ManagEnergy Expert Mission #10: Boosting Municipal Collaboration in Västernorrland

The Regional Energy Agency of Västernorrland recently hosted the 10th ManagEnergy Expert Mission, held in Härnösand, Sweden, on the 2nd and 3rd of October 2024. The mission was led by Vlasta Krmelj, director of ENERGAP—Podravje’s Energy and Climate Agency in Slovenia—and Mayor of Selnica ob Dravi municipality. Acting as a ManagEnergy Expert, Krmelj provided valuable insights to strengthen the agency’s outreach and municipal collaboration to advance regional climate goals.

Marta Bystrowska, coordinator at the Regional Energy Agency of Västernorrland, emphasized the exchange’s significance, noting its impact on local engagement strategies: 

“Small energy agencies like ours in Västernorrland often find it difficult to reach out to target groups and develop relevant activities. The expert mission gave us a lot of inspiration and new ideas on how we can cooperate better with our municipalities. We will now continue the dialogue with municipalities to develop concrete activities and services that will contribute to their climate ambitions.”

Day 1: Strategic Focus on Regional Energy and Climate Goals

The mission’s first day centered on high-level discussions about agency structure, financing, and project approaches, as well as legal frameworks supporting EU energy agencies. Krmelj shared successful models from across the EU, including Austria’s Cleantech Cluster and “One-Stop Shop” initiatives in Ireland and France. These examples highlighted ways to effectively engage citizens and businesses in sustainability projects. Additionally, regional development stakeholders discussed aligning climate goals with bioeconomy growth and green industrial transformation.

Day 2: Workshop with Municipalities

The second day featured a hands-on workshop, bringing local municipalities together to identify shared priorities, discuss challenges, and explore collaboration opportunities. Krmelj provided in-depth examples of effective partnerships and project models that have successfully driven climate action at the municipal level. The event concluded with concrete ideas for new services Västernorrland could offer to align municipal targets with climate goals and foster cross-sector collaboration..

Moving Forward

Building on the momentum of this mission, the Regional Energy Agency of Västernorrland aims to reinforce its role as a regional facilitator for green initiatives. Going forward, it will focus on refining strategies, expanding services, and strengthening cooperation with municipalities on the path to climate neutrality.