Search

The transition from fossil jet fuel to biojet fuel is an important step towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aviation. To enable such a fuel shift, the Swedish Government introduced a GHG emission reduction mandate of 27% by 2030 for aviation fuel sold in Sweden, forcing fuel suppliers to blend in biojet fuel in fossil jet fuel. A similar policy instrument is being discussed within the EU. Biojet fuels with life cycle GHG emissions 90% lower than those for fossil jet fuel are projected to be available by 2025, which by far exceeds the requirement of 65% lower emissions in the EU Renewable Energy Directive. The purpose of this study was to carry out life cycle assessments for a number of wood-fuel-based production chains near commercialization and to determine whether they meet the Swedish projection and the EU requirement. The study illustrates what can be achieved in a region with high availability of wood fuels and access to heat and power with low GHG emissions. The production chains studied include the production of hydrocarbon intermediates via (i) fast pyrolysis, (ii) hydrothermal liquefaction, (iii) thermal gasification followed by Fischer–Tropsch-synthesis, and (iv) cellulosic ethanol fermentation followed by upgrading of these four intermediates to biojet fuel and other liquid biofuels. The results show that all the production chains studied can deliver biojet fuels with 89–91% lower GHG emissions than fossil jet fuels. Non-fossil hydrogen is required to achieve low emissions in the upgrading of intermediates from fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction.

The target of zero emissions sets a new standard for industry and industrial policy. Industrial policy in the twenty-first century must aim to achieve zero emissions in the energy and emissions intensive industries. Sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals have so far largely been sheltered from the effects of climate policy. A major shift is needed, from contemporary industrial policy that mainly protects industry to policy strategies that transform the industry. For this purpose, we draw on a wide range of literatures including engineering, economics, policy, governance, and innovation studies to propose a comprehensive industrial policy framework. The policy framework relies on six pillars: directionality, knowledge creation and innovation, creating and reshaping markets, building capacity for governance and change, international coherence, and sensitivity to socio-economic implications of phase-outs. Complementary solutions relying on technological, organizational, and behavioural change must be pursued in parallel and throughout whole value chains. Current policy is limited to supporting mainly some options, e.g. energy efficiency and recycling, with some regions also adopting carbon pricing, although most often exempting the energy and emissions intensive industries. An extended range of options, such as demand management, materials efficiency, and electrification, must also be pursued to reach zero emissions. New policy research and evaluation approaches are needed to support and assess progress as these industries have hitherto largely been overlooked in domestic climate policy as well as international negotiations.

The main challenge for future electricity systems is to match the available electricity from variable renewable resources with the electricity demand in place, time and quantity. One option for increasing electricity system flexibility is to integrate the electricity system with the district heating systems via the use of power-to-heat technologies such as electric boilers. The overarching objective of this paper is to increase the understanding of what role power-to-heat could have in Sweden and to contribute to the development of methods and tools that can be applied when analysing the potential of power-to-heat. For that purpose we estimate the technical potential of power-to-heat for different power scenarios and assumptions and identify key parameters which have significant impact on the potential. The calculations are based on hourly simulations of electricity production, electricity consumption and district heat load. The power-to-heat potential was estimated to 0.2–8.6 TWh, where the potentials at the higher end pertain to scenarios with high amounts of wind and solar power production (corresponding to 54–64% of electricity consumption). Access to thermal storage increases the potential of power-to-heat while the use of industrial waste heat and heat from waste incineration in the district heat load reduces the potential.

The National Museum in Stockholm is Sweden’s leading museum of art and design. Behind the now closed doors of the National Museum and its construction coverings a renovation project is taking place, which began in 2014 and will be completed in 2018. The renovation project will create a modern museum, a brighter atmosphere for the arts and for its visitors. Part of the renovation project was to de-sign and upgrade the timber roof structure for new loads according to Eurocode 5. As the roof structure was originally built in 1860, it was important to evaluate the condition and mechanical properties of the original load-bearing timber members. The roof structure, which is of main interest, comprises roof trusses and lantern structures.The main aim of the project regarding the timber roof structure in the National Museum was a safety verification in both the ultimate state (ULS) and the serviceability limit state (SLS). The preliminary capacity calculations for the roof structure showed that the roof members were under the new load conditions (with increased loads due to security and environmental requirements) utilized above 100%. Therefore, an investigation into the properties of the old timber members and connections was of vital importance. The need for non-destructive testing (NDT) of structural timber is well known under the name of strength grading and the concept has been used for many years to classify timber with respect to mechanical performance. The stress wave technique used in the project was based on commercial instruments such as FAKOPP®. The timber quality investigation for the attic roof structures showed that the material was generally in very good condition. As a result, according to SS-EN 338-2009, the timber strength could be assigned strength class C27–C30. Based on the results of the investigation, further design of strengthening works and refurbishment of the roof structure were being undertaken

Plastics are efficient materials for many purposes, e.g. packaging and construction, but are also associated with significant problems. These span from littering in forests and oceans, toxicity of additives, to the fundamental dependence on fossil resource for the production of the plastic material. This report aims to give an overview of the challenges for decarbonisation of plastics, i.e. moving away from a dependency on fossil resources for the production. Firstly, it identifies different possible development pathways for the industry towards decarbonisation and the key arguments for and against these pathways – reduced use of plastics, recycled plastics, and bio-based plastics. Secondly, it presents an analysis of structural characteristics of the industry that affect the potential for low-carbon innovation. This includes identifying and understanding the potential that traditional as well as new types of agents have to affect the direction of development. The report presents decarbonisation initiatives and engagement throughout the system of plastics, i.e. not only by primary production firms but also by knowledge organisations, intermediary firms, consumer groups etc. As the development pathways are contested and challenged both on technological and other grounds, the issue of power becomes pressing. The formation and use of coalitions to support and/or counteract certain developments is important, as political regulation of this highly globalised and diffuse sector has previously been difficult. The interaction between geographical particularities and scales must be given due consideration. Finally, the aspect of materiality is a key concern for the development of a system of specific materials. This relates of course to the limits of different types of feedstocks and material properties, but also to other resources and their exploitation within a system that is deeply entrenched in a system with capital invested in technologies and facilities adapted for processing fossil resources into fuels, plastics, and other products. Despite the strong carbon lock-in that the plastics industry is in, the identified pathways show that there are possibilities for decarbonisation. New types of actors are creating pressure for the sector to move towards a future plastic sector that is both circular and independent of fossil resources.

The European pulp and paper industry (PPI) directly emits 31.9 Mton CO2 (2016) and indirectly 12.3 and 5 Mton CO2 from purchased electricity and transport respectively. It also accounts for 68 Mton of biogenic CO2 emissions. The PPI is a mature industry with overall stagnating market demand in the past ten years and relatively high levels of recycling. Forest countries like Sweden and Finland dominate the production of virgin fibres whereas paper production in other countries relies more on recycled fibre and purchased pulp. Decarbonisation across all sectors is expected to increase the competition for biomass feedstock for fuel in heat and power production, biofuels for transport, bio-based materials and chemicals, and perhaps wood for construction. This development implies new interdependencies between the PPI and other sectors. Decarbonisation of the PPI itself can be achieved through energy efficiency, fuel switching and electrification (assuming decarbonised power). This decarbonisation is ongoing and carbon intensity has been steadily declining for decades. Two other decarbonisation pathways are important to consider. One is the transition to biorefineries and a bioeconomy where several other products than pulp and paper are produced (including liquid fuels, lignin, textile fibres and bio-composites). The other is the transition to a closed-loop carbon society where biogenic CO2 becomes an important feedstock through carbon capture and use (CCU). For the biorefinery pathway the PPI must develop in new directions, operate in new markets, and form partnerships with other actors. So far, there is less of a clear direction for this pathway and it appears that low levels of collaboration between the chemical industry and the forestry industry constitute a barrier. For the PPI, decarbonisation is an opportunity but increased competition for feedstock is also a threat. Feedstock scarcity in the EU as well as globally is a serious problem in scenarios where the heat, power and transport sectors use biomass for energy at scale. The limits to biomass may necessitate the use of biogenic CO2 (e.g., from chemical recovery boilers and waste incineration) as feedstock for the production of organic compounds (e.g., liquid fuels and plastics) in a fossil free society. This pathway is relatively unexplored but our preliminary analysis shows that biogenic CO2 is also a scarce resource unless demand for organic compounds, in particular liquid fuels, is reduced considerably. It requires large amounts of emissions-free electricity for hydrogen production and implies completely new value chains and collaborations between the forestry, energy and chemicals industries.

Renewable energy sources of heat offer the substantial economic, environmental and social benefits associated with renewable electricity but policy to support their expansion is considerably less advanced. The potential for applying various support instruments to renewable heat is considered with advantages and disadvantages discussed. (c) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The potential impact of policies promoting transport biofuels on the use of land due to the indirect effects of feedstock cultivation has generated a controversy in the EU. Policy-makers are urged to regulate the matter without conclusive scientific evidence concerning the scale and severity of indirect land-use change (iLUC). By looking at this situation as an instance of policy making in the context of scientific uncertainty, this study analyses ways to deal with iLUC of biofuels policies learning from policy fields where similar dilemmas were confronted in the past. The experience with technologies such as genetically modified organisms, carbon capture and storage, nuclear power and radioactive waste, and transport biofuels is instructive for this purpose. Policy approaches identified in the case studies are applied to the case of iLUC. The results show that a preventive approach, which appears as the most practical choice in terms of effectiveness and stakeholders’ acceptability, however, also involves a risk of treating scientific uncertainty as certainty (the uncertainty paradox). Policy-makers, scientists and stakeholders all have responsibility to avoid this paradox, in order to limit future controversy.

The Swedish pulp and paper industry has gone through a strategic change in its approach to electricity production and consumption over the past decade. This paper documents this reorientation, which includes increased on-site electricity production, investments and investment plans for wind power, and new partnerships concerning investments in electricity production assets. We also assess the extent to which these changes can be attributed to key energy and climate policies. Our analysis shows that this strategic reorientation has been driven by changes in the underlying economic conditions for the pulp and paper industry, in particular increases in the price of electricity following the Swedish energy market reform in 1996, and the introduction of the EU ETS. The scheme for tradable renewable electricity certificates, on the other hand, has provided a new source of income. While these market-based signals and responses are the most dominant drivers of strategic change, cognitive changes in the pulp and paper industry have also played a role in the strategic reorientation. The cognitive changes concerning the functioning of the electricity market, i.e. the pricing of electricity and influence of the EU ETS, have been particularly important in this regard.

This paper examines policy processes surrounding the rise and fall of the proposed EU-wide policy instrument designed to help achieve EU´s renewable energy targets – the trading of Guarantees of Origin (GO). It discusses its origins and examines factors in the policy processes over time leading first to its development and then to its rejection. A first analysis looks at the near-term policy-making process before and after the proposal on GO trading in January 2008, focusing on the European law-making institutions and influences of interest groups and member state governments. It then takes a step back and looks over a longer time period at how competing policy frames have shaped the trading debate. Results show how a strong internal market frame acted as a primary driving force in the Commission to promote the GO trading instrument. The rejection of the GO trading proposal in the Council and Parliament can be largely attributed to the lack of a strong lobby in favour of GO, the accumulated experience with and institutionalisation of national RES support policies such as feed-in tariffs, and growing general political concerns for supply security and competitiveness. The framing analysis show that the rise and fall of GO trading embodies a classic conflict between the internal market and the member states’ wish to protect national interests.

Biomass provides the largest reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission when it replaces coal, which is the dominating fuel in heat and electricity production in Poland. One means of replacing coal with biomass is to co-fire biofuels in an existing coal-fired boiler. This paper presents an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of co-firing biofuels in Poland with respect to technical, environmental, economical and strategic considerations. This analysis shows that co-firing is technically and economically the most realistic option for using biofuels in the large pulverized fuel (PF) boilers in Poland. However, from an environmental perspective, co-firing of biofuels in large combined heat and power (CHP) plants and power plants provides only a small reduction in sulphur dioxide (SO2) emission per unit biofuel, since these plants usually apply some form of desulphurization technology. In order to maximize the SO2 emission reduction, biofuels should be used in district heating plants. However, co-fired combustion plants can handle disruptions in biofuel supply and are insensitive to moderate changes in fuel prices, which makes them suitable utilizers of biofuels from perennial energy crops. Co-firing could therefore play an important role in stimulating perennial crop production.

Poland, as many other countries, has ambitions to increase the use of renewable energy sources. In this paper, we review the current status of bioenergy in Poland and make a critical assessment of the prospects for increasing the share of bioenergy in energy supply, including policy implications. Bioenergy use was about 4% (165PJ) of primary energy use (3900PJ) and 95% of renewable energy use (174PJ) in 2003, mainly as firewood in the domestic sector. Targets have been set to increase the contribution of renewable energy to 7.5% in 2010, in accordance with the EU accession treaty, and to 14% in 2020. Bioenergy is expected to be the main contributor to reaching those targets. From a resource perspective, the use of bioenergy could at least double in the near term if straw, forestry residues, wood-waste, energy crops, biogas, and used wood were used for energy purposes. The long-term potential, assuming short rotation forestry on potentially available agricultural land is about one-third, or 1400 PJ, of current total primary energy use. However, in the near term, Poland is lacking fundamental driving forces for increasing the use of bioenergy (e.g., for meeting demand increases, improving supply security, or further reducing sulphur or greenhouse gas emissions). There is yet no coherent policy or strategy for supporting bioenergy. Co-firing with coal in large plants is an interesting option for creating demand and facilitating the development of a market for bioenergy. The renewable electricity quota obligation is likely to promote such co-firing but promising applications of bioenergy are also found in small- and medium-scale applications for heat production. Carbon taxes and, or, other financial support schemes targeted also at the heating sector are necessary in the near term in order to reach the 7.5% target. In addition, there is a need to support the development of supply infrastructure, change certain practices in forestry, coordinate RD&D efforts, and support general capacity building. The greatest challenge for the longer term lies in reforming and restructuring the agricultural sector. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)

Bioenergy is recognized as the most important renewable energy source in Poland in several national policy documents. This has spurred an in increasing interest in energy crops, particularly willow, due to the large areas of arable land in Poland. However, in order for willow to be adopted by farmers, this crop must be perceived to be at least as profitable as cereal crops, such as wheat and barley, which compete for the same land. The objective of this study was to calculate the economics of growing willow on relatively large farms from a farmer's perspective in Poland. An additional objective was to relate the viability of growing willow to that of growing wheat and barley. Our calculations show that growing willow can indeed be an economically viable alternative to wheat and barley. At the current Polish price of wood chips (about 33 PLN/MWh or 7.5 €/MWh), the viability of willow is similar to that of barley given our assumptions on yields, etc. Wheat is the most viable crop of the three crops studied. Willow, however, is more profitable than both wheat and barley assuming a wood chip price of 50 PLN/MWh (11 €/MWh), which better represents the price in Europe as a whole. Despite good viability, willow is unlikely to be adopted by a great number of farmers without active support mechanisms and long-term stability of the status of energy crops in the Polish and the EU common agricultural policy.

District heating (DH) systems may contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels for heating purposes since they enable the use of waste heat and facilitate the use of renewable energy sources. This paper focuses on the transformation of the Swedish DH systems with regard to energy supply in 1960–2011. Swedish DH production was completely dependent on oil until the late 1970s, while today it is dominated by biomass and other renewable energy sources. The objectives of this paper are to describe and explain the fuel transition in the context of the main events that have characterized the development of the Swedish DH sector. For this purpose, we employ theories and approaches grounded in the literature on systems of innovations, especially the Multi-Level Perspective. The study shows that the transition involved a series of steps. Initiated by the oil crises in the 1970s the oil-based regime collapsed rapidly, while the growth of the biomass-based regime was a steered process governed by actors and supported only by external events. The lessons learned from the transition towards low-carbon and more sustainable DH systems in Sweden could be useful in the challenging task of steering future energy transitions in other countries and sectors.

Executive Summary Renewable energy can provide a host of benefits to society . In addition to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, governments have enacted renewable energy (RE) policies to meet a number of objectives including the creation of local environmental and health benefits; facilitation of energy access, particularly for rural areas; advancement of energy security goals by diversifying the portfolio of energy technologies and resources; and improving social and economic development through potential employment opportunities. Energy access and social and economic development have been the primary drivers in developing countries whereas ensuring a secure energy supply and environmental concerns have been most important in developed countries. An increasing number and variety of RE policies–motivated by a variety of factors–have driven substantial growth of RE technologies in recent years . Government policies have played a crucial role in accelerating the deployment of RE technologies. At the same time, not all RE policies have proven effective and efficient in rapidly or substantially increasing RE deployment. The focus of policies is broadening from a concentration almost entirely on RE electricity to include RE heating and cooling and transportation. RE policies have promoted an increase in RE capacity installations by helping to overcome various barriers . Barriers specific to RE policymaking (e.g., a lack of information and awareness), to implementation (e.g., a lack of an educated and trained workforce to match developing RE technologies) and to financing (e.g., market failures) may further impede deployment of RE.

Our aim with this report is to discuss vehicle fuels from a wide perspective of sustainability. Biofuels and electricity are analyzed and compared to fossil vehicle fuels. Our goal is to try to point out the circumstances under which vehicle fuels can be reasonably perceived as sustainable, and which systems we should develop and which we should avoid. The all-embracing conclusion of this study is that one can not establish how sustainable fuels will develop in the future without simultaneously taking into consideration both scale and pace of growth. Today’s biofuels produced in Sweden are sustainable, given the present production volume, and promote further development of new fuel systems. However, in the case of increased production volumes, exact requirements should be established for the energy- and climate efficiency of the entire fuel chain (from cultivation to tank). High priority should be given to the development of fuel-efficient cars. In this field hybrid electric technology and electric cars will grow in importance. Any long-term strategy for biofuels should include investments in technology for both thermal gasification and biological conversion methods of lignocellulose, since these are complementing as much as competing technologies, both increasing the flexibility as well as decreasing the risk of conflicts. Biogas from waste products has great environmental advantages and the sector can be expanded with only small risks of conflicts. Certification (if correctly formulated) is an important and necessary tool on the way towards more sustainable vehicle fuels and increased production volumes, but certification systems should not be overrated since they can not cover all sustainability aspects. Socio-economic aspects such as working conditions, local rural development etc. must be dealt with through general measures such as national laws, distribution policies, programs and plans, all of which should be supported by international agreements and cooperation on development at all levels. Irrespective of the development in Sweden or the EU, global production of biofuels will increase, not least in the developing countries. It is therefore important to exploit the opportunity we have today to participate in the development and implementation of sustainability criteria. Renewable vehicle fuels can lead to a positive as well as sustainable development in both industrialized and developing countries, when the framing and guidance for an adequate pace of growth and production volumes are given.

The objective of this study was to calculate indicative ranges of production costs and assess the main sources of cost for a number of energy crops, both annual and perennial, on a regional level in Europe. The production costs were calculated in terms of the economic compensation required by the farmer in order to grow the crop, and therefore include not only the cost of cultivation, but also the costs of land and risk, which are often omitted in production cost calculations. The cost of land was calculated as the opportunity cost based on the production of cereals. Thus, higher food prices lead to higher land costs, which in turn lead to higher energy crop production costs. The analysis was performed for three cases with different assumptions concerning yields and production cost reductions resulting from scale (total cultivation area in the region), and learning effects. The calculated energy crop production costs were found to be consistently lowest for short- rotation coppice (SRC) crops and highest for annual straw crops. The production costs of SRC crops were calculated to be about 4-5 € GJ -1 under present conditions and 3-4 € GJ -1 under improved future conditions. The production costs for perennial grasses were calculated to be about 6-7 € GJ -1 and 5-6 € GJ -1 under present and improved future conditions, respectively. The production costs for annual straw crops were estimated to be 6-8 € GJ -1 under present conditions with small potential for cost reductions in the future.

A decision-analytic model was designed to estimate the associated costs and outcomes of maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease with budesonide controlled ileal release (CIR) capsules (Entocort((R)) capsules, Astra Draco, Lund, Sweden) versus no maintenance therapy. A third-party payer perspective was adopted to compare the direct costs associated with the medication and healthcare resource use for each therapy over a period of 12 four-week cycles. The costs of routine patient care and the consequences of failure, in terms of relapses, acute therapies, hospitalisations and surgery, were included. The outcome was measured as the average number of days in remission per patient per 12-cycle period. Based on the assumptions in the model, the results show that budesonide CIR capsules are associated with a reduction of 16.6 (26%) days in relapse, i.e. a 6% increase in days in remission, over a one-year period compared with no maintenance therapy. Direct healthcare costs are increased by 6% or Swedish kronor (SEK) 1673 ($US1 ~ SEK7.60). Overall, the model shows that there are substantial (non-drug associated) cost offsets from using budesonide CIR capsules as maintenance therapy in Crohn's disease. These cost offsets, in addition to improvements in patients' well-being and quality of life, indicate that maintenance therapy is cost effective compared with no maintenance therapy. The cost per added day in remission is relatively modest (SEK101 ~ $US13). If indirect costs are added to the calculation, it is realistic to argue that a net saving to society would be most likely.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur avsättningen av biomassa kan öka inom de närmaste 10-20 åren för produktion av värme, el och drivmedel i Sverige. I dessa analyser förutsätts biomassan användas på ett resurs- och kostnadseffektivt sätt, vilket exempelvis innebär att värmeunderlagen är styrande för den potentiella avsättningen av biomassa i kraftvärmebaserad elproduktion och framtida drivmedelskombinat, och att avsättningen av biprodukter är styrande för avsättningen av biomassa i produktion av vissa biodrivmedel. De ekonomiska förutsättningarna analyseras inte närmare i denna studie. Inom sektorn värme- och elproduktion görs länsvisa analyser över potentialen att avsätta biomassa i produktion av småskalig värme, fjärrvärme, processvärme i skogsindustrin och kraftvärmebaserad elproduktion i fjärrvärme¬systemen och skogsindustrin. Dessa analyser visar att avsättningen av biobränslen för värme- och elproduktion kan öka från 87 TWh (avsättningen 2004/2005 exklusive vedeldning) till mellan 113 TWh och 134 TWh, beroende på fjärrvärmesystemens framtida utbyggnad. Den största ökningspotentialen finns i produktion av fjärrvärme. Geografiskt sett finns en stor del av ökningspotentialen i Stockholms län tack vare de stora möjligheterna att öka avsättningen av biobränslen för produktion av fjärrvärme och kraftvärme i länet. Inom drivmedelsektorn används ett delvis annorlunda angreppssätt då avsättningspotentialen för biodrivmedel bedöms vara ”obegränsad” inom de närmaste 10-20 åren. Faktorer som begränsar produktionen är i stället tillgången på råvara och de lokala förutsättningar som krävs för att uppnå effektiva produktionssystem. Bland biodrivmedel som produceras med första generationens teknologi är fokus på RME och spannmålsbaserad etanol. Den årliga inhemska produktionen av dessa bedöms kunna uppgå till som mest 1,4 TWh RME och 0,7-3,8 TWh spannmålsbaserad etanol, där den högre siffran i intervallet beskriver framtida möjligheter. För andra generationens biodrivmedel är fokus på utformningen av energikombinat och de fysiska förutsättningarna för avsättning av kombinatens värmeproduktion i fjärrvärme¬systemen. Då vi bedömer dessa avsättningsmöjligheter som ganska begränsade är det av stor vikt att energikombinaten utformas så att värmeproduktionen begränsas. Detta kan åstadkommas genom god värmeintegration och optimering av drivmedelsproduktionen. Utifrån de senaste årens utveckling och nuvarande styrmedel bedömer vi det som realistiskt att avsättningen av biomassa för värme- och elproduktion ökar enligt våra potential¬uppskattningar, d.v.s. med ca 30-50% inom de kommande 10 till 20 åren. Hur avsättningen av biomassa kommer att utvecklas för produktion av drivmedel är däremot mer osäkert enligt vår bedömning.

Vårt syfte med denna rapport är att diskutera drivmedel från ett brett perspektiv ur hållbarhetssynpunkt. Biodrivmedel och el analyseras och jämförs med fossila drivmedel. Vår målsättning är att försöka peka ut under vilka förutsättningar som drivmedel kan anses försvarbara ur hållbarhetssynpunkt och vilka system som vi bör utveckla respektive vilka system som vi bör undvika. En övergripande slutsats i studien är att man inte kan fastställa hur hållbara biodrivmedel blir i framtiden utan att samtidigt beakta skala och tillväxttakt. Dagens biodrivmedel i Sverige är hållbara utifrån den aktuella produktionsvolymen och gynnar utvecklingen av nya drivmedelssystem, men man bör ställa hårda krav på energi- och klimateffektivitet i hela bränslekedjan (från odling till tank) vid ökade produktionsvolymer. Det är av hög prioritet att utveckla bränslesnåla bilar och här kommer elhybridteknologin och elbilar att bli allt viktigare. En långsiktig strategi för biodrivmedel bör innehålla satsningar på teknologi både för termisk förgasning och biologiska omvandlingsmetoder för lignocellulosa eftersom detta är kompletterande lika mycket som konkurrerande teknologier samt ger större flexibilitet och mindre risk för konflikter. Biogas från restprodukter har stora miljöfördelar och kan expandera med liten risk för konflikter. Certifiering (rätt utformat) är ett viktigt och nödvändigt verktyg på vägen mot mer hållbara drivmedel och vid ökade produktionsvolymer, men dessa system ska inte överskattas då de aldrig kan innefatta alla hållbarhetskriterier. Socio-ekonomiska aspekter som arbetsförhållanden, lokal landsbygdsutveckling osv samt effekter av ökad markkonkurrens måste i första hand lösas med generella åtgärder som nationell lagstiftning, fördelningspolitik, program och planer som i sin tur bör stödjas av internationella avtal och utvecklingssamarbete på olika nivåer. Oavsett utvecklingen i Sverige eller EU så kommer biodrivmedelsproduktionen globalt att öka, framför allt i utvecklingsländerna. Det är därför viktigt att ta vara på den möjlighet vi har idag att medverka i utvecklingen och införandet av hållbarhetskriterier. Förnybara drivmedel kan, med rätt utformning och styrmedel för lämplig tillväxttakt och produktionsvolym, leda till en positiv och hållbar utveckling i både industri- och utvecklingsländer.

This study modeled the comparative costs and effectiveness of anticoagulation with bivalirudin alone, heparin alone, and heparin combined with a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa-receptor inhibitor (GPI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Sweden.GPIs are prescribed for -40% to 50% of patients undergoing PCI in Sweden. However, because treatment practices vary between hospitals, the model analyzed a cohort in which different proportions of patients (0%-100%) would receive a GPI in addition to heparin and the remaining patients would receive heparin monotherapy. This mixed cohort was compared with a cohort treated with bivalirudin. Abciximab was used as the GPI comparator, as this is the only GPI currently approved in Sweden for patients undergoing PCI. Pooled data from 3 studies (REPLACE-2 [second Randomized Evaluation of PCI Linking Angiomax to Reduced Clinical Events], ESPRIT [European/Australasian Stroke Prevention in Reversible Ischaemia Trial], and EPISTENT [Evaluation of Platelet IIb/IIIa Inhibitor for Stenting]) were used as the source for the probabilities of myocardial infarction (MI), urgent revascularization (UR), major and minor bleeding (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction study definitions), and death. Treatment costs associated with these complications were obtained from 4 Swedish hospitals, and official drug prices were obtained from the Swedish Pharmacopoeia. All costs were presented in 2006 Swedish kronor (SEK). The model was evaluated over a 30-day time frame from the perspective of a Swedish hospital. The modeled patient population was 63 years old, weighed 78 kg, and was 75% male.Compared with a pattern in which heparin plus a GPI was used in 50% of all PCIs and heparin alone was used in the remaining 50%, bivalirudin treatment was associated with a significant reduction in all complications in the model (P0.05), including a mean of 18.2 fewer MIs, 1.6 fewer URs, 15.3 fewer bleeding events, and 1.3 fewer deaths per 1000 treated patients. Bivalirudin therapy also was associated with a significant reduction in total drug and health care costs per patient (SEK -1301; 95% Cl, -1367 to -1229). The benefit of bivalirudin was sensitive to the rate of GPI use: additional reductions in rates of MI, UR, and death were seen at lower rates of GPI use, and additional reductions in rates of bleeding and costs of drugs and health care utilization were seen at higher rates of GPI use.In this model, anticoagulation with bivalirudin in patients undergoing PCI was cost-effective compared with heparin alone and heparin plus a GPI. In a hypothetical Swedish hospital unit using equal proportions of heparin alone and heparin plus a GPI, a switch to bivalirudin would reduce the risk of both ischemic events and bleeding events, resulting in savings in total drug and health care costs.

Summary In this economic evaluation, conducted alongside a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, economic data were collected from 339 patients with moderate-persistent asthma randomized to receive twice-daily, double-blind treatment with budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5 μg in a single inhaler ( n = 166 ) or fluticasone propionate 250 μg ( n = 173 ) for 12 weeks. The mean number of episode-free days (EFD) per patient was significantly greater in the budesonide/formoterol group than the fluticasone group (48.71 compared with 42.34, P = 0.0185 ). Data on medication use, visits to healthcare professionals, and hospitalization were pooled across all six countries and combined with German and Dutch unit cost data to calculate total healthcare costs. Using German unit costs, budesonide/formoterol was associated with significantly lower total healthcare costs per patient over the 12-week period compared with fluticasone (€131 compared with €210, P = 0.0043 ). Using Dutch unit costs, total healthcare costs were slightly numerically lower in the budesonide/formoterol group than the fluticasone group (€102 compared with €104), but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Budesonide/formoterol in a single inhaler is more effective than a higher microgram dose of fluticasone alone. It is cost-neutral and may provide cost-savings in some countries.

Following the development of large-scale use of biomass energy in the EU, international biofuel trade is a plausible scenario and something that is already taking place in Northern Europe. This paper focuses on Swedish biofuel imports, both direct and indirect imports, the latter which derive from the fact that part of the imported pulpwood and timber end up as fuel. The objective is to describe the biomass import flows, the actors involved and analyse the fundamental drivers for the trade flows. The rapid expansion of biomass energy, that has taken place in district heating since the early 1990s in Sweden, has been met partly by imports. The direct biofuel import was estimated to 18 PJ for 2000, which corresponded to 26% of the biofuel supply in district heating. The total indirect biofuel import was estimated to 9 PJ of which 5.5 PJ is consumed in the district heating sector. Sawmill wood chips, decay-damaged stemwood and pellets are imported from Estonia and Latvia, whereas used wood and solid recovered fuels are imported from Germany and the Netherlands. Tall oil and pellets are imported from North America. Key factors related to the Swedish biofuel import are analysed, both from the view of Swedish demand and from the view of supply in the Baltic countries as well as supply from Germany or the Netherlands. National differences in energy policy are perhaps the most important driving force behind the seemingly strange trade flows. Structures in the different national energy systems are also discussed as well as the transformation process that has taken place in the forest sector in the Baltic countries.

This paper analyses the potential biomass Supply in the 15 EU countries (EU15), 8 new member states and 2 candidate countries (ACC10), plus Belarus and the Ukraine. The objective of this study is to make a more detailed assessment of the potential in Europe than previously undertaken. For this purpose five scenarios were designed to describe the short-, medium- and long-term potential of biomass for energy. The scenarios are based on assumptions regarding residue harvests, energy-crop yields and Surplus agricultural land. Energy-crop yields are correlated with the national wheat yields, a methodology we have not seen used in biomass assessments before. Our assessments show that under certain restrictions on land availability, the potential supply of biomass energy amounts to up to 11.7 EJy(-1) in the EU15 and 5.5 EJy(-1) in the ACC10. For comparison, the overall energy supply in the EU15 totalled 62.6 EJy(-1) in 2001. Consequently, there are no important resource limitations in meeting the biomass target, 5.6E Jy(-1) in the EU15 by 2010, which was set by the European Commission in the 1997 White paper on renewable energy sources (RES). However, given the slow implementation of the RES policy it is very unlikely that the biomass targets will be met. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

District heating satisfies about 60% of the heat demand in Swedish buildings. Today, more than two thirds of the heat supply to the district heating systems is based on biomass and waste, and biomass alone accounts for about half of the heat supply. The purpose of this paper is to present the Swedish experiences of introducing and expanding the use of biomass in the district heating systems and to identify the main drivers behind this development. Our five research questions and the corresponding conclusions consider the driving forces from energy policy tools and local initiatives, the biomass prices, the established infrastructures in forestry and district heating, the technology paths for biomass conversion, and finally the future challenge of competing uses of biomass. © 2016 The Authors

The objective of this paper is to outline and discuss the key elements of an EU industrial development policy consistent with the Paris Agreement. We also assess the current EU Industrial Strategy proposal against these elements. The “well below 2 °C” target sets a clear limit for future global greenhouse gas emissions and thus strict boundaries for the development of future material demand, industrial processes and the sourcing of feedstock; industry must evolve to zero emissions or pay for expensive negative emissions elsewhere. An industrial policy for transformation to net-zero emissions must include attention to directed technological and economic structural change, the demand for emissions intensive products and services, energy and material efficiency, circular economy, electrification and other net-zero fuel switching, and carbon capture and use or storage (CCUS). It may also entail geographical relocation of key basic materials industries to regions endowed with renewable energy. In this paper we review recent trends in green industrial policy. We find that it has generally focused on promoting new green technologies (e.g., PVs, batteries, fuel cells and biorefineries) rather than on decarbonizing the emissions intensive basic materials industries, or strategies for handling the phase-out or repurposing of sunset industries (e.g., replacing fossil fuel feedstocks for chemicals). Based on knowledge about industry and potential mitigation options, and insights from economics, governance and innovation studies, we propose a framework for the purpose of developing and evaluating industrial policy for net-zero emissions. This framework recognizes the need for: directionality; innovation; creating lead markets for green materials and reshaping existing markets; building capacity for governance and change; coherence with the international climate policy regime; and finally the need for a just transition. We find the announced EU Industrial Strategy to be strong on most elements, but weak on transition governance approaches, the need for capacity building, and creating lead markets.

Sweden has a long-standing political commitment to the development of renewable energy, although the driving forces have changed over time. The focus has shifted from reducing dependence on oil to phasing out nuclear power, and, in the past 10 years, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this article we review Swedish renewable energy policy since 1975, focusing on how it has influenced the development of wind power and the use of biomass for heat and electricity production. Sweden is endowed with rich renewable energy sources. The wind and bioenergy potential alone, about 100-200 TWh and 700 PJ, respectively, each correspond to more than one-third of present primary energy use. In 2001, about 500 GWh of wind power was produced and 336 PJ of biomass for energy was used. Renewable energy policy during the 1970s and 1980s was mainly expressed as strong efforts in technology research, development and demonstration. This supply-led attempt to transform the energy system had little impact on the Swedish energy balance. Market development took off mainly during the 1990s when taxes and subsidies created favourable economic conditions for new investments and fuel-switching. This underlines the importance of creating demand-pull policies. In the case of wind, Sweden still has only about one-fifth as much installed capacity as Denmark. The relatively slow development of wind power can be ascribed to the lack of strong commitment, continuity, and a clear strategy and approach in Swedish government efforts for the establishment and expansion of wind power – a situation that has been exacerbated by relatively low electricity prices. In contrast, the use of biomass for energy increased substantially during the 1990s, specifically wood fuels for district-heating which increased from 13 PJ in 1990 to 65 PJ in 2001. A system with high carbon dioxide taxes, 28 euro/t CO 2 in 1991 and 84 euro/t CO 2 in 2003, for fuels for heating but no taxes on fuels for electricity production created strong incentives for fuel-switching in district-heating, albeit not for biomass-based cogeneration. The development was facilitated by existing infrastructures in the forestry and energy sectors, notably the district-heating systems. Professional actors in these sectors were able to respond constructively to changes in relative fuel prices. A quota-based renewable electricity certificates system was introduced in 2003 to replace earlier subsidy schemes. In the next few years it is expected to stimulate mainly the development of biomass-based cogeneration.

Godkänd; 2010; 20100731 (roblund)

Biogas systems are complex in the sense that they cut across several sectors, mainly agriculture, waste management and energy. Cooperation between actors in these sectors must work for biogas projects to be realised and successful. The aim of this report is to describe the biogas systems in Skåne from a value chain perspective, including important development pathways. The different segments in the value chain are mapped with regard to actors, actors in supporting activities, technologies and institutions (mainly regulations). Skåne is a fairly small part of Sweden in terms of land area but it is the most important agricultural and food producing region in Sweden and comparatively densely populated. These characteristics explain why Skåne is an important (if not the most important) biogas region in Sweden. The earliest applications of biogas were for the purpose of reducing the volume of sewage from waste water treatment plants. The biogas produced was used mainly for plant process needs and part of it was often flared. Much of the biogas today, from a variety of types of biogas plants, is upgraded and used for transport. The development towards transport applications can be traced back to the desire to reduce oil dependence and urban air pollution from diesel buses. Initially buses were converted to compressed natural gas, but with regional ambitions for fossil free public transport attention in recent years has turned to compressed biogas. Biogas value chains have developed in response to sustainability concerns in energy and transport, sewage sludge and waste handling, and in agriculture. The development has generated new business opportunities, especially in the field of upgrading. The production of biogas, for transport fuel, waste handling and fertiliser, is expected to continue to grow in Skåne.