The government gave notice today that they will make the final decision on whether or not Preem will be allowed to expand their business in Lysekil as planned. Preem is Sweden’s largest fuel company, refining 18 million cubic meters of crude oil every year. It also is the third largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in Sweden, and the expansion would make them the number one emission source. Some estimates have Preem’s expansion raising Sweden’s total CO2 emissions by three percent (svt.se).
Preem’s plan is to build a new refinery that would process crude oil to gas and diesel fuel with reduced sulfur content. About 150 new jobs would be created, according to Preem, and the refinery would be handle its emissions with carbon collections and storage efforts. Preem says that they are a way more environmentally friendly company than any another company who would otherwise process the oil would be.
Preem originally got the ok to go ahead from the court of property and environmental affairs (mark- och miljödomstolen). Soon afterwards, however, the decision was appealed by not only a slew of private citizens but also by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Naturskyddsföreningen). Now, both the Conservation Society and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Svenska Landsting) want the government to take it out of the hands of local authorities, and decide how to handle it at the state level.
Green Party leader and vice Prime Minister Isobella Lövin welcomed the chance, saying that the government has a responsibility to live up to the climate law. This law, passed in 2017, requires the government to push environmental policies that adhere to climate goals passed by parliament. Since the parliament has decided that Sweden will have zero CO2 emissions by 2045, Preem’s timetable might be tight: There are several preliminary instances to go through first, and the government won’t get near the question until earliest next year.
Meanwhile, the question still divides Lysekil. While many say that thinking Preem or Lysekil is going to save the world is ludicrous, others believe it’s still important to take a stand. Preem’s spokesperson Dani Backteg says Preem welcomes the government to make a decison: ”It’s obviously a complex question.”