Green gas on the move in Sweden

摘要

Although a transmission pipe for natural gas reached Sweden in 1986 it came late and became a limited contributor to the nation-wide energy supply, as it still is geographically limited to the south west part of the country. However, in spite of these facts gas is currently receiving more interest than ever before in all Sweden. This has to do with the purposeful utilization of waste from different parts of the society as a raw material for the production of green gas. This green gas first came in the form of landfill gas, later in the form of biogas from anaerobic digestion and recently in the form of biomethane from gasification of wood residues and today also includes bio-DME. Today Sweden is home to some 250 production units for green gas. And unlike continental Europe, the vast amount of this gas is not used for heat and power, but as a vehicle fuel. However, in a country largely lacking a transmission infrastructure this means that big volumes of gas are transported on truck in compressed form. Liquefaction of biogas is also being made and in a near future rail transportation of liquid methane will also become a reality. This paper discusses how different policies have singled out Sweden as a key player in green gas manufacture and utilization. An overview of the remarkable journey from an almost white spot on the world gas map in the 1980's to a leading green gas nation is given, with a number of examples, also including the extensive use of biogas as a transportation fuel for buses, taxis - and also for a steadily growing number of private cars.