.jpg "Source: www.växjö.se, photograph Mats Samuelsson")
Växjö has a population of 85,000 and is often referred to as Europe’s greenest city. Characterised by considerable environmental degradation prior to the 1960s, the city has since undergone a major transformation. It is now predicted to become the first city in the world to achieve total fossil fuel freedom (C40 Network 2011). This shift has been achieved through a multifaceted policy approach, large-scale investments in renewable fuel technologies and housing infrastructure and a collaborative approach that includes partnerships between the city council, industries, transport companies and citizens.
The Road to Sustainability
Växjö’s pursuit of sustainability dates back to the 1960s. Around this time, the city launched a broad effort to clean up its surrounding lakes, which were heavily polluted and considered unsafe for swimming. The next major milestone came in 1980, when Växjö achieved positive results using biomass for district heating. The 1990s saw the release of United Nations Agenda 21 (1992), a voluntary large-scale action plan involving pollution control and atmospheric protection among its social and economic themes. A number of Växjö’s city leaders were inspired by this document and in 1996 Växjö became the first city in the world to set the goal of becoming fossil-fuel free by 2030. A new Environmental Programme was introduced in 2006, with key themes in transportation and energy, water and conservation as well as consumption and waste.
Clean Energy Production and Resource Efficiency
CO2 emissions per capita in Växjö in 2014 (2.4m tonnes) were less than one-third of the EU average (7.3m tonnes), suggesting that the environmental measures taken by the city have had a positive impact. More than 90% of the energy used for heating and about half of all electricity used in the city is derived from wood waste from the local forest industry. Sandvik (Växjö Energi AB), a large, woodchip-fuelled, combined heat and power plant, provides electricity for 29,000 customers and heat for 6,500 customers. Centralised district heating and cooling systems form a 350km network, and households outside it are also offered renewable energy solutions for heat production. Some energy is imported from outside the city, with hydropower as the main source.
Växjö has also implemented ecoBUDGET, an Environmental Management System for planning, monitoring and reporting the consumption of natural resources within the municipal area. Various efficiency standards have been imposed on new buildings, such as smart metering of energy consumption, energy efficiency training for local builders and special requirements for ventilation and insulation. It is estimated that new buildings will be carbon neutral by 2030 and the whole city by 2050.
Despite Växjö having an average car occupancy rate of almost three, transportation will be the most difficult obstacle to reaching the goals of 2030. In addition to biogas, the potential for ethanol and biodiesel technologies and electric cars is being studied. Moreover, large investments in projects with long payback periods, such as passive housing systems and district heating expansions, are still problematic because of the short-term time frames of the market, and can make the debt load of city-owned companies unattractive to the private sector.
Biogas from Sewage Fuels Public Transport
The Sundet sewage water treatment plant in Växjö produces biogas from organic waste collected throughout the municipality. This biogas is used to fuel public transport and other municipal vehicles. The plant is the first in Sweden to adopt a thermal hydrolysis system, which allows for an increase in specific methane production efficiency of at least 15% by increasing the degradability of biowaste. The whole process (including the hygienisation phase) runs on renewable energy (e.g., wood pellets) and resulting biosolids are used as REVAQ-certified fertiliser in agriculture.
Regional dimension
The steps taken to actualise Växjö’s environmental goals have resulted in extensive collaboration between the city administration and a range of stakeholders, including industry, not-for-profit organisations and, of course, local residents. This has led to a culture of sustainability that permeates the city at every level and has the power to withstand changes in political leadership. Environmental education is integrated into schooling early on and the city council offers environmental information sessions and programmes to businesses.
Learn more…