Mälardalen Energy Agency

Mälardalen Energy Agency (MEA) is a regional energy agency with commitments in four counties in Sweden: Södermanland, Västmanland, Uppsala and Gotland. MEA initiates, coordinates and implements projects aimed at improving the energy efficiency and increasing the supply of renewable energy in all sectors of society. The agency also works strategically and systematically to link the projects at the local and regional level with the national and European policies. 

MEA was established in 1999, in the framework of the SAVE programme. Since 2007, the agency’s activities have been operated on a not-for-profit basis. MEA is an independent regional expertise and cooperation resource in the energy and climate fields. It is a non-profit limited liability company that is completely owned by the municipalities in the region. 

Activities 

To step up public authorities’ capacity to help deliver the energy transition, MEA’s operations have five main pillars, realising the potential of multi-level governance: 

1. Coordinating and supporting actions for municipal energy counsellors. A task from the Swedish Energy Agency. 

2. Regional energy specialist competence: supporting the municipalities in the region with energy plans. 

3. Extensive project activities in the area of energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport. In 2015, over 20 projects and assignments were completed in cooperation with more than 80 partners. 

4. A national partner in preparing the regional and local implementation of EU directives, through the National Association for the Swedish Regional Energy Agencies 

5. Information about EU programmes and access to financing to support the local and regional energy transition. 

About the region 
The region is home to almost 1 million people, about a tenth of Sweden’s total population, and is highly industrialised with many multinational companies such as ABB, Ericsson, Volvo, and Bombardier operating in the area.  

The region is characterised by a few cities surrounded by minor urban areas and large sparsely populated rural areas. Major cities are Uppsala (210,000 inhabitants), Västerås (145,000 inhabitants) and Eskilstuna (103,000 inhabitants).  

Founded in 1477, Uppsala University is the oldest centre of higher education in Scandinavia. Mälardalen University, with one campus in Västerås and one in Eskilstuna, has over 14,000 students. 

Network 

MEA is an active member of national and European associations and networks. On the European level, MEA is in contact with 50 regional energy agencies through FEDARENE. MEA also participates in the EU Covenant of Mayors to promote the initiative in the Mälardalen region and give the municipalities guidance in the process that the signatories are expected to go through to fulfil their commitments. 

All 15 Swedish agencies, including MEA, are members of the National Association for the Swedish Regional Energy Agencies. The association has a close co-operation with the Swedish Energy Agency, both as a co-funding partner of sustainable energy projects, but also as a national partner in preparing the regional and local implementation of EU directives.