Lokal ö-drift som resiliensstrategi Småskalig vattenkraft och kommunal energiberedskap i Sverige

Sammanfattning

Through Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the repeated a􀆩acks on the country’s energyinfrastructure, the importance of resilient energy systems for the civilian popula􀆟on has becomeincreasingly evident. Experiences from Ukraine demonstrate that small-scale and decentralizedenergy solu􀆟ons play an important role in maintaining cri􀆟cal societal func􀆟ons during majordisrup􀆟ons to the central power system.Today, Sweden has approximately 1,800 small-scale hydropower plants geographically distributedacross the country. How are Swedish municipali􀆟es working to plan for and enable local opera􀆟onthrough their local hydropower plants in order to strengthen local energy preparedness?At the same 􀆟me, while the objec􀆟ve of emergency preparedness is to increase security within theenergy system through enhanced resilience and robustness, conflicts can arise between twosustainability goals, environmental concerns, and the economic compe􀆟􀆟veness of energycompanies. This tension is commonly described through the concept of the energy trilemma.The energy system can be understood as a mul􀆟-scalar system in which measures such as localopera􀆟on and decentralized energy produc􀆟on may create tensions between different scales ofgovernance, where local needs for robustness can conflict with broader objec􀆟ves of efficiency.The study, which is based on qualita􀆟ve interviews with local and na􀆟onal actors within the energysector, shows that Swedish municipali􀆟es have progressed to varying degrees in the implementa􀆟onof local island-mode opera􀆟on. The case study municipali􀆟es examined in this report, Alingsås andLerum, are currently unable to operate their hydropower plants in island-mode. However, planningand prepara􀆟ons are underway to create local energy islands through backup power systems usingdiesel generators instead, despite the organiza􀆟onal and logis􀆟cal challenges associated with suchsolu􀆟ons.Although hydropower offers several technical advantages compared to other energy sources, such asdispatchable electricity produc􀆟on and frequency regula􀆟on capabili􀆟es, it also faces environmentalchallenges despite producing fossil-free electricity.The study concludes that achieving local resilience through small-scale hydropower requires strongerpoli􀆟cal commitment, as well as clearer na􀆟onal coordina􀆟on of legal, organiza􀆟onal, and economicdomains.