Sweden profile

Overview

Final energy consumption in Sweden was around 31.3 Mtoe in 2022. This figure implies a decrease by 0.9 Mtoe since 2000, when consumption was almost 32.2 Mtoe. Energy consumption in the transport sector has shown a decrease by 0.47 Mtoe between 2000 and 2022. During the same period, industrial consumption decreased by 1.23 Mtoe and residential sector by 0.33 Mtoe. The service sector, including non-specified activities, saw an increase by 1.23 Mtoe. 

Overall energy efficiency improved by 1.3 %/year or 25% between 2000 and 2022 as measured by ODEX. The largest improvement, exceeding 1.6%/year (30% in total), took place in residential and services sectors. Progress in transport and industry was more modest, 0.8%/year (16%) and 1.2%/year (23%), respectively. It is worth noticing that only developments in the transport sector actually follow the overall trend. In industry, energy efficiency improvements, as measured by ODEX, were significant before 2006 (i.e. before the onset of the crisis), but since then little progress can be observed. Meanwhile, progress in the residential sector and services has been rather rapid and persistent.

In 2022, Swedish energy savings highlight notable improvements across key sectors. Industry achieved the largest savings at 3.04 Mtoe, followed by residential at 2.65 Mtoe, services at 1.61 Mtoe, and transport at 1.46 Mtoe. The base year of 2000 sets the reference at zero, with consistent increases observed annually. The data underscores the effects of various efficiency initiatives, particularly in industry and households.

Swedens total energy supply changed from 47.4 Mtoe in 2000 to 44.7 Mtoe in 2022. Decreases in final consumption (-0.9), consumption in the power sector (-0.6), and non-energy uses (-1.7) collectively reduced overall supply. An increase in other transformations (+0.5) party offset these reductions. All these factors result in a net decline of 2.7 Mtoe over the period. Particularly lower non-energy uses and final consumption contribute to Sweden's reduced total energy supply in 2022 compared to 2000. 

Sweden's final energy consumption decreased by 0.9 Mtoe, from 2000 (32.1 Mtoe) to 2022 (31.2 Mtoe). The largest upward driver is activity increase, adding 8.2 Mtoe, while Energy savings reduce consumption by 8.8 Mtoe. Structural changes, mostly in industry, account for a 3.2 Mtoe decrease, and ''other'' factors add 2.9 Mtoe, offsetting some of the declines. This demonstrates that despite economic and societal growth, efficiency gains and structural shifts have contained final energy consumption. 

The foundation for Swedish energy efficiency policy is the tax on energy and carbon dioxide emissions. However, the effects stem not only from the tax itself, but also from the concurrent effects of other policy instruments. The tax creates a general incentive for action for reduced energy use, but because of its broad approach, further instruments are needed to target specific groups of users. Sweden has a national energy efficiency target for a reduction of the ratio between primary energy consumption and GDP by 50% for the period 2005-2030. Already by 2017 a reduction of 20% was registered. However, because primary energy consumption and GDP do not correlate in a 1:1 relation, there always exists a risk that the gains in one or several years in a row may be reversed in subsequent years. Data for 2021 show 33% reduced energy use. 

Buildings

Sweden's final energy consumption in residential buildings sector has decreased by 0.33 Mtoe at normal climate between 2000 and 2022. Over the same period, consumption in the services sector decreased by 0.27 Mtoe. 

Swedish households' final energy consumption, adjusted for climate variations, has shifted by end-use between 2000 and 2022. Space  heating decreased by 20% from 5.18 Mtoe to 4.12 Mtoe, and water heating by 14% from 1.19 Mtoe to 1.02 Mtoe, indicating some efficiency gains or changes in heating pratices. Meanwhile, energy consumption for electrical appliances and lighting increased by 22% from 1.24 Mtoe to 1.51 Mtoe.

Energy consumption of space heating per m2 has shown a significant downward trend between 2000 and 2022, from 11.5 to 7.88 koe/m2 (-1.7%/year), although there are of course annual variations. This is largely due to more energy efficient buildings (building materials, windows) or fuel substitution (e.g. installing heat pumps). Electrical appliances and lighting consumption has increased by 3.0 % between 2000 and 2022 to reach 0.328 toe per dwelling. On the contrary, water heating consumption per dwelling has decreased from 0.28 toe to 0.22 toe (-1.1%/year). There is also a slight increase in energy used for cooking.

Figure 10 below shows that Swedish household's electricity consumption per dwelling, adjusted for climate variation, has shifted between 2000 and 2022. Thermal uses (e.g. heating systems) slightly decreased from 4390 kWh/dw to 4361 kWh/dw which indicates efficiency gains or changed heating practices. Electricity for appliances and lightning rose from 3420 kWh/dw to 3820 kWh/dw. 

Total energy consumption of households decreased by 0.33 Mtoe between 2000 and 2022, from 7.29 to 6.96 Mtoe. The single most important factor pulling down energy use is energy savings, amounting to 2.65 Mtoe. This is however counterbalanced by upward trends, such as the increasing number of dwellings, more appliances per dwelling and larger homes. 

Between 2000 and 2022, space heating consumption for households decreased by 1.02 Mtoe from 4.98 Mtoe to 3.96 Mtoe. Single most important factor pulling down energy used in space heating is savings by 1.69 Mtoe. Activity and larger homes are factors that are pulling upp the energy use. 

Most notable change is in the services by branch is ''Other services'', which dropped from 1.35 Mtoe to 1.1 Mtoe between 2000 and 2022. Energy consumption in health services also declined, from 0.52 Mtoe to 0.45 Mtoe, while hotels and restaurants increased from 0.18 Mtoe to 0.24 Mtoe. Other branches remained relatively stable, exhibiting only minor fluctuations in energy use. 

Electricity consumption per m² in services has increased by 17.8% over the period 2000-2022. Energy consumption per m2 in services has decreased by 10% over the period 2000-2022.

In Sweden taxes on energy and carbon dioxide are a powerful instrument for energy efficiency. It has been proved that the energy savings resulting from taxation has had a major impact in the reduction of energy use. However, taxation is supported by other policy instruments, for instance technology procurement groups. By this is meant that certain actors jointly make purchases of new technology in order to put a downward pressure on prices. There are currently three of them affecting buildings. One is directed towards landlords of commercial buildings, one for landlords of residential buildings and one for builders of individual homes. Moreover, Sweden has since the 1950's had energy efficiency requirements in the building code, which is updated at least once a decade. The building code applies to new buildings, on which stricter energy efficiency requirements each time the building code is updated.

Transport

The transport energy consumption has decreased by 8.5% between 2000 and 2022. The split between modes has remained very stable, dominated by road transport which accounts for 92%.

The share of rail in inland passenger traffic increased by 4.6% points between 2000 and 2022 to 10.8%, which is partly a result of extensive campaigns. Share of cars decreased by 5% points and share of bus transport has increased by 4% points over the period 2000-2022. 

For inland freight traffic, there was a significant shift to road transport, from 58.9% to 65.5% over the period 2000-2022 to the detriment of rail and water transport. 

The energy consumption of cars per pssanger-km decreased by about 9.3% (-0.4%/year) between 2000 and 2022, with a more significant reduction since 2019 (-2.6%/year). 

Energy consumption for transport decreased by 0.48 Mtoe between 2000 and 2022 from 7.4 Mtoe to 6.92 Mtoe. The main reason behind the downward trend is increased energy savings (-1.46 Mtoe). Modal shift plays a minor role. 

The most important policy instrument in the transport sector is tax on energy and carbon dioxide. In addition to this, there are numerous specific policy instruments (such as malus system for private vehicles and fuel blending mandate).

Industry

Between 2000 and 2022 total energy consumption in industry decreased by 1.2 Mtoe, from 12.2 to 11 Mtoe. Paper and pulp industry, which account for half of industry energy consumption by 3%, reduced its consumption from 6.0 Mtoe to 5.8 Mtoe. Steel industry consumption decreased by 25%, from 1.1 Mtoe to 0.85 Mtoe.

Unit consumption of cement has fallen by 1.2%/year (23 %) from 2000 to 2022. For steel, the unit consumption increased by 6.6% between 2000 and 2022. Paper and pulp unit consumption was 11% higher in 2022 compared to 2000. 

Total industrial energy consumption decreased by 1.2 Mtoe between 2000 (12.2 Mtoe) and 2022 (11 Mtoe). The greatest impact in this reduction was due to energy savings, and structural change (-3 Mtoe each). Upward pressure came from increased industrial activity (+3.1 Mtoe).

There are, and have been, several policy instruments directed towards industry, both large industry and SMEs. Between 2008 and 2014 there was a programme in place whereby large energy consuming industries were allowed some relaxation on certain taxes if they committed themselves to verifiable measures for energy efficiency. Moreover, there are energy efficiency networks according to branch. Even if the companies are competitors, they have many issues in common, such as energy efficiency.