Inaugural study tour to Malmö

The first project study visit to Malmö, Sweden, which took place on 9th-11th of June 2008, was a success thanks to the hard work and innovative thinking of our Swedish partners; The City of Malmö and Skåne energy Agency (SEA).

The visit gave all the attendees a massive insight into how the Swedes manage to continuously deliver effective Sustainable and Local Energy Planning strategies. This included step by step guidance of local energy planning by the experts that know how and guest presentations from members of E-ON, the organisation behind Malmö’s district heating network, and a presentation on more advanced techniques of Energy Planning available using ICT by consultancy Profu.

We were also fortunate to be taken on guided tours to see these strategies and projects being put into practice. The tours included visiting; Augustenborg, a newly regenerated, sustainable eco-neighbourhood, various projects developed as part of the “Solar City” programme, a project aimed at increasing the use of Solar energy in Malmö, visiting SYSAV a waste to energy incineration plant and finally a guided tour by Jon Anderson from SEA, of the Western Harbour District, an area which has recently undergone a transformation from an industrial site to a new sustainable city district.

The aim of the project partners now is to collate what they have learnt and experienced from the Malmö Study Visit and start to consider how they would start the process of developing a local energy plan for their own city-region. This first stage would include gaining support and organising who within their city regions would need to be involved within this planning process. The partner’s progress will then be reviewed and support will be given at an “Energy Planning Clinic” during the next scheduled project meeting.