Exploring the Engagement and Network Building of Organizations with or in Energy Communities in the Swedish context. A study to understand the European Union energy transition agenda shaped in practice

Energy communities (ECs) are considered in the European Union as an important instrument in accelerating the transition to clean energy, with a focus on just transition and social sustainability. In Sweden, ECs are mentioned in various laws and regulations, but there is no specific legislation dedicated to ECs. However, the transformative potential of ECs in the energy market has begun to be recognized in Sweden, and various organizations are engaging and networking with or in ECs. Therefore the aim of this thesis is to explore the engagement and network building of various organizations with or in ECs as a concept and as a practice, forged in the efforts to decarbonise the energy system in Sweden. This aim will contribute to e better understanding of how the just energy transition agenda embodied in the Clean Energy Package, is shaped in practice in the Swedish context through these engagements and networks. For the explorative aim of this thesis a qualitative method is used. Eleven interviews with different typologies of organizations, from different localities in Sweden were conducted for the data collectioon, while the results of the thesis were provided through conducting discourse analysis approach. The results of the thesis show that the political ideas underpining the engagement and networking of various organizations with or in ECs were related with their aim to influence the change in energy and climate policy, community engagemnt and sustainability. The new alliances forged, especially at the local level, between ECs and other actors in the energy market have similarities with social movements. Despite it was limited the exploration of elements of energy democracy, these new dynamics created from ECs in the energy market in Sweden has raised the recognition of their potential for energy transition.