The Swedish Island of Gotland has set itself the challenge of having a climate-neutral energy supply by 2025. Offering the highest possible efficiency and economy, the supply will be based on local, renewable resources and will contribute to local growth.
Gotland is a showcase for a number of interesting and innovative renewable energy initiatives. This is not really surprising. Gotland has Sweden’s highest sunshine figures, enjoys good access to biofuels and is one of the best European locations for wind power. These natural assets, the entrepreneurship of the islanders and the municipality’s focus on strategic environmental planning have led to the realisation of many ideas for increasing the sustainability of Gotland’s local energy supply.
In the early 1990s, the municipality started the strategic push to turn the island into a sustainable society by 2025. Sustainability here covers all aspects of the environment – energy, resources, agriculture, waste, radiation, etc. In particular, Gotland wants to be greenhouse gas emission neutral within one generation.
Since 1995, the municipality has reduced CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in its own operations by almost 50%. On the island as a whole, fuel production and local energy supply from renewable resources are both increasing. Local wind power meets 25% of the island’s annual electricity demand. Biofuels from local forestry supply the domestic heating. Last but not least, 2010 brought the island its first biogas filling station for cars and buses.
Download our present Environment and Energy programmes to the right. There is also a link to the TRANSPLAN project web page, where Gotland also took part and where the present and possible future energy situation on participating islands is analysed from a CO2- emission perspective.
Eco-Municipality of Gotland
Utskrivet från: http://www.gotland.se/imcms/2669
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