Electrification has a decisive role to play in addressing the climate transition
At the end of March, the Association of MPs and Researchers of the Swedish Parliament (Rifo) organised a seminar in which researchers and experts from the transport sector, electricity grid, electricity market and the battery sector shared their knowledge with MPs. Electrification topped the agenda as being fundamental to address the climate transition.
The seminar, which was held in the Second Chamber of the Riksdag, was opened by Helena Gellerman, Liberal Party MP and Rifo board member. She said Sweden has the potential to become a pioneer in international efforts to make electrification a key component in the climate transition.
Lina Bertling Tjernberg, Professor in Power Grid Technology, Director of KTH Energy Platform and Rifo Vice President told participants that the seminar was a follow-up to a previous event held three years ago ( read more about this seminar here ).
“Today, we’ll be given an update on what has happened since last time, and two of the most important events are that we now see nuclear power as an integral part of the future energy mix and that hydrogen has moved up the agenda.” Bertling Tjernberg said.
The growing role of batteries
The next speaker was Daniel Brandell, Professor in Materials Chemistry at Uppsala University, and Energy Storage theme leader at the Swedish Electromobility Centre . He highlighted the growing role of batteries in the energy system, primarily in the transport sector but also for storing electricity.
Brandell provided a snapshot of the current status of battery factory development in Europe, two of which are in Sweden. He also expressed concern about over-capacity in the sector, especially in countries that lack their own automotive industry.
However, Europe currently lacks sufficient access to raw materials and technical excellence in the battery segment, which may become a significant challenge. In addition, it is important that new investment is made throughout the entire value chain at the same time, from manufacturing to recycling.
Lithium-ion batteries are predicted to remain the dominant battery technology for the coming 50 years. Even though more promising technologies than lithium-ion exist today, they have not reached a sufficiently high degree of maturity to have a greater impact, Brandell said.
Increase of newly registered electric vehicles
Next on the programme was Anders Nordelöf, Senior Researcher and Docent in Environmental Systems Analysis at Chalmers and theme leader for Environment and Society at the Swedish Electromobility Centre .
Nordelöf began by saying that there has been a steady increase in the number of newly registered electric vehicles in Sweden. Today, Sweden tops the list of EU countries in terms of electric car registrations, with many of these being electric hybrids, and the proportion of light electric trucks also continues to grow.
However, Nordelöf warned that the capacity of local power grids threatens to slow the expansion of charging stations in Sweden, especially in terms of charging for heavier vehicles, which put more pressure on power grids than family cars.
He also highlighted our dependence on China in terms of access to raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and copper. Even if the EU introduces regulations in this area, such as the EU Critical Raw Materials Act , which encourages the recycling of batteries, today’s batteries have such a long life span that there will be a shortage of materials. Major investment is now needed on several levels to quickly adjust the supply of raw materials, Nordlöf said.
Climate benefits of hydrogen
Nordlöf was followed by Cecilia Wallmark, Operations Manager at the Centre for Hydrogen Energy Systems Sweden ( CH2ESS ) at Luleå University of Technology. She began by giving a picture of hydrogen’s role in the energy system of the future, emphasising its climate benefits for industry and the transport sector.
She highlighted the many industrial initiatives underway in northern Sweden that involve an increased expansion and use of hydrogen gas. In addition to more well-known ventures such as Hybrit, she referred to the production of fertiliser for agriculture made with the help of fossil-free hydrogen.
Wallmark also emphasised the role of hydrogen as an energy carrier and energy storage medium at larger wind and solar farms. There is also an increasing need for more hydrogen storage in Sweden, together with a more developed regulatory framework.
Wallmark also pointed out the importance of hydrogen for aviation and highlighted Swedavia’s co-operation agreement to promote the development of hydrogen-powered aviation at airports in Sweden and Norway.
In February, KTH Energy Platform arranged a workshop on hydrogen with a particular focus on systems integration and sector couplings.
The importance of long-term planning
The next speaker was Bertling Tjernberg, who spoke about how investment in the electricity grid has become increasingly important in recent years, especially in light of growing geopolitical tension. She also stressed the importance of long-term planning with clear goals, especially to encourage future industrial investment.
Lina Bertling Tjernberg gave a general overview of various aspects of electricity production and particularly emphasised the need for a system perspective focusing on alternatives and the use of available resources where Sweden is well positioned, for example with rivers, forests and the sea.
She highlighted the various advantages of production types such as wind power and nuclear power, and in particular small-scale modular power plants: SMRs, which made it onto the Swedish Nyordslistan 2022.
Later this spring, a scientific overview of the international development and deployment of SMRs, ”The Race to Realize Small Modular Reactors, IEEE power & energy magazine, May 2024.”, will be published in IEEE power & energy magazine.
Bertling Tjernberg highlighted the significance of nuclear power as well as hydrogen now being seen as part of the energy system of the future. Wind power is currently the strongest growing energy source, but to cope with the coming climate transition, all types of energy will be needed.
Even though Sweden is already a leader in smart electricity grids, more knowledge is needed to best meet the trend of a growing share of electricity being generated from sources such as wind and solar power. Local production and storage need to be followed up with greater investment in local electricity grids to further promote the electrification of the transport sector.
Ongoing EU reforms
Last to speak was Thomas Tangerås, Docent in Economics and Head of the Electricity Market programme at the Institute for Business Research.
He spoke about ongoing EU reforms to lay the foundations for a more stable electricity market. The aim is to create a more long-term and stable electricity market throughout the EU and to harmonise conditions for today’s support system.
The alternatives the EU is looking at include managing weather-dependent electricity production from wind and solar power and reviewing permit processes for the expansion of wind power, especially offshore.
Discussions are also being held at EU level regarding the role various support systems can have in increasing electricity production capacity in the future. Debate centres around issues such as investment support to encourage specific production capacity targets, as well as balancing support between wind and nuclear power.
Lastly, he highlighted the necessity of providing better access to the electricity grid, especially in the case of larger industrial projects such as those in northern Sweden.
The seminar attracted more than 50 participants who had the opportunity to put in-depth questions to the researchers after the presentations.
“Seminars like this one give us – members of the Riksdag – the opportunity to take in facts and information before making policy decisions. Rifo makes it easier for researchers and members of the Riksdag to meet, while we also need to highlight the role of companies in realising innovations and progress,” said Gellerman.
“It was fascinating to hear more about ongoing electrification and the increasing need for electricity in the future. This will be a real challenge. On top of which, we face the challenge of managing the supply of raw materials in the future,” said Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström, Moderate Party and Rifo board member.
You can learn more about Rifo here.
KTH Energy Platform, together with the association Vetenskap & Allmänhet, has published the book “Mot framtidens energi - den osynliga revolutionen bakom eluttaget”. In the book, Sweden's leading energy researchers share their views on known and less known challenges and solutions for the energy of the future.
It can be ordered here in both printed and digital format.
Also recently published is the anthology "Handbook on Climate Change and Technology" which is a compilation of socio-technical perspectives on climate change from different disciplines, including both engineering and social sciences.
Read more about the l aunch and content here .
Text: Magnus Trogen Pahlén
Photo: Magnus Glans
