Uppvärmning i Sverige – En succéhistoria med problem

Sweden has successfully transitioned its heating system to low-carbon sources, with fossil fuels now accounting for under 5% of heating energy. This was achieved through the expansion of district heating, which covers over 50% of the building stock, and the widespread adoption of heat pumps in single-family homes. However, the report identifies significant 'lock-ins' where the dominance of large suppliers and a focus on production over efficiency hinder further progress. Key challenges include a reliance on waste incineration, high indoor temperature norms, and resistance from industry players toward stricter building energy efficiency standards. The authors recommend shifting focus toward demand-reduction technologies and lowering barriers for third-party access to district heating networks to better integrate industrial waste heat.

• Sweden has significantly reduced its reliance on fossil fuels for heating to under 5%, contributing to a 24% decrease in domestic greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2014 and a reduction of over 40% since the mid-1970s.
• District heating is a dominant force in the Swedish system, accounting for over 50% of total heating energy and 85% of the multi-family housing sector, which is significantly higher than the EU average of around 6%.
• The transition was driven by a combination of the 1970s oil crisis, the introduction of a carbon tax in 1991, and government support for heat pump technology, leading to Sweden and Switzerland having the highest number of heat pumps per capita.
• The heating system is characterized by 'natural monopolies' in district heating, where vertical integration and high entry barriers limit competition and alternative infrastructure.
• There is a growing conflict between the increase in waste incineration for energy and EU goals for recycling; Sweden imported 1.6 million tons of waste for energy recovery in 2015.
• High indoor temperature norms in Sweden (averaging 21.2°C in small houses and 22.3°C in multi-family houses) represent a major energy waste; lowering the average to 20°C could save 13.3 TWh per year.
• The system faces future risks due to a 'supplier-dominated logic' that resists demand-reduction measures, such as low-energy buildings and net metering, while facing pressure from climate change and stricter EU energy performance directives.

APA

Dzebo, A., & Nykvist, B. (2017). Uppvärmning i Sverige – En succéhistoria med problem. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-PB-Dzebo-Nykvist-SweHeatEnergySystem-swe.pdf

Chicago

Dzebo, Adis, and Björn Nykvist. Uppvärmning i Sverige – En succéhistoria med problem. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2017. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-PB-Dzebo-Nykvist-SweHeatEnergySystem-swe.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dzebo |first1=Adis |last2=Nykvist |first2=Björn |title=Uppvärmning i Sverige – En succéhistoria med problem |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2017 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-PB-Dzebo-Nykvist-SweHeatEnergySystem-swe.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dzebo2017uppvrmning, author = {Dzebo, Adis and Nykvist, Björn}, title = {{Uppvärmning i Sverige – En succéhistoria med problem}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-PB-Dzebo-Nykvist-SweHeatEnergySystem-swe.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }