Representatives from the Swedish islands, researchers, and energy experts gathered for a webinar hosted by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Clean energy for EU islands (CE4EUI) Secretariat to discuss how energy communities can strengthen local resilience and accelerate the clean energy transition on islands.
Although interest in energy communities in Sweden has increased following the recent energy price crisis and geopolitical tensions, their development remains limited compared to that in many other EU countries. Estimates suggest there are fewer than 200 energy communities in Sweden, although this figure is uncertain due to differing definitions, compared with around 9,000 across the EU. Participants highlighted the absence of national legislation and financial incentives as major barriers to further progress.
Professor Jenny Palm of Lund University noted that while collective ownership models are legally possible, policy support remains limited. She called for broader public engagement and better communication to ensure that all social groups can participate in the energy transition.
Lena Rainer from Swedish Energy Communities highlighted the importance of building local capacity through community ambassadors with expertise in technology, economy, and social innovation. She pointed to Arholma, an island community, as an example of how DSO Vattenfall can enable local engagement and support resilient and self-sufficient energy systems.
Lena emphasised that there is significant value in developing the Nämdö Green Archipelago energy community, where cooperation between residents, property owners, and technical partners is paving the way for new models of local energy markets and shared investment. She noted that this type of community-led initiative can transform into scalable business cases that strengthen both local economies and national sustainability goals.
From the Nämdö Green Archipelago, Yngve Hässler described efforts across 15 inhabited islands aimed at achieving long-term energy self-sufficiency. He stressed the need for technical support to map energy consumption and power demand and suggested that joint electricity procurement could be an effective first step.
Across discussions, several common themes emerged: the need for clearer national regulation, stronger municipal engagement, broader participation beyond the energy sector, and enhanced technical capacity. Speakers also underscored that energy communities can deliver significant social and environmental benefits, even when financial gains are modest.
The webinar concluded with five key recommendations for the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat:
- Provide practical technical support, including tools and guidance for mapping energy use and grid capacity.
- Broaden stakeholder engagement, involving municipalities, women’s networks, SMEs, and local cooperatives.
- Facilitate peer exchange by linking Swedish islands with similar initiatives across Europe.
- Increase visibility of the social and community benefits of energy communities.
- Monitor Swedish policy developments and share relevant EU experiences to support national adaptation.