The three-year project "Local Energy Governance Värmland" (LOKEN) aims to support the energy transition in municipalities across Värmland, test smart energy solutions, and create a new regional collaboration platform for academia, industry, and public sector stakeholders. Glava Energy Center is leading the project in partnership with Karlstad University. The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Region Värmland.
Värmland’s future energy supply is a major societal challenge. Without new solutions, municipalities, businesses and households risk facing electricity shortages. LOKEN strengthens the knowledge and decision-making capacity of public and private actors in the energy field – with a focus on smart planning, renewable electricity generation, and the efficient use of energy systems and power grids.
The project brings together around 40 actors across eleven municipalities in Värmland, including municipalities, energy companies, property owners, industry, businesses and organisations. Together, they explore innovative energy solutions based on local needs, such as production, flexibility, energy storage, sustainable neighbourhoods and energy communities.
What will the project deliver?
A new way of working: local energy governance
In five municipalities – Eda, Arvika, Grums, Munkfors and Kil – a new collaborative model for proactive local energy governance is being developed. This work is complemented by local and regional energy scenarios that provide a shared knowledge base and decision-making support for municipal energy planning.
Social sustainability in the energy transition
The project strengthens the capacity to address the energy transition from a social sustainability perspective. This includes increased knowledge and concrete actions related to gender equality, inclusion, and how the energy transition can contribute to a more equitable society.
A new regional collaboration arena for energy
Within LOKEN, RESKU is established – the Resource Network for Sustainable Energy Systems at Karlstad University. Here, researchers, Karlstad University, Glava Energy Center, businesses and public-sector actors collaborate on energy-related issues.
RESKU brings together leading expertise in areas such as renewable energy systems, AI and machine learning, energy communities, energy leadership and energy scenarios. It also contributes research-based knowledge in business models, place-based development and social sustainability – in many cases with international perspectives.
Energy governance
Local energy governance is a structured way of working in which municipalities, energy companies, businesses and other local actors collaborate to take shared responsibility for energy issues and energy planning. Through joint knowledge-building and the collection of, for example, energy data and energy scenarios, better conditions are created for planning, prioritising and making decisions on a more resilient and efficient energy system – with a focus on access to smart, sustainable and inclusive energy use.
Project Facts
PROJECT PERIOD
1 January 2024 – 31 December 2026
MAIN FUNDERS
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Region Värmland.
BUDGET
SEK 20 million
PROJECT OWNER
Glava Energy Center
02
Jun
02
Jun
PROJECT PARTNERS
MAIN FUNDERS
