2024-08-27
Last updated: 2025-03-07 17:12
Sweden and the world need to break their dependence on fossil fuels to reduce the threat to the climate and create a long-term sustainable society. Expanding new fossil-free electricity production and distribution is necessary, but it costs enormous money and, above all, it takes time. Time that according to all experts is running out.
Making smarter use of the resources we already have, both in terms of how we use and how we produce electricity and energy, could help accelerate the green transition.
Peter Eriksson, chairman of Fyrbodals kommunalförbund, emphasized the importance of a full day where politically elected officials and civil servants have the opportunity to discuss and share knowledge from experts and the business community.
"This is a way for us in Fyrbodal to be involved and help speed up this process required for the energy transition. We simply have to pick up the pace and this is one way to do it."
Flexibility - a powerful tool for green transition was the title of the day that brought together more than 130 people from Fyrbodal municipalities, Region Västra Götaland, the County Administrative Board, academia and business at Folkets Hus in Trollhättan. The aim was to stimulate discussions, collaboration and knowledge that can contribute to continued prosperity and development.
Helén Eliasson, Chair of the Regional Executive Board, began the day by pointing out the importance of political leadership. The business sector is driving the trend towards increased electrification, and it is extremely important that politicians are responsive to the changes that are necessary to transition the whole of society towards fossil independence. The fact that the transition is dependent on collaboration at all levels of society became even clearer when she handed over the baton to the next speaker, Governor Sten Tolgfors.
"We have to do this together. The realization that not everyone gets a battery factory but everyone is affected by the fact that in our county we get not just one but two battery factories. In addition, a very large number of major investments that are about the green transition of industry."
Mr. Tolgfors also stressed the need for popular support.
"There needs to be a conversation about where we are going, about electrification and what the conflicting objectives are so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in that discussion."
The challenges ahead are great. First and foremost, obtaining the electricity required by industry. According to Tolgfors, electricity consumption will triple by 2045.
"We therefore need a lot of regional electricity generation until then."
Today's keynote speaker was Johanna Lakso, CEO of PowerCircle, an interest organization for the future of electrification. She is also chairman of the Energy Offices in Sweden and has received the Power Woman of the Year award. During her lecture, Johanna shared knowledge and research on how the energy system works and how flexibility and digitization can contribute to smarter and more efficient use of the energy system we have.
"With the rapid digitalization we are seeing and the increasing number of connected products in our homes, we have greater opportunities to adapt and use the electricity we have based on the conditions that exist."
An important feature of the day was the twelve stations with experts in a variety of fields on electricity, energy and flexibility, where participants could stop and get answers to their own questions. At the stations, discussions and knowledge exchange also continued between participants.
The moderator of the day, Magnus Kuschel from West Sweden Energy Agency, asked several of the speakers and the experts at the stations if we will be able to make the transition. The answers he received were unanimously yes, or as the Governor put it:
"Yes, and our county has very good conditions for it."
The energy day was organized by Fyrbodals kommunalförbund in collaboration with West Sweden Energy Agency , which is part of Innovatum Science Park.
