They are radically reorganizing their economy because of the "Peak Oil" theory. Even if they're dead wrong (which they are), cutting dependence on imported oil is only a good thing....as long as it doesn't hurt your economy too badly. I sincerely wish them luck.

Sweden plans to be world's first oil-free economy

· 15-year limit set for switch to renewable energy
· Biofuels favoured over further nuclear power

John Vidal, environment editor
Wednesday February 8, 2006
The Guardian

Sweden is to take the biggest energy step of any advanced western economy by trying to wean itself off oil completely within 15 years - without building a new generation of nuclear power stations.

The attempt by the country of 9 million people to become the world's first practically oil-free economy is being planned by a committee of industrialists, academics, farmers, car makers, civil servants and others, who will report to parliament in several months.

The intention, the Swedish government said yesterday, is to replace all fossil fuels with renewables before climate change destroys economies and growing oil scarcity leads to huge new price rises.

"Our dependency on oil should be broken by 2020," said Mona Sahlin, minister of sustainable development. "There shall always be better alternatives to oil, which means no house should need oil for heating, and no driver should need to turn solely to gasoline."

According to the energy committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, there is growing concern that global oil supplies are peaking and will shortly dwindle, and that a global economic recession could result from high oil prices.

Ms Sahlin has described oil dependency as one of the greatest problems facing the world. "A Sweden free of fossil fuels would give us enormous advantages, not least by reducing the impact from fluctuations in oil prices," she said. "The price of oil has tripled since 1996."

A government official said: "We want to be both mentally and technically prepared for a world without oil. The plan is a response to global climate change, rising petroleum prices and warnings by some experts that the world may soon be running out of oil."

Sweden, which was badly hit by the oil price rises in the 1970s, now gets almost all its electricity from nuclear and hydroelectric power, and relies on fossil fuels mainly for transport. Almost all its heating has been converted in the past decade to schemes which distribute steam or hot water generated by geothermal energy or waste heat. A 1980 referendum decided that nuclear power should be phased out, but this has still not been finalised.

The decision to abandon oil puts Sweden at the top of the world green league table. Iceland hopes by 2050 to power all its cars and boats with hydrogen made from electricity drawn from renewable resources, and Brazil intends to power 80% of its transport fleet with ethanol derived mainly from sugar cane within five years.

Last week George Bush surprised analysts by saying that the US was addicted to oil and should greatly reduce imports from the Middle East. The US now plans a large increase in nuclear power.

The British government, which is committed to generating 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2012, last month launched an energy review which has a specific remit to consider a large increase in nuclear power. But a report by accountants Ernst & Young yesterday said that the UK was falling behind in its attempt to meet its renewables target.

"The UK has Europe's best wind, wave and tidal resources yet it continues to miss out on its economic potential," said Jonathan Johns, head of renewable energy at Ernst & Young.

Energy ministry officials in Sweden said they expected the oil committee to recommend further development of biofuels derived from its massive forests, and by expanding other renewable energies such as wind and wave power.

Sweden has a head start over most countries. In 2003, 26% of all the energy consumed came from renewable sources - the EU average is 6%. Only 32% of the energy came from oil - down from 77% in 1970.

The Swedish government is working with carmakers Saab and Volvo to develop cars and lorries that burn ethanol and other biofuels. Last year the Swedish energy agency said it planned to get the public sector to move out of oil. Its health and library services are being given grants to convert from oil use and homeowners are being encouraged with green taxes. The paper and pulp industries use bark to produce energy, and sawmills burn wood chips and sawdust to generate power.

www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,,1704954,00.html

Good deal

I hope they do it.

Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it.

Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it.

They have the benefit of being a small, slightly populated island with an abundant source of nearly free energy to generate their hydrogen.

Glad other people are cutting down oil consumption. It will help balance out the increase by china.

Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it.

yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want?

Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want?

Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want? Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism?

There's a way. I think it's called the jerry springer show.

Don't know how that will power their cars, though.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want? Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism?

ethanol!

Quoted: Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism?

Can't wait to see Norway's reaction

It will be really really funny if new, massive, exploitable oil/gas deposits are discovered in Sweden. That will leave plenty for the rest of us to use.

Maybe they can use meatballs. But seriously I wish them luck with this it going to be alot harder that it seems

So, I'm guessing that Saabs will be built for export-only?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want? Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism?

And maybe Christiania could power Denmark with all that hashish?  JK  What is Denmark working on?  I've seen lots of the wind turbines in the sea between Kobenhavn and Malmo.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want? Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism? What is Denmark working on?  I've seen lots of the wind turbines in the sea between Kobenhavn and Malmo.

They draw pictures of Muhammed and put outraged Muslims on treadmills.

Awesome.

We need to be really pushing that here. It's a national security issue.

Sweden can put the Swedish bikini team to work.  I have some renewable energy I'll gladly share with them  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iceland is practically there now.  They use very little fossil fuel, and are working to completely eliminate it. yeah, but don't they have all the geothermal they want? Maybe Sweden could find a way to harness alcoholism? And maybe Christiania could power Denmark with all that hashish?  JK  What is Denmark working on?  I've seen lots of the wind turbines in the sea between Kobenhavn and Malmo.

If we could extract power from potsmoking hippies, we'd be golden!

You are right about the windpower - Denmark is probably the world leader in developing wind technology, although we're not yet using it that much ourselve (but export a lot of technology).  Unfortunately, Denmark is pretty paranoid about nuclear, which is a real shame.  

I'm not sure what exactly the "plan" is, if we have one - but between our own oil and natural gas, and the huge reserves of the Norwegians, hopefully we won't be too dependent on middle eastern oil.

In the long term the greatest thread to all the economies dependant on oil exports is the abandonment of oil as a chief energy source as these countries have virually no economic diversity.

Imagine if tomorrow some stooge invents a cold fusion energy source that is so easily produced that within 5 years 99% of American households have such a backyard device to supply their energy needs for both home and auto.

Oil prices would collapse...and I would expect the Middle East to react with pathetic whimpering on how they are starving.

This all gets back to my premise on the whole world order on oil.  Who has who by the balls?  The countries buying up all the oil have diverse economies to rely on.  Those who export tend to rely soley on their oil supplies.

The Middle East should be scared shitless of high oil prices, as it will only be a guarantee that thier customers will try to find other energy sources.  Once we don't need them any more, they will panic...and I don't think they will want to go out quietly.

Quoted: Sweden can put the Swedish bikini team to work.  I have some renewable energy I'll gladly share with them   www.uspsa2.org/images/sbt10.jpg

Mmm. I likes the chub-steak on the left with the nice, soft layer of girl-fat all over her, and the tubby jaw. wo0T! Wish her boobies were as big as the skinny on the right.

Funny, my eyes and my heart rate are rising as I am looking at this pic. You know, you could get the men of Sweden to hook small capacitors to their bio-output devices that the Socialist .gov has installed upon their bodies, and power small appliances 'round the house...

Quoted: Quoted: Sweden can put the Swedish bikini team to work.  I have some renewable energy I'll gladly share with them   www.uspsa2.org/images/sbt10.jpg Mmm. I likes the chub-steak on the left with the nice, soft layer of girl-fat all over her, and the tubby jaw. wo0T! Wish her boobies were as big as the skinny on the right. Funny, my eyes and my heart rate are rising as I am looking at this pic. You know, you could get the men of Sweden to hook small capacitors to their bio-output devices that the Socialist .gov has installed upon their bodies, and power small appliances 'round the house...

Those girls would just be average compared to what you see around Stockholm.  It's an amazing place.