Abstract

In 2019 EU introduced new regulations on the energy market and frameworks for new energy initiatives

by introducing the Clean Energy Package. The package aims to serve as a framework for how member

states promote renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and create a more integrated and sustainable

energy market. One of the frameworks introduced is energy communities. As the trend shifts from

centralized and fossil-fueled systems to decentralized systems with increasing renewable energy

production, new challenges have arisen for the electrical system. These challenges require innovative

energy solutions, such as energy communities. Energy communities are a way to provide organizational

frameworks for collective energy initiatives. Energy communities involve local stakeholders connecting

nearby buildings into a smaller electrical system where they can produce, share, and store energy.

Enköping municipality is interested in exploring the potential of energy communities within their new

urban districts called Norra Myran and Aros Park. In this thesis, the driving forces and barriers among

stakeholders to initiate and operate an energy community in Norra Myran and Aros Park are studied. The

selected stakeholders within the thesis are: Enköping municipality, politicians, property developers,

landowners, and electricity companies. The empirical data is collected through a qualitative approach

built on qualitative observations and interviews with the stakeholders. The analysis is based on the

empirical data, contextualized within a theoretical framework built upon previous research on energy

communities. The analysis adopts a sociotechnical approach, which involves analyzing technical, social,

and legal factors. To understand the potential development paths in Enköping municipality and achieve

positive outcomes, it is essential to understand how the factors within the sociotechnical system of energy

communities integrate and influence each other. The thesis concludes that the driving forces and barriers

among the stakeholders in Enköping to initiate and operate an energy community can be summarized in

four aspects. Identified driving forces are summarized as: Energy-and innovation interest, Energy and

climate goals, Renewable energy, and Active consumer. Identified barriers are summarized as:

Identification of “why”, roles and responsibilities, collaboration model, and laws and regulations.