Sweden, a Leader in Renewable Energy, Aims to End Oil Dependency by 2020

[jpak]

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=9822

(Update of earlier post)

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The country of 9 million people has coastlines stretching hundreds of kilometers, which have given rise to a number of wind power and water power plants. A large new wind farm is being built off Sweden's southern coast, and the government aims to increase electricity production from renewable resources by 15 terwatt hours by 2016.

Sweden also has more forest per capita than any other EU country, allowing it to burn tons of biomass which has helped make it one of the world leaders in renewable energy.

In 2003, 26 percent of the energy consumed in Sweden came from renewable sources -- more than four times as much as the European Union average of 6 percent, according to EU statistics. Only 32 percent of the energy came from oil -- down from 77 percent in 1970, according to Sweden's own statistics.

So while the EU is striving to double its average use of renewable energy to 12 percent by 2010, Sweden is correct in setting the bar much higher, said Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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