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Come Together—The Development of Swedish Energy Communities

Author

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  • Dick Magnusson

    (Department of Thematic Studies—Technology and Social Change, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Jenny Palm

    (The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden)

Abstract

Community energy (CE) and grassroots innovations have been widely studied in recent years, especially in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, but very little focus has been placed on Sweden. This paper describes and analyses the development and present state of several types of community energy initiatives in Sweden. The methodology uses interviews, document studies, analysis of previous studies, and website analysis. The results show that fewer initiatives have been taken in Sweden than in other countries, but that even with a rather ‘hostile’ institutional setting CE has emerged as a phenomenon. Wind cooperatives are the most common form of initiative, with solar photovoltaics cooperatives and eco-villages also prominent. The various types of initiatives differ considerably, from well-organized wind cooperatives that have grown into professional organizations to small-scale hydroelectric power plants owned by a rural community. The initiatives may have modest impact on the energy transition in quantitative terms, but they are crucial in knowledge sharing and as inspirations for future initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Dick Magnusson & Jenny Palm, 2019. "Come Together—The Development of Swedish Energy Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:4:p:1056-:d:206831
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Javanshir Fouladvand & Niek Mouter & Amineh Ghorbani & Paulien Herder, 2020. "Formation and Continuation of Thermal Energy Community Systems: An Explorative Agent-Based Model for the Netherlands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Maksym Koltunov & Simon Pezzutto & Adriano Bisello & Georg Lettner & Albert Hiesl & Wilfried van Sark & Atse Louwen & Eric Wilczynski, 2023. "Mapping of Energy Communities in Europe: Status Quo and Review of Existing Classifications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-25, May.
    3. Moritz Ehrtmann & Lars Holstenkamp & Timon Becker, 2021. "Regional Electricity Models for Community Energy in Germany: The Role of Governance Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    4. Sylwia Mrozowska & Jan A. Wendt & Krzysztof Tomaszewski, 2021. "The Challenges of Poland’s Energy Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, December.
    5. Jenny Palm & Karolina Södergren & Nancy Bocken, 2019. "The Role of Cities in the Sharing Economy: Exploring Modes of Governance in Urban Sharing Practices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Elizaveta S. Sokolova & Olga V. Panina & Natalia L. Krasyukova & Nikolay P. Kushchev, 2022. "Armenian Energy System Development: The Prospects of EAEU Single Energy Market," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(1), pages 258-265.
    7. Saveria Olga Murielle Boulanger & Martina Massari & Danila Longo & Beatrice Turillazzi & Carlo Alberto Nucci, 2021. "Designing Collaborative Energy Communities: A European Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Jenny Palm, 2021. "The Transposition of Energy Communities into Swedish Regulations: Overview and Critique of Emerging Regulations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-15, August.
    9. Fouladvand, Javanshir & Aranguren Rojas, Maria & Hoppe, Thomas & Ghorbani, Amineh, 2022. "Simulating thermal energy community formation: Institutional enablers outplaying technological choice," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).

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