Located in the north of Europe, with sparse or even zero solar irradiation throughout winter, and dogged by numerous cloudy days, Sweden is nevertheless keen to harness solar power to help it decarbonize its energy system.Swedish energy agency the Energimyndigheten has published a report outlining five scenarios to achieve fossil fuel free power generation. Wind and water will lead the way but officials have also examined the claims of solar.
The agency expects Sweden to generate around 160 TWh of power in 2045, with 20 TWh of annual net exports. Hydropower would provide around 70 TWh, according to the report, with the main variables land and sea based wind projects, cogeneration plants and PV systems.The contribution of solar envisaged ranges from 5 TWh, in the more wind-dependent scenarios, to 25 TWh in the most ambitious outlook for PV.Sweden’s sunnier south hosts around 411 MW of solar capacity at present and that figure would need to rise to more than 20 GW – making the nation a gigawatt solar market up to 2040 – to realize the most ambitious, 25 TWh solar scenario.
