Swedish firms cut renewables research spending by a third

Companies in Sweden cut spending on renewable-energy research and development by 35% between 2023 and 2025, even as the country’s overall research spending grew.

Statistics Sweden reports that companies spent SEK1.45 billion on renewables research in 2025, down from SEK2.24 billion in 2023. The SEK791 million fall is measured in current prices, without adjusting for inflation.

The decline accounted for most of the fall in corporate energy research, which dropped from SEK14.6 billion to SEK13.8 billion over the same two years.

Energy-efficiency research moved the other way, rising by SEK180 million to SEK9.38 billion. It took 68% of companies’ energy research spending in 2025. Renewables remained the second-largest area, at 11%.

Across all fields and sectors, Sweden spent about SEK241 billion on research and development in 2025. That was a 4% increase from 2024 after inflation, driven mainly by business spending.

The figures, released on 29 October, show where research money went, rather than how many jobs will follow. SCB plans to publish further figures on companies’ research in specific technology areas on 26 November.

DailySweden

DailySweden's desk of editors, reporters, researchers and investigative journalists. We bring readers factual, truthful and objective reporting on the issues that matter to them.

Contact the editorial desk ›