GREEN SOLUTIONS

SwediSh cleantech induStry
Germany 5 711
Norway
4 927
Denmark
2 671
Finland
2 343
China
2 230
USA
2 133
Netherlands
1 625
Great Britain
1 581
Turkey
1 254
France
1 249
Spain
1 216
India
1 044
Poland
967
Belgium
817
Italy 718
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
swedish cleantech
growing fast
Compared to many other industries, the cleantech industry in Sweden is small.
Even so, it currently employs over 40,000 people and records annual sales of
about SEK 120 billion. Moreover, the industry is experiencing rapid growth,
and its exports are growing faster than those of other Swedish industries.
Cleantech is still a relatively
small part of Swedish
industry, but it is a high
priority for the Swedish
government, and the country’s public
authorities have invested SEK 400
million in a cleantech strategy. In
addition, Swedish municipalities play
an important role and can help
further facilitate the export of
Swedish cleantech innovations and
system solutions.
In 2011 the Swedish environmental
sector exported goods and services
to the value of SEK 38.9 billion,
equivalent to 2.2 percent of the
country’s total exports. This represented
an increase of 6 percent or SEK
2.2 billion over 2010.
Environmental technology
companies are divided into 13
36 | GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN
facts about the swedish
environmental sector:
No. of employees: 69,000
Added value: SEK 60.6 billion
Exports of goods and services:
SEK 38.9 billion
Increase in export value,
2010-2011: 6 percent or
SEK 2.2 billion
different categories and, in 2011,
companies active within the “recycled
materials” category exported the
most. This category exported goods
and services worth over SEK 13 billion
in 2011, equivalent to one-third of the
sector’s total exports.
Sales in the environmental sector
totaled SEK 241 billion in 2011; an
increase over the previous year of
more than 3 percent, or just under
SEK 8 billion. Between 2003 and
2011, sales in this sector increased
every year except for 2009. The total
increase in sales during this period
was 65 percent.
With the exception of 2010,
exports also increased every year
during the period. The total increase
in exports during the period was 69
percent.
The corresponding figure
for Sweden’s total exports was 58
percent. The Swedish government
and public authorities have a clear
goal: they want exports to increase
substantially, especially to the BRIC
countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and
China).