The Municipality of Uppsala in Sweden has ambitious climate and energy goals with target to be climate positive by 2050. The Energy Programme 2050 is a municipal-wide policy document that describes Uppsala municipality’s vision for the long-term development of the energy system in Uppsala. The goal is to transform the local energy system in order reach the municipality’s climate positive target. Together with local stakeholders Uppsala municipality is combating climate change through a forum called Uppsala Climate Protocol. In 2018 Uppsala Municipality was the global winner in WWF’s One Planet City Challenge.
Project focus
The COBEN project will act as a platform and guidance and create stakeholder forums for civic energy project in city districts of Uppsala e.g. Bergsbrunna, Gunsta and Gränby with focus on sustainable energy communities and solutions. These areas consist of new housing and will expand with new housing, train station, schools and city areas in the near future. Several test beds for innovation will be initiated in a learning process for the Bergsbrunna initiative. Uppsala will contribute to the national and EU policy discussion with Civic energy examples for both solutions and barriers. One of the main challenges for Uppsala is capacity constraints on the local electrical grid. This is a consequence of the rapid electrification of several sectors and Uppsala’s massive growth, to a level where the electrical transmission grid cannot deliver the electricity needed. It will take transmission net owner at least 10 years to increase the transmission net capacity to Uppsala. The municipality is working extensively with other stakeholders to find solutions for this situation.
Targeted outcomes
Make a platform for creation and facilitating new cooperatives and communities of renewable energy or sustainable energy solutions in the city areas. Increase the knowledge and possibility to improve the situation in the distribution system grid. Implement civic energy process in a city district as a learning process for the Bergsbrunna initiative.
Community Benefits
The benefits from COBEN project reaches in different levels. The organizations and SME benefits through the possibilities to invent new cooperation and advance the production of local sustainable energy solutions. These initiatives give the community greater control over their critical infrastructure and allow them to drive innovation at a speed that is required for their situation. The inhabitant and the municipality of Uppsala benefits due to lower climate impact and a step closer to reach the goal to be climate positive. A reliable electrical transmission net with less power deficit and grid congestion issues has several benefits for the public with power flexibility, local energy production, potential community participation and contribution. Knowledge sharing and experience of civic energy process will benefit all energy users.
