Energy

How long will our present sources of energy last and which ones should we focus on in the future? How can we improve the efficiency of production and usage of electricity, heat and fuels? What effects do energy supply and energy consumption have on the environment and the economy? The energy issues range over many different fields.

The  Energy Committee

The Academy´s Energy Committee has, during its first phase 2005-2010, procured and valued knowledge about as well Swedish as global energy supply and the possibilities to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. Trends in supply and use of energy, ongoing research, development and demonstration projects provided the basis for the analysis. The perspective is global and extends 40 years ahead in time.

Still with focus on scientific and technological aspects, the Energy Committee continues to work during its second phase 2011-2014 with studies on strategic systems topics. A number of projects have been chosen for in-depth studies (see below and submenus to the left).

Report on sea level changes

2012-01-25 Fossil energy sources are likely to dominate for a considerable time. It is consequently of utmost importance to be able to diagnose the effects of a continued emission of greenhouse gases. Sea level rise is particularly important as it integrates the accumulated effect of global warming. Rising sea level is perhaps the most severe consequence of a climate warming, as much of the world’s population and infrastructure is located near current sea level.

Read the full report (pdf)

Report on Germany's phase-out decision

2011-11-08 The Committee has produced a report on effects of Germany's decision to phase-out their nuclear power stations before 2022. If the whole of the EU were to follow the German example, the EU’s carbon dioxide emissions would rise by 20% compared with the current level, directly contrary to the EU objective of reducing emissions by 20% by 2020. The issue was discussed at the seminar Europe’s energy future (below).

Read more about nuclear power 

Publications

The Committee´s conclusions, results and recommendations are summarized in a great number of publications in the form of reports, popular science booklets and more in-depth statements in Swedish and English.

All publications are presented and available for download at the submenus to the left.

The international symposium Energy 2050 held 19-20 October 2009 was documented in a report available at Springer:

AMBIO Special Report, Volume 39, Supplement 1 / July 2010

Symposia as video on demand

The committee has organized symposia and seminars with leading scientists and influential stakeholders. Some events were webcasted and are available as video on demand at  KVATV.se 
(search on "energy").

From Energy supply – environmental effects, risks and costs, 2012-05-03

EU Energy Roadmap 2050
Dr. Christian Kirchsteiger, Directorate-General Energy, European Commission, Belgium. Introductions by Staffan Normark and Harry Frank, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

From Europe's energy future,  2011-11-08
about Germany's decision to phase-out their nuclear power stations before 2022.

A German Perspective, Ferdi Schüth

Concluded projects

• Running out of oil?
• The development of nuclear energy, with a focus on risks (in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Engineering Academy of Sciences, IVA)
• The greenhouse effect and climate change (in collaboration with the Academy´s Environmental Committee)
•  The book “Energi – möjligheter och dilemman” (comprised and published in cooperation with IVA)
• Fusion energy
• The potential of biomass (in collaboration with the Environmental Committee and the Royal Swedish Academy of Forestry and Agriculture,  KSLA)
• Hydro-electric power and water in the  society (in collaboration with the Environmental Committee, European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC), and the Linné Secretariat)
• Solar energy 
• A European Electricity Power Grid (EASAC-project)
• Wind power 
• Energy efficiency
• The Swedish energy system, including a future scenario up to 2050
• Global energy resources and their utilization in a 40-year perspective
• Carbon dioxide storage

Projects in progess

• Electricity markets
• The Norrland project
• Cost analyses
• The potential of basic science to enable breakthroughs in low-carbon energy by 2050 (in collaboration with EASAC)
• Energy storage and regulation, including smart grids (planned)
• A fossil free transportation sector (planned)

Members

All the Academy´s scientific disciplines (classes) are represented within the committee: mathematics, astronomy and space science, physics, chemistry, geosciences, biosciences, medical sciences, engineering sciences, social sciences and humanities.

List of members

Working method

Facts and other information are gathered from sources within and outside the academic world, in part by means of hearings, seminars and site visits. The Committee collaborates among others with the Academy´s Classes, its Environmental Committee, the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC).

The Committee is solely responsible for its conclusions, recommendations and scepticism. The results have been broadly distributed in the form of statements, popular science booklets, reports, summaries of seminars etc. (see submenus tor the left). 

Reference group (up to 2014-06-30)

The sponsors, the Energy Committee and the Energy and Environment Committee of IVA (Royal Swedish Academy for Engineering Sciences) are represented in the Reference group, which is chaired by the Academy's Permanent Secretary. The Reference group is informed continually about the committees activites as well as its resultsprior to publication.

List of members