National conference in Gothenburg with all Swedish energy agencies.

We presented a RECET poster this day. Personal reflections from the conference:

Is your municipality a good neighbour?

Energy planning has rarely been as important and timely as it is today - particularly in light of the current geopolitical landscape. Yet, despite its growing relevance, the focus and engagement in municipal energy planning often remain limited within each municipality’s own borders.

What if we reframe the question: What kind of neighbour is our municipality?

Instead of only asking what we need from our neighbouring municipalities, we could also reflect on what we contribute ourselves.

By broadening this perspective, there is an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across borders. New relationships canbe formed, innovative solutions can emerge, and the confidence to think and act on a larger scale can grow.

This “neighbouring municipality” perspective is not only a personal takeaway from the Energy Transition in Action conference, it is also embedded in Swedish legislation.

The Act on Municipal Energy Planning states that municipalities should explore opportunities for cooperation with other municipalities and relevant stakeholders, and integrate these into their planning processes.

In other words, collaboration is not only beneficial—it is a legal requirement.Is your municipality a good neighbour?