Helsingborg, Sweden
Unlocking the potential of energy communities.
In the Ocean Harbor of Helsingborg, the NEEDS Repowered pilot is exploring how a modern, multifunctional parking facility can serve as more than just a place to park—becoming a hub for energy sharing, sustainable mobility, and inclusive urban living. The goal is to develop and test integrated energy and mobility solutions that positively impact both the daily lives of residents and the functionality of the energy system.
At the heart of the pilot lies the ambition to understand, plan, and implement energy systems and business models at the district level in ways that are sustainable, equitable, and long-term. The project is also investigating how resident behavior, such as vehicle charging and car sharing, can be influenced and integrated into future energy solutions. Ultimately, Helsingborg aims to produce practical policy recommendations and best practices that can inform both city and national-level strategies.
“As part of NEEDS Repowered, Helsingborg is showing how a district-level approach can generate solutions that are scalable, socially inclusive, and deeply rooted in real community needs.”
Local challenges & needs
Achieving the goals of the Pilot Site requires close collaboration among a diverse group of stakeholders—residents, planners, the municipality, utility companies, and private partners. Engaging everyone meaningfully from the early planning stages is crucial, but also complex.
Some of the key challenges include:
- Balancing the needs and expectations of residents with the technical requirements of the energy and mobility systems.
- Navigating Sweden’s limited legal flexibility for energy sharing, which requires the project to explore potential regulatory innovations.
- Operating in SE4, an electricity area with constrained supply capacity, which adds pressure to optimize how local energy is produced, stored, and consumed.
- Implementing district-level solutions where space for renewable energy production is limited, calling for creative integration and efficient use of infrastructure.
Activities
Urban Living Lab:
Testing in Real Time
• Utilize the temporary parking facility as a testbed for integrated energy and mobility solutions.
• Operate a functioning setup that includes: EV chargers, Battery storage systems, and Local solar energy production
• Develop and prepare for the launch of the Mobility House, a permanent, multifunctional energy-mobility hub.
• Finalize a greenery and visitor-friendly zone at the temporary site to support study visits and stakeholder outreach.
Community Engagement & Behavioral Insights
• Establish communication channels with residents and businesses in the district.
• Test campaigns and service models to promote shared mobility and understand energy-related behavior
• Monitor and expand local shared mobility offerings, including car sharing and bike pools
Business Models & Policy Innovation
• Develop scalable business models that support integrated energy and mobility systems at the district level. Explore how these models can reduce energy poverty in other districts or nationally.
• Conduct workshops with stakeholders to align planning with grid and property owner needs
• Identify regulatory changes needed to enable local energy sharing and develop policy recommendations
Partners involved
