Embracing frugality: Overkalix’s journey towards sustainable energy in northern Sweden

The project seeks to develop frugality by implementing good practices, emphasising frugality, sufficiency, and community cooperation in their energy plan. It aims to influence policymakers to re-evaluate their energy use, focusing on how one can reduce carbon dioxide emissions using strategies where it is only used what is needed.

In Sweden, Energikontor Norr has chosen to collaborate with the municipality of Överkalix to test and develop sufficiency and cooperation approaches. Given its northern location, a lot of energy is consumed to keep citizens warm through a district heating system developed in the 1980s. This makes it even more important for the town to think about frugality and sufficiency, to save resources.

The municipality has already implemented energy efficient practices in the supply, distribution, and consumption of energy. To further enhance its energy plan, the region is expected to incorporate frugality and sufficiency principles. This will involve the adoption of low-tech solutions and community engagement at various stages, including energy production localisation, monitoring energy-intensive industries, and the development of new plans and future projects.

“The Överkalix Municipality in the North of Sweden is embracing the Frugal City approach in energy planning to enhance the quality of life for its residents. (…) With a focus on involving elected officials and the community in frugality and sufficiency, the municipality aims to strengthen its journey toward climate neutrality. ” Mayor Niclas Hökfors.

Leveraging interregional learning with eight European partners, the FEEL project aims to bring additional good practices and ideas to the Norrbotten region, which includes the Överkalix municipality.

The project runs from March 2023 to May 2027 with the last year acting as a monitoring phase to evaluate the actions implemented.

“By participating in international projects together with Överkalix municipality, we bring several good ideas back to our region to contribute to climate neutrality and speed up the energy transition.“ Isabella Katsimenis, project manager from Energikontor Norr.

This best practice is extracted from our publication ‘Sustainable Regions in Action‘. Discover more best practices here!