The Climate Policy Council (Klimatpolitiska rådet) presented its annual report assessing the government’s overall policy with regard to Swedish and EU climate targets. The Council concludes that the plan is not sufficient to achieve the national climate targets by 2030.
Svensk Vindenergi agrees with the assessment and provides the wind energy industry’s perspective on the report’s conclusions. The Climate Policy Council’s report contains an analysis of the government’s December 2024 climate action plan, and the Council notes that the plan lacks sufficient measures to achieve the climate targets by 2030. The Council makes several recommendations to the government, some of which have implications for the industry’s ability to electrify and the role of electricity generation in doing so, including: ‘There is an urgent need for a broad impact assessment of Sweden’s different electrification pathways, which includes all fossil fuel-free electricity generation technologies, as well as flexibility and energy storage solutions. At the same time, favourable conditions for new electricity generation from renewable sources should be quickly restored in the near future.’ ‘ Further development of policies to support the industry’s climate transition, including through faster permitting processes, better public infrastructure, skills provision and increased funding opportunities’.
What is still missing is a broader analysis of how the government should address electrification needs, including the socio-economic and fiscal impacts and the impact on the electricity market. The government has previously stated that onshore wind power is the energy source that can make the greatest contribution to new electricity generation in the short term, but at the same time has not presented sufficient measures to strengthen its conditions.
Svensk Vindenergi stresses the importance of creating a level playing field for all fossil-free energy sources and that the short-term development of electricity production should not be delayed. The association shares the Council’s view that incentives for new electricity production should be strengthened. The government has announced incentives for municipalities that favour or already have wind power, but the Council believes that the proposal is still unclear and there are no concrete decisions. The Council stresses the importance of making the compensation permanent and ensuring that it aims to stimulate new development and not just compensate existing wind energy. At the same time, the government has decided to reject all 13 offshore wind proposals in the Baltic Sea, citing defence interests. The Council notes that this is a severe limitation of possible development areas and that Sweden currently has a more limited strategy than several other NATO countries around the Baltic Sea. Such a measure without a broader analysis delays the expansion of necessary electricity production.
25 proposals for a safer, more prosperous and greener Sweden
Sweden needs a stable, competitive and cost-effective electricity system that can support industrial transformation and achieve climate goals. Creating favourable conditions for wind energy is key to achieving this. The Svensk Vindenergi Association has compiled 25 proposals on how wind energy can contribute to solving Sweden’s main energy challenges. The analysis presents a number of proposals for more efficient permitting processes and better incentives for more wind energy producers.
Svensk Vindenergi’s analysis is available at: https://svenskvindenergi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Svensk-Vindenergi-25-forslag-FINAL-1.pdf
Source: Svensk Vindenergi
