Developing Sweden’s transmission grid: what are the drivers and barriers?

This report analyzes the drivers and barriers to developing Sweden's transmission grid to support the integration of renewable energy sources (RES) for a carbon-neutral Nordic power system by 2050. Key drivers include the strategic goals of Svenska Kraftnät to decarbonize Europe, EU directives (2009/28/EC), and price signals from bidding areas. Major barriers include a complex and ambiguous concession process, conflicts between local environmental/health concerns and global sustainability goals, and passive government oversight. The report also notes a gap between the grid operator's wind power projections and industry estimates, which may lead to capacity bottlenecks.

• Svenska Kraftnät, the Swedish transmission grid operator, acts as a primary source of drivers for grid development, though these are often indirect. The operator views its role as having a responsibility to contribute to the decarbonisation of Europe, even in cases where specific grid investments may not be profitable for Sweden.
• Several formal institutional instruments stimulate grid development by promoting renewable energy sources (RES). Specifically, Directive 2009/28/EC and the electricity certificate system encourage new power production, which forces Svenska Kraftnät to expand the national grid due to its obligation to connect every electricity producer.
• Electricity pricing zones, known as bidding areas, serve as drivers for grid investment by using price signals to highlight the spatial mismatch between power production and consumption and the resulting congestion.
• The concession process for grid development is a significant barrier due to complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty. These issues increase the risk of appeals and conflicts, which in turn delay the implementation of development projects.
• Conflicts frequently arise during grid development when global or national sustainability goals clash with local concerns. These barriers include local environmental and health concerns, as well as disputes over land-use.
• There is a discrepancy between the wind power growth assumptions used by Svenska Kraftnät and those of the Swedish Wind association. Svenska Kraftnät's lower assumptions may lead to under-dimensioned grid capacity, potentially delaying wind power projects or locking new production into bidding areas with existing surpluses.
• Landscape-level drivers include the overarching goal of mitigating climate change and the push for an integrated European electricity market, both of which necessitate increased transmission capacity to overcome bottlenecks.
• National-level barriers include concerns over the security of supply and the interests of national industries, such as forestry and agriculture, which can take precedence over international decarbonisation and market integration goals.
• The Swedish government's governance of Svenska Kraftnät is described as passive, characterized by a lack of evaluation and follow-up that could otherwise accelerate investment progress and resolve uncertainties regarding priorities.

APA

Wangel, J. (2015). Developing Sweden’s transmission grid: what are the drivers and barriers? Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PR-2015-06-Sweden-transmission-grid.pdf

Chicago

Wangel, Josefin. Developing Sweden’s transmission grid: what are the drivers and barriers? Stockholm Environment Institute, 2015. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PR-2015-06-Sweden-transmission-grid.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wangel |first1=Josefin |title=Developing Sweden’s transmission grid: what are the drivers and barriers? |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PR-2015-06-Sweden-transmission-grid.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wangel2015developing, author = {Wangel, Josefin}, title = {{Developing Sweden’s transmission grid: what are the drivers and barriers?}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PR-2015-06-Sweden-transmission-grid.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }