Conditions for the implementation of different energy systems vary from country to country. For example, the natural resource availability, existing infrastructure and the types of services on demand are likely to define technology choices and system options (Roos et al., 1999). Policies and priorities may also imply more or less favorable conditions for given technologies and solutions, setting the development path, boosting or canceling opportunities. A technology breakthrough, major political or social events, as well as natural disasters may also influence choices significantly, thus affecting the direction of development.

Rather than trying to cover the whole spectrum of factors that may affect the evolution of bioenergy systems, we refer to three major drives that are likely to have a direct influence on the design of strategies and policies for bioenergy utilization in Sweden. These drives are internationalization of the bioenergy sector, integration of bioenergy systems with other production systems, and the mainstreaming of

bioenergy as a major energy source. We believe that these trends will also affect the development of bioenergy use in Europe at large, not least due to the present energy policies being applied in the region, and the recent accession of ten new countries into the European Union.

Table 3.1 shows how these drives relate to specific actions and opportunities when it comes to enhancing the resource base, further integrating bioenergy with forest industries, pursuing climate policies and business opportunities. We discuss each of these drives and groups of actions separately.