Sweden To Detox From Oil By 2020
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 09.23.05
Goran Persson, the Prime Minister of Sweden, has announced that his country will try to end its fossil fuel dependency by 2020. The plan is mostly based on investments and tax incentives for the use and research and development of alternative sources of energy. The main reason for the effort is, according to Persson, global warming: "We are frightened by climate change today. The mean temperature of the earth is rising, and it is rising most nearest to the poles..." Persson said that 35% of the cars driven by government employees would either run completely on electricity or renewable fuels, or be hybrid cars. What else is there to add but: "Go Sweden! Show us how its done!"
::Sweden To Try To End Fossil Fuels Dependency By 2020, via ::The Watt, ::WorldChanging
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The "35%... hybrid cars" bit sounds disappointing. One third of government vehicles using one third less petrol is like an alcoholic trying to get on the wagon by drinking one third of one third less of their usual vodka dinner... Nice sentiment, Sweden, but show us how it can REALLY be done - cold turkey!
FAA,
I assume that the 35% is during the actual government's mandate. Too bad they didn't give dates for that, but I assume that by 2020 the ratio will be closer to 100% (if they reach their goal, that is).
What I gathered was that this would only be GOVERNMENT vehicles, not private or industrial. Someone call PM Persson, and get him to clarify this for us, OK?
I understood too that he talked only about government vehicles, but I also got that this was only a small part of the big plan to get sweden off oil. I wish they had given more details about the rest, but maybe they don't know yet...
Why do you assume hybrid == petroleum? Nothing wrong with running a hybrid off of veggie diesel.
I assume hybrid means petrol for two reasons:
1. It is currently the vast majority of production hybrid vehicles. To disclaim, I'm not much a fan of petrol hybrids - while they gain in being as close to zero emissions as possible they lose all credit in maintaining the gasoline dependency - but I would love to see a biodiesel hybrid... Mercedes was touting their diesel hybrid R-series for over a year on their US site (kept me dreaming that I was actually in the tax bracket which could afford such a thing), but just released it as a gas-hog only vehicle.
2. I take with a cynical grain of salt a vague release such as this which leaves oh so many questions...