A Swedish City Goes Cold Turkey on Fossil Fuels
Can an entire city eliminate the use of fossil fuels?
One Swedish city is going to try. The city of Kalmar, located in southeast Sweden, plus the surrounding 12 towns in the region, are trading in nearly all gas, oil, and electric furnaces.
Instead, the residents will get their energy requirements from “district heat” – energy that’s created from burning sawdust and waste wood from timber companies. The remainder of energy requirements will be supplied by hydropower, windmills, and nuclear power.
Cars and buses will run on either locally-produced biofuel made from waste wood and chicken manure or a 85% ethanol blend imported from Brazil.
In addition, more and more bicycle lanes have appeared, trucking companies are teaching employees eco-friendly driving techniques, and street lights now use low-energy sodium bulbs.
A result of creativity and political will, this change couldn’t come at a better time. With the current worldwide economic downtown, the residents of Kalmar and environs are finding that switching from oil and gas is providing economic relief, both from reduced power bills and a cottage boom with the growth in its clean-technology industries.
Kalmar’s goal is to be totally fossil fuel free by 2030. They are well on the way to making it happen.
Images: ckrantz
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3 Comments
March 11th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
The Swedes are miles ahead. This is something we’ll all need to do soon, so sooner is better than later. Good on them.
Roger’s last blog post..Solar Garden Decor
March 12th, 2009 at 12:44 am
I have actually been to Kalmar. Gorgeous little town! My recommendation to anyone planning to travel there is to stay at the Scandic Kalmar Vast. They’re listed with 4 stars at Environmentally Friendly Hotels , the site I always check before booking rooms.
Sweden is indeed decades ahead of the world in the Green area. Beautiful country!
Lisa S.
September 8th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I realize this post is outdated, but WOW! Entire city not using fossil fuel!
“Cars and buses will run on either locally-produced biofuel made from waste wood and chicken manure or a 85% ethanol blend”
Swedes are doing something nice for the environment and themselves.
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