This is one of the main reasons I will vote for the bourgeoise (yes, they really call themselves that) opposition in the elections this autumn. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
The dilemma in Swedish electricity policy is that we have three incompatible goals, of which only two are possible to reach at any given time. The goals are:
The problem is that the remaining renewable resources, the hydro, is completely off limits. Wind is a marginal resource in Sweden, 10 TWh (of which 1 TWh has been exploited) compared with our 140 TWh consumption.
Then we have conservation. The problem here is that the vast Swedish electricity consumption is mainly due to our heavy process industry, which is vital for the country and also very electricity efficient. That consumption can't be reduced.
So then they attack small consumers instead, slapping high electricity taxes on citizens which corporations don't have to pay. This policy has not managed to reduce consumption, only slow consumption growth. And one should remember that increasing electricity use is a good thing as long as total energy consumption is constant (as has been the case in Sweden for the last 30 years).
The only way to conserve power in Sweden is to reduce power production by closing nuclear reactors. This pushes the power price upwards, creating conservation. And at the same time, killing vital private industry.
Nice job. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
How about renewably using wood coal for fuel? Sweden has huge and sensibly managed forestry resources. tens of millions of people stand to see their lives ruined because the bureaucrats at the ECB don't understand introductory economics -- Dean Baker
Anyway, using wood fuel is not an option. It is already used for heating all our cities in combined heat and power plants, and in the very important paper industry, not to mention the big plans for cellulosic ethanol or black liquor for DME.
There is just not enough wood. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 28.6% services: 69.7% (2005 est.) Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
GDP - composition by sector:
As a matter of fact, biofuels is larger than nuclear energy in Sweden. The energy balance is something like:
The world's total conventional (ie very low grade excluded) uranium reserves are 2 million metric tonnes. The unconventional reserves at Mount Billingen alone are 300.000 to 1 million tonnes. Total Swedish reserves are 4-32 million metric tonnes.
The big spread is due to no one looking for uranium since 1980 when we had our negative nuclear referendum. All funds for uranium prospecting were cut. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
