Currently, Sweden has no specific strategy or national targets for ocean energy. However, the general electricity certificate system applies to power produced by renewable energy sources, including wave power.

Renewable energy policy in Sweden is based on the electricity certificate system, which addresses production of electricity from renewable energy sources in general. Therefore, no particular policy applies specifically to ocean energy. The electricity certificate system is a market-based support system for expansion of electricity production in Sweden from renewable energy sources and from peat that came into force in 2003. The objective is to increase, by 2020, the production of electricity from such sources by 25 TWh relative to production in 2002. The certificate system, which will run until the end of 2035, is intended to help Sweden achieve a more ecologically sustainable energy system. Certificates are currently granted to producers of wave power electricity, but no other ocean energy sources 

In 2011, a binding agreement on a joint Swedish-Norwegian electricity certificate market was signed. The market is planned to start on 1 January 2012, with the agreement running until 2036. The objective of the joint market is to increase the production of renewable electricity by over 26 TWh between 2012 and 2020, with both countries having equal ambition levels. The main public funding mechanisms include state funding from public sector agencies, predominantly the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA), but also public agencies targeting innovation development like Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, VINNOVA. Regional funding for research and development is also available.

Relevant Legislation and Regulation
In order to establish field-testing, demonstration or commercial parks in Swedish marine environments, permits must be obtained from the local County Administration Board. The permits are granted after an extensive environmental impact assessment court procedure, which involves all relevant governmental and regional agencies. State funding in Sweden is regulated by national legislation that complies with the legislation regulating state funding in the European Community. 

Relevant Documents Released
The Electricity Certificate System 2011, ET2011:52; Available at the webpage of the Swedish Energy Agency at www.energimyndigheten.se. 

Government Funded R&D

• Centre for renewable electricity conversion (Uppsala University). The project runs until 2013.
   
• The Lysekil project - Wave power at Lysekil (Uppsala University). The project was concluded during 2011. Uppsala University continues to be very active in research related to linear generator wave power and low speed marine current technology.
  
  Wave energy activities are focused on ocean tests, generator and buoy design, and model development. Testing activities are performed at the 10-unit field research site at Lysekil, which includes a submarine switchgear and sea cable connection to load. The research site has been in active use since 2006. Marine currents research activities are focused on establishing a test site in a riverbed environment. Both efforts are supported by public research grants from the Swedish Energy Agency and a number of private sector contributions. For further details please visit http://www.el.angstrom.uu.se/Meny/Eng/index_E.html.
   
• Performance test of wave power converters (Seabased); Concluded during 2011. Seabased is a spin-off company from the research activities at Uppsala University (www.seabased.se).
   
• Prototype testing of tidal stream technology (Minesto); Initiated in 2011. A tidal stream prototype development and testing project of the technology developed by Minesto started in 2011. The project includes ocean testing at a site in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, and is supported by a grant from the Swedish Energy Agency.

Industry Funded R&D
The utility Vattenfall AB funds a number of development projects in Scotland, UK. The SEA does not currently know the extent of Vattenfall funding. The utility Fortum funds the 10 MW demonstration park. 

Participation in Collaborative International Projects
Collaboration between Uppsala University and Portuguese wave energy research is planned within the European InnoEnergy framework.
 

Operational Ocean Energy Projects
Plant for demonstration of renewable energy conversion from ocean waves (Seabased):
In 2008, the Swedish Energy Agency announced a call for demonstration projects for renewable energy sources. In 2009, funding was granted to a 10 MW wave power demonstration park project based on the linear generator point absorber technology developed at Uppsala University and the spin-off company Seabased. The project is financed by state funding from the Swedish Energy Agency and the private sector utility company Fortum Wave Power and aims at verifying the technology ability to generate 25 GWh/year electricity from the mild wave climate off the west coast of Sweden. The grant was awarded on condition of approval of the state funding and competition evaluation of the European Commission. During 2011 the European Commission decided not to object to the proposed state funding and the demonstration project commenced.