The dethronement of France is partly responsible for the country itself. Several times the French have had to close their nuclear power plants because they were obsolete. As a result, it had to settle for second place among Europe’s largest energy exporters.
Sweden sent 33 terawatt hours to other countries last year. The Scandinavian country has thus become the top European exporter for the first time, according to ENTSO-E data analyzed by the consultancy firm Rystad Energy.
Sweden’s growth as an energy exporter is mainly due to hydroelectric plants that constantly generate power, says Swedish correspondent Jeroen Visser. “They built a lot of hydroelectric power plants, especially in northern Sweden.” In addition, there are also several nuclear power plants, from which the country can draw energy. The country’s investments in wind energy have also helped it become a net exporter.
Low impact warfare
Another important thing: Sweden was little affected by the war in Ukraine, which reduced the supply of Russian energy raw materials. 60 percent of energy production in Sweden is therefore sustainable. The country has been investing in renewable energy for years. In 2012, for example, Sweden managed to make half of its energy production more sustainable. In 2040, the country hopes to be completely independent of fossil energy sources.
According to Visser, the rise in ranking is not because Sweden produced more energy, but because other countries produced less. The Swedes have closed some nuclear power plants and domestic consumption has also increased. “This is due to the increase in the number of electric cars on the road.”
More nuclear power plants
However, Visser sees a bleak future for Sweden as an energy exporter, despite the stable supply of energy from hydroelectric power stations. ‘A number of nuclear power plants are now closed for maintenance. Also, the wind doesn’t always blow, which is also why the government wants to build more nuclear power plants.’