The technology already exists – what will it take to transform the energy system?

In many cases, the technology for smarter energy use, more flexible systems and more energy efficient buildings already exists. The greater challenge is getting regulations, business models and stakeholders moving in the same direction. At the Energy Lunch during Almedalen Week, perspectives from municipalities, the energy system, research and the property sector came together in a discussion about how we move from individual solutions to resilient and energy efficient cities.

The discussion was hosted by the Municipality of Örebro, Kumbro and Svenska Mässan Gothia Towers through the meeting platforms Elfack and Clima Energy Nordic. Anders Ekdahl moderated the discussion, which covered smart systems, secure digital infrastructure, energy efficient buildings and the need for new forms of collaboration.

The Örebro model: Smart Säker Stad

Peter Lilja, CEO of Kumbro, opened with the Smart Säker Stad initiative. He described a coordinated body of work that has been under way within the Municipality of Örebro and the Kumbro Group for a long time, but which has gained a clearer focus on resilience as the external environment has changed.

The work is being carried out jointly across municipal companies and administrations. The ambition is also to enable more municipalities to join, share experiences and run joint projects, rather than each having to develop the same solutions from scratch.

EnergyNet: building the power grid like the internet

This was followed by a discussion with Dr Marc A. Weiss, Chairman and CEO of Global Urban Development, and internet pioneer and entrepreneur Jonas Birgersson about EnergyNet.

The idea is to distribute electricity according to a logic similar to the internet, creating a more decentralised system in which no single point can bring down the whole network.

The discussion also covered the possibility of building new electricity infrastructure alongside the existing grid. Jonas Birgersson compared developments in power electronics with those of microprocessors, where performance increases while costs fall. Örebro and Tamarinden were highlighted as examples of environments where new models are already being tested in practice.

Customers can become an active part of the energy system

In the panel discussion that followed, Maria Ramstedt Presits, Senior Director Large Customer Solutions at Ellevio, highlighted the need for a more flexible energy system in which customers can play an active role.

At the same time, she pointed out that grid companies operate in a regulated market. To fully realise the potential, regulation, contractual structures and business models therefore need to evolve.

She saw significant opportunities to make better use of today’s grid by freeing up capacity, measuring, analysing and digitalising, rather than primarily building parallel grids.

From individual buildings to the entire city

Jonas Tannerstad, Head of Electricity and Automation at ÖBO, described how the company has moved from controlling each building as an isolated unit to optimising larger parts of its property portfolio as a whole.

When buildings can share energy, new opportunities arise both for individual properties and entire neighbourhoods. Tannerstad stressed that the major project is therefore not Tamarinden itself, but the city.

This perspective also affects the decisions that are made. If every project is optimised separately, the bigger picture risks being lost. By starting from a larger system instead, other solutions become possible.

Batteries with dual benefits – and a failure to learn from

Lisa Löfving, Head of Strategic Research and Business Development at RISE, described a project in Grums where battery storage is being tested for two purposes at the same time: operational flexibility and emergency preparedness, as an alternative to fossil fuel powered backup generators.

During a real world test, the facility failed to start and feed power into the grid at the correct frequency. Löfving nevertheless described the outcome as a valuable failure because the test clearly identified where the problem lay.

The lesson was that genuine development requires solutions to be tested in practice. Only then do weaknesses become visible and possible to address.

Do not be afraid of parallel infrastructure

In the closing part of the discussion, Jonas Birgersson returned to what he calls infrastructure overbuild and argued that parallel infrastructure should not always be seen as a problem.

He compared it with mobile networks, where several competing networks have contributed to new business models, technological development and increased resilience. He also pointed to how quickly the fixed telephone network was replaced once better technology became available.

Mindset and regulation, not technology

A clear theme throughout the discussion was that the technology and knowledge already exist in many cases. The challenge is instead how we prioritise, collaborate and create the rules of the game that make it possible to invest in and scale up solutions that work.

This applies particularly to energy efficiency. Measures that reduce energy use can be implemented today, regardless of which larger investments are made in the energy system over the longer term.

At the same time, there is a risk that property owners and other stakeholders wait for future regulations or further clarification instead of implementing measures that are already possible and profitable.

Several participants therefore returned to the need for regulatory clarity, but also to the importance of not allowing uncertainty to become a reason for delaying action.

Do what is already possible

The speakers largely agreed that the decisive question is not whether the technology exists, but whether we are prepared to prioritise, collaborate and make decisions.

Peter Lilja repeated his invitation for more municipalities to join Smart Säker Stad. At the same time, there were calls for the courage to test, learn and implement what is already possible.

This is also one of the starting points for Clima Energy Nordic: bringing together stakeholders who need each other’s perspectives to turn the transition into practical action. The conversation continues on 2–4 February 2027 at Svenska Mässan in Gothenburg, with a focus on how technology, sustainability and economics can work together to create more energy efficient buildings.

About Clima Energy Nordic

Clima Energy Nordic is the first Nordic meeting place focused on efficient energy use in cooling, heating and ventilation for indoor climate. On 2–4 February 2027 at Svenska Mässan in Gothenburg, property owners, installers, suppliers, experts and decision makers will come together to share knowledge, create business opportunities and jointly drive the development of energy efficient and sustainable buildings.

Learn more about Clima Energy Nordic and book your ticket »