5//Euobserver.com, Belgium 10.02.2006 - 09:42 CET
http://euobserver.com/9/20871 SWEDEN AIMS TO BE WORLD’S FIRST OIL-FREE COUNTRY
By Lisbeth Kirk
Sweden aims to become the world’s first oil-free country by 2020, the Swedish minister for sustainable development Mona Sahlin has announced.
"A Sweden free of fossil fuels would give us enormous advantages, not least by reducing the impact from fluctuations in oil prices. The price of oil has tripled since 1996," said Ms Sahlin, according to the Guardian.
The idea is to combine tax relief for conversion from oil with a boost for more renewable energy such as geothermal or biomass heating.
A group of experts and stakeholders are to present a detailed plan to the Swedish parliament in a few months' time.
Sweden took the decision to phase out nuclear power in 1980, and today renewable sources account for 26 percent of Sweden’s total power supplies.
MORE
RELATED ARTICLES:
//The Local, Sweden
http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=2200&date=20051002 SWEDEN “TO BREAK OIL DEPENDENCY BY 2020”
//The Guardian, UK
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1705315,00.html SWEDEN PLANS TO BE WORLD’S FIRST OIL-FREE ECONOMY