Sweden aims to have no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2045. This means that society must not emit more than is captured by, among other things, forest. Emissions in Sweden should then be 85 percent lower than they were in 1990. The last part to come down to zero is the most difficult. For example, agricultural emissions are difficult to access.

In July 2018, Åsa-Britt Karlsson, Director General of the National Geotechnical Institute, was commissioned by Environment Minister Isabella Lövin (MP) to investigate how Sweden should become the world's first fossil-free industrialized country by so-called negative greenhouse gas emissions.

Dig down the carbon dioxide

SVT has read a draft of the investigation on almost 800 pages. In the three different areas of the investigation, there are also carbon sinks and investments abroad, but a major focus is on the technology to separate carbon dioxide, called CCS technology, from the burning of biomass.

The government's investigators are therefore proposing extensive government investments to separate and excavate carbon dioxide from the paper industries and district heating plants. According to the investigators, the potential is over 10 million tonnes per year. But the technology is relatively untested, yet there is not a single full-scale plant in Europe. And the costs are great.

According to the study's calculations, separation, transport and storage of carbon dioxide can cost up to SEK 1300 per tonne. This means a total of more than SEK 10 billion per year. If the carbon dioxide from the entire paper industry and district heating plants were to be stored, the annual cost would be over 30 billion a year. However, the uncertainty surrounding the price tag is great.

Gotland and Skåne

Norway has come a long way in researching and researching how to store large amounts of carbon dioxide from, among other things, the cement industry in old oil wells in the North Sea. The Norwegian parliament is expected to decide on any investments this autumn.

The Swedish Government's investigation lists nine sites in Sweden for potential carbon dioxide storage. A storage that, according to the investigation, can be controversial. The locations are in the Baltic Sea south of Gotland, south of Skåne and at Höganäs. The report refers to an investigation carried out by Sweden's geological survey, SGU, where two sites are highlighted as most interesting. It is Faludden south of Gotland and Arnagergrönsand in southwest Skåne. The report also mentions a possible pilot project with drilling in southern Gotland.

At the same time, the government's investigators point out that carbon dioxide storage in Sweden can take many years before it becomes reality. First a pilot plant, then investigations at sea and finally the design and construction of a full-scale Swedish carbon dioxide warehouse. It may take 24 to 30 years to complete.

This means that the government's target year 2045 for so-called negative emissions may have passed before the first Swedish carbon dioxide store is in place.