From organic to fossil and in-between: new estimates of energy consumption in the Swedish manufacturing industry during 1800–1913

ABSTRACT

In this article, new estimates of energy consumption in the Swedish manufacturing industry during 1800–1913 are used for interpreting the Swedish industrialisation process from an energy economic perspective. For one we conclude that the revision of previous estimates is substantial when it comes to manufacturing. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the increase of coal consumption, the expansion of the fossil or mineral energy system, to a high degree can be explained by the increased use of steam engines in manufacturing and the transport sector. Finally, we conclude that overall energy intensity patterns is largely determined by assumptions on household firewood consumption. A narrative interpretation of the interplay between energy system transformation and the industrialisation in Sweden concludes the article.

KEYWORDS:

• Energy history
• Sweden
• industrialisation
• coal
• energy system

JEL CODES:

• N13
• N53
• N73

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Magnus Lindmark http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3293-2318

Notes

1 It is not necessary to assume capital and energy being perfect complements, implying a proportional increase for both inputs, for the general argument to be true.

2 Research notes provided by Kander.

3 Documentation provided to us by Kander.

4 One HpH is 0.746 KWh, which is 3600 kJ.

5 Kunnas (2007) states a consumption between 0.3–5 cubic metres per kilo. Accordingly 2 cubic metres is in the middle of the spectra.

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by Stiftelsen Riksbankens Jubileumsfond through the project ‘The limits to growth in a sustainable society: Energy use and area requirements in early modern Sweden’ (Dnr P10-0701:1) and Jan Wallanders och Tom Hedelius Stiftelse samt Tore Browaldhs Stiftelse ‘Engines for sustainability. Horsepower prices, capital substitution and energy transitions in the long run’.