Necessary measures in new electrification strategy

Today, the Government has presented an electrification strategy with many good and absolutely necessary measures, which Svemin and its member companies welcome.

We agree with the Government’s vision that Sweden should have a robust electricity system with high delivery security, low environmental impact and electricity at competitive prices. We agree that electrification is crucial to achieving climate goals. Furthermore, we view positively that the government emphasizes the importance of electricity and power being needed where it is needed, when it is needed, and that the expansion of the electricity system needs to be better anchored at different levels in society for increased acceptance.

Several measures for shortened lead times for permits and removal of obstacles are proposed, something that today complicates and delays increased electricity production. Those measures are welcome. The mining industry is a changing industry where some of the investments in northern Sweden are crucial to meet climate change, including LKAB’s new strategy to switch to fossil-free sponge iron production based on the Hybrit technology, which requires a greatly expanded electricity production.

The mining industry’s updated climate roadmap, which will be presented later this spring, points to a sixfold increase in electricity demand by 2035 to just over 32 TWh. In 2045, the need is estimated to be up to 65 TWh, which is a sharp increase compared to the current need of around 5 TWh.

Many of us have already come a long way in the conversion work and in order for the mining cluster to continue to develop and adjust, an electricity system is needed that meets both current and future needs, a cost-effective and climate-neutral electricity system with high delivery security that strengthens industry’s global competitiveness.

The electrification strategy is a result of the good collaboration that has existed between industry representatives, the government and others, and we look forward to continued dialogue in the electrification council that will be established for the implementation of the strategy, where we are happy to assist with our knowledge and expertise.

For politics, it is now a matter of agreeing and achieving a broad and long-term solution that secures the industry’s continued adjustment work and investments in new technology that will benefit society as a whole.

FURTHER READING

Press release from the Ministry of Infrastructure (Swe.) – regeringen.se