Växjö gains recognition as the greenest town in the Nordic countries

Monday, 14 June 2010

VäxjöSwedish town Växjö has managed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions caused by heating by 84 percent from 1993 to 2008. CO2 pollution per person, incl. total energy consumption and transport, has decreased in the same period by 35 percent, writes the latest issue of the magazine of the Nordic Centre for Spatial Development (Nordregio).

Växjö's efforts have brought the town awards and fame in recent years. For example, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) recognised Växjö with the title of Greenest Town in Europe in 2007. This title gave Växjö its slogan – The Greenest Town in Europe.

These achievements have taken a lot of time and persistence. "We have to go back to the first oil crisis in the 1970s, when the prices of fossil fuels went sky-high. In Växjö, this resulted in a very important resolution: we decided to build combined thermal and power stations that use residue from forestry, such as the tops, branches and bark of trees, sawdust, etc.," explains Sarah Nilsson, Head of the Strategic Planning Department. "We decided to use this residue as a source of heat instead of just leaving it to rot."

Nilsson said that the initiative was not exactly profitable at first, but people persisted. Electricity prices in Sweden were very low in the second half of the 1980s, partially because of the contributions made to nuclear energy," notes Nilsson. "The turning point arrived in 1991 when the government of Sweden established the CO2 tax. After that, we could start competing with ordinary oil burners. We were able to offer the cheapest and cleanest energy."

92% of the heat in Växjö now comes from renewable sources of energy. Ordinary users pay 55 öre per kW/h for their heating – considerably less than the other alternatives on the open market.

Unanimity is another factor in addition to persistence that has helped Växjö move forward. "Most initiatives come from officials, not politicians," admits Nilsson. "However, I have to say that we have not had any major political misunderstandings about this subject in the council. Everyone is in favour. I believe that things will continue in same vein for as long as being green creates new jobs, increases income and brings fame to Växjö."

Växjö continues developing its power and thermal power stations and renovating old stations into more economical and efficient ones. The town also motivates people to use solar energy and insulate their houses better. The town has also had several lakes cleaned so that people can go swimming without leaving town.

One of the biggest problems at the moment is transport – how to start using more vehicles that drive on biofuel.


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