because biomass is constantly replenished, bioenergy is a renewable energy source. The share of bioenergy in total energy consumption has increased significantly in recent decades.
