This thesis explores potential participatory approaches suitable for a municipal energy planning context. It also analyses the possibility of using those approaches in energy planning processes in ten Swedish municipalities. Swedish municipal energy plans display differences in terms of quality, comprehensiveness and implementation. According to participation literature, planning processes can be improved by stakeholder participation. This study was carried out in four steps: creation of a theoretical framework, survey investigating the municipal energy planners’ views on participation, relating the planners’ views with the theoretical framework and creating suggestions for which participatory approaches to use in the municipalities. Participatory approaches found in literature were categorised into: democracy based, social learning and policy driven participation. Literature states that stakeholder participation should be done as early as possible in a process, but findings from the survey show that those municipalities that have come furthest in their planning process are the ones most interested in stakeholder participation. Indicating that energy planning processes need to gain a sense of maturity before it is even possible to think about involving other stakeholders. Another result shows differences in objectives, central values and targeted stakeholders between the different municipalities. One conclusion from this thesis is the importance for municipalities to understand their objectives for stakeholder participation, since objectives partly determines what kind of participatory approach that will be suitable to use in a given situation.

The Swedish Act on Municipal Energy Planning was written in 1977 in a time of energy crisis and requires each municipality to have a plan for rational supply and distribution of energy. With regards to the on-going climate change however, there is a need for energy planning to emphasise on shifting towards an efficient energy system with high share of renewables, and low impacts on the climate and the environment. The legislation is therefore argued to be outdated and is currently under review. This study shows that most municipalities are working with the energy issue, as 71% have adopted a policy document with focus on energy and climate. However, 41% has not adopted an energy plan as referred to in the Act on municipal energy planning. The results show that the energy strategies have a wider focus than what is stated in the legislation, which strengthens the view that the legislation can be regarded as outdated. Energy Strategies however still have an important function at the municipal level, as they can help to integrate energy aspects into spatial planning, as well as function as support for the daily energy and climate work in the choice of strategies and measures. The study further shows that the use of Strategic Environmental Assessment has potential to increase the consideration of environmental quality objectives, especially those that might be impacted from the energy plans, but the use of it has been fairly limited and only conducted in 6% of the energy plans. It is therefore recommended that the Act on Municipal Energy Planning is revised to instead include requirements for municipal energy and climate strategies, and that they are made subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment, thus promoting a transition to a sustainable energy system, where environmental objectives are taken into account and possible conflicts can be addressed early in the planning process. / Med beaktande av klimatförändringarna finns ett stort behov av att energiplaneringen har ett holistiskt och strategiskt förhållningssätt med hänsyn till klimat- och miljöpåverkan. Kommunerna har en viktig roll i utformandet av den hållbara staden på grund av sitt planmonopol, och ska även enligt lag ha en aktuell energiplan. Lagen om kommunal energiplanering skrevs dock vid en tid av energikris och fokuserar mer på tillgång och distribution av energi än ett hållbart energisystem. Kommunala energiplaner omfattas även av det så kallade SMB-direktivet och som huvudregel ska en strategisk miljöbedömning göras för samtliga energiplaner. Det övergripande syftet med denna studie är att undersöka nuvarande praxis för kommunal energiplanering, genom att kartlägga kommunernas energistrategier antagna under åren 2004-2015. Vidare studeras ifall strategisk miljöbedömning ökar hänsyn till nationella miljökvalitetsmål relaterade till energi och om kommunal energiplanering har influerat översiktsplaner genom mål och strategier. Kartläggningen visar att de flesta kommunerna arbetar med energifrågan, då 71 % har antagit någon form av policy-dokument med fokus på energi och klimat inom tidsintervallet. En tämligen stor andel (41 %) har dock inte antagit en energiplan såsom lagen åsyftar. Intervjustudien stärker även bilden att kommunerna har ett vidare fokus än vad som anges i lagen om kommunal energiplanering, och att lagen därmed är utdaterad. Energistrategierna fyller dock viktiga funktioner på den kommunala nivån, dels för att de kan bidra till att integrera energiaspekter i fysisk planering, men även som stöd i det dagliga energi- och klimatarbetet vid val av strategier och åtgärder. Strategisk miljöbedömning har gjorts i ganska begränsad omfattning, för cirka 6 % av energiplanerna. Resultat från intervjuer pekar på att de inte har ökat hänsyn av miljökvalitetsmålen i någon större utsträckning, men däremot fungerat som en försäkran för att de beaktades. De kvantitativa resultaten pekar dock på att för miljökvalitetsmål som inte har en så tydlig koppling till energi och klimat, men där negativa miljökonsekvenser likväl kan uppstå, så ökar strategisk miljöbedömning att dessa tas i beaktande. Det är därför rekommenderat att lagen om kommunal energiplanering revideras till att istället omfatta krav på kommunala energi- och klimatstrategier, och att strategisk miljöbedömning görs för dessa. På så vis främjas en omställning till ett hållbart energisystem, där miljökvalitetsmålen beaktas och eventuella målkonflikter kan behandlas tidigt i planeringsprocessen.

<p>Enligt lagen om kommunal energiplanering ska varje svensk kommun ha en energiplan för tillförsel för tillförsel och användning av energi. Huruvida energiplanering är ett bra sätt att styra det kommunala energisystemet är dock omdebatterat. Denna avhandling studerar innehåll i, och implementering av, ett antal svenska kommunala energiplaner. Energiplanernas effektivitet studeras på två nivåer: uppfyllelse av mål och visioner i planerna, samt hur detta bidrar till att uppfylla de nationella energipolitiska målen.</p><p>Forskningen baseras på tre studier: en studie av innehållet i tolv energiplaner från Östergötland, en studie av mål och visioner i sju energiplaner och hur energisystem utvecklats efter energiplanerna antagits, samt en fallstudie av Kungälvs kommun där mål och måluppfyllelse studerats mer utförligt. Innehåll och målformuleringar i energiplanerna har analyserats med avseende på miljö, effektiv energianvändning och systemnivå. Mål och måluppfyllelse har även analyserats med avseende på aktörer.</p><p>Resultaten visar på att de studerade energiplanerna har smal systemsyn och att de miljöanalyser som finns i planerna är undermåliga. Energiplaneringen har varit effektiv till viss del. Bäst måluppfyllelse har kommunerna när det gäller mål på en relativt låg systemnivå och när det är kommunen själv som äger frågan, exempelvis fjärrvärmeutbyggnad och energieffektivisering av kommunens lokaler. När det gäller utvecklingens bidrag till de nationella energipolitiska målen är resultaten varierande: användning av biobränslen har ökat avsevärt, medan självförsörjningsgraden på el bara ökat något. Bäst är utvecklingen när det gäller minskade koldioxidutsläpp.</p><p>Baserat på bristerna som upptäckts i de studerade energiplanerna och dess implementering förs en diskussion kring möjligheter att öka energiplaneringens effektivitet och vidga systemsynen. Förbättringar som diskuteras är att stärka kopplingen till fysisk planering, och att inkludera medborgarmedverkan och miljöbedömningar. Om kopplingen till energifrågor stärks i översiktlig planering och om även privata aktörer kommer till tals under planeringsprocessen, skulle detta kunna underlätta implementering av energiplanerna. Miljöbedömningar i sin tur kan bidra med en vidare systemsyn om mer relevanta mål i planerna. Slutligen föreslås att ramverket för miljöbedömning av planer och program (2001/42/EC) kan användas vid energiplanering eftersom det framhåller vikten av breda analyser, samråd med privata aktörer och miljöbedömningar.</p> / <p>Swedish municipalities are required to produce a municipal energy plan for energy supply and use. Whether energy planning is suitable to manage local energy systems, however, is subject to debate. This thesis explores municipal energy planning and development of local energy systems after energy plans were adopted to examine whether energy planning is effective. The effectiveness of energy planning is studied on two levels: in terms of whether goals in energy plans were implemented, and whether energy planning contributes to fulfilling national energy policy goals.</p><p>The research is based on three studies. In the first, the scope of twelve municipal energy plans from a Swedish region was assessed. In the second study, goals and visions in seven energy plans were analysed and compared to the development of the local energy systems. The third case involved Kungälv municipality, where the implementation of goals in its energy plan was studied more thoroughly. Scopes and goals in the energy plans were analysed from three perspectives: the environment, energy efficiency and the systems level. Goals and development were also analysed from an actor’s perspective.</p><p>The results show that the scopes of the studied energy plans have narrow systems boundaries, and that the environmental analyses presented in the plans are very basic. Energy planning was found to have been fairly effective in terms of fulfilment of goals in energy plans. Most positive developments are for goals on a relatively low systems level when the local authority owns the issue, for example district heating expansion and energy efficiency measures in public buildings. When it comes to contributing to national energy policy goals, results vary; use of biomass has increased, but selfsufficiency in electricity supply has increased only slightly. The most favourable development when it comes to energy-related emissions is the reduction of carbon dioxide.</p><p>Based on shortcomings identified in the studied energy plans and implementation, possibilities to increase the effectiveness and widen the scope of energy planning are discussed. Improvements are discussed in terms of urban planning as well as participative planning, and with respect to the environmental assessment of plans. If energy issues are included in urban planning and a participatory planning approach is used, this could facilitate the implementation of energy plans. Including environmental assessment could facilitate wide scopes and more relevant goals. It is also proposed that the EU framework for environmental assessment of plans and programmes (2001/42/EC) can be used for energy planning, since it includes a comprehensive approach, public participation, and environmental assessment.</p>

Enligt lagen om kommunal energiplanering ska varje svensk kommun ha en energiplan för tillförsel för tillförsel och användning av energi. Huruvida energiplanering är ett bra sätt att styra det kommunala energisystemet är dock omdebatterat. Denna avhandling studerar innehåll i, och implementering av, ett antal svenska kommunala energiplaner. Energiplanernas effektivitet studeras på två nivåer: uppfyllelse av mål och visioner i planerna, samt hur detta bidrar till att uppfylla de nationella energipolitiska målen. Forskningen baseras på tre studier: en studie av innehållet i tolv energiplaner från Östergötland, en studie av mål och visioner i sju energiplaner och hur energisystem utvecklats efter energiplanerna antagits, samt en fallstudie av Kungälvs kommun där mål och måluppfyllelse studerats mer utförligt. Innehåll och målformuleringar i energiplanerna har analyserats med avseende på miljö, effektiv energianvändning och systemnivå. Mål och måluppfyllelse har även analyserats med avseende på aktörer. Resultaten visar på att de studerade energiplanerna har smal systemsyn och att de miljöanalyser som finns i planerna är undermåliga. Energiplaneringen har varit effektiv till viss del. Bäst måluppfyllelse har kommunerna när det gäller mål på en relativt låg systemnivå och när det är kommunen själv som äger frågan, exempelvis fjärrvärmeutbyggnad och energieffektivisering av kommunens lokaler. När det gäller utvecklingens bidrag till de nationella energipolitiska målen är resultaten varierande: användning av biobränslen har ökat avsevärt, medan självförsörjningsgraden på el bara ökat något. Bäst är utvecklingen när det gäller minskade koldioxidutsläpp. Baserat på bristerna som upptäckts i de studerade energiplanerna och dess implementering förs en diskussion kring möjligheter att öka energiplaneringens effektivitet och vidga systemsynen. Förbättringar som diskuteras är att stärka kopplingen till fysisk planering, och att inkludera medborgarmedverkan och miljöbedömningar. Om kopplingen till energifrågor stärks i översiktlig planering och om även privata aktörer kommer till tals under planeringsprocessen, skulle detta kunna underlätta implementering av energiplanerna. Miljöbedömningar i sin tur kan bidra med en vidare systemsyn om mer relevanta mål i planerna. Slutligen föreslås att ramverket för miljöbedömning av planer och program (2001/42/EC) kan användas vid energiplanering eftersom det framhåller vikten av breda analyser, samråd med privata aktörer och miljöbedömningar. / Swedish municipalities are required to produce a municipal energy plan for energy supply and use. Whether energy planning is suitable to manage local energy systems, however, is subject to debate. This thesis explores municipal energy planning and development of local energy systems after energy plans were adopted to examine whether energy planning is effective. The effectiveness of energy planning is studied on two levels: in terms of whether goals in energy plans were implemented, and whether energy planning contributes to fulfilling national energy policy goals. The research is based on three studies. In the first, the scope of twelve municipal energy plans from a Swedish region was assessed. In the second study, goals and visions in seven energy plans were analysed and compared to the development of the local energy systems. The third case involved Kungälv municipality, where the implementation of goals in its energy plan was studied more thoroughly. Scopes and goals in the energy plans were analysed from three perspectives: the environment, energy efficiency and the systems level. Goals and development were also analysed from an actor’s perspective. The results show that the scopes of the studied energy plans have narrow systems boundaries, and that the environmental analyses presented in the plans are very basic. Energy planning was found to have been fairly effective in terms of fulfilment of goals in energy plans. Most positive developments are for goals on a relatively low systems level when the local authority owns the issue, for example district heating expansion and energy efficiency measures in public buildings. When it comes to contributing to national energy policy goals, results vary; use of biomass has increased, but selfsufficiency in electricity supply has increased only slightly. The most favourable development when it comes to energy-related emissions is the reduction of carbon dioxide. Based on shortcomings identified in the studied energy plans and implementation, possibilities to increase the effectiveness and widen the scope of energy planning are discussed. Improvements are discussed in terms of urban planning as well as participative planning, and with respect to the environmental assessment of plans. If energy issues are included in urban planning and a participatory planning approach is used, this could facilitate the implementation of energy plans. Including environmental assessment could facilitate wide scopes and more relevant goals. It is also proposed that the EU framework for environmental assessment of plans and programmes (2001/42/EC) can be used for energy planning, since it includes a comprehensive approach, public participation, and environmental assessment.

Nos dias atuais as cidades são o epicentro de uma transformação energética, pois, são elas as principais consumidoras de matéria e energia. Energia fornecida, em sua maioria, através de um sistema convencional, centralizado e ineficiente. Dessa forma, são nos centros urbanos que poderão ser melhor implementadas estratégicas de eficiência energética e conservação de energia. Contudo, antes que os municípios se comprometam com novas iniciativas políticas e investimentos, o primeiro passo é melhorar a compreensão do sistema energético local. Por conseguinte, o objetivo central desta pesquisa é compreender de forma mais integrada o sistema energético de uma cidade através da aplicação de uma metodologia de análise. O município escolhido como estudo de caso é Porto Alegre, por ser uma cidade que se comprometeu em estabelecer mudanças para reduzir as emissões dos gases de efeito estufa, contudo, sem ainda possuir um plano de ação definido. A metodologia do trabalho é qualitativa e quantitativa e foi dividida em três etapas principais: a revisão bibliográfica, o desenvolvimento da metodologia de análise do sistema energético urbano e a aplicação da metodologia proposta. A revisão bibliográfica forneceu a base teórica para o desenvolvimento da metodologia de análise do sistema energético urbano. Esta metodologia prevê o levantamento de dados diversos que se complementam e, dessa forma, possibilitam uma análise integrada e mais aprofundada do sistema energético da cidade. Para tanto, a análise do sistema energético foi dividida em três etapas: caracterização municipal, análise da demanda de energia e levantamento da oferta das principais fontes energéticas locais. Para esta última etapa, visando um exercício concreto de avaliação, especificou-se o potencial de produção de eletricidade através do recurso solar. Os principais resultados da análise do sistema energético de Porto Alegre, entre os anos 2005 e 2014, destacam que o consumo de energia cresceu oito vezes mais que o aumento populacional e menos que a metade do PIB da cidade. Igualmente, no mesmo período, a frota de veículos, assim como o consumo de gasolina, aumentou 13 vezes mais que a população. Entre os setores econômicos analisados o setor transporte foi responsável, em 2014, pelo consumo de 60% da demanda final de energia da cidade. Nesse ano, a fonte de energia mais consumida foi a eletricidade, representando 28,1% do consumo final. Ainda analisando os dados de 2014, verificou-se que o consumo de eletricidade per capita de Porto Alegre pode ser considerado alto, 2,58 MWh/per capita, se igualando ao do Brasil e ao de alguns países desenvolvidos. Em relação ao potencial de produção de eletricidade, a partir da fonte solar, estimou-se um potencial de 2.549 GWh/ano, considerando todo o território da cidade, e de 772 GWh, considerando apenas o território que possuem edificações, aproximadamente 30% da cidade. Isto significa que se todos os consumidores residenciais e comerciais produzissem sua própria energia poderiam ser gerados 2.892 GWh por ano em Porto Alegre. Essa energia seria capaz de suprir 75,8% de toda a demanda de eletricidade da cidade em 2014. Ao final, ressaltou-se a importância de articular o planejamento energético ao planejamento urbano e ao plano de mobilidade urbana, uma vez que o sistema energético urbano está relacionado com os demais. / Nowadays cities at are the epicenter of an energetic transformation. Today, they are the main consumers of matter and energy. Most of that energy supplied through a conventional, centralized and inefficient system. Thus, it is in urban centers that strategic energy efficiency and energy conservation can be better implemented. However, before municipalities commit to new policy initiatives and investments, the first step is to improve understanding of the local energy system. Therefore, the central objective of this research is to understand in a more integrated way the energy system of a city through the application of a methodology of analysis of an urban energy system. The municipality chosen as a case study is Porto Alegre. It was chosen because is a city that has committed itself to establishing changes to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, however, it does not have a defined plan of action. The methodology of the work is qualitative and quantitative and was divided into three main stages, among them: literature review, development of the methodology of urban energy system analysis, and application of the proposed methodology. The literature review provided the theoretical basis for the development of the methodology of analysis of the urban energy system. This methodology determines the collection of diverse data that complement each other and, thus, enable an integrated and more in-depth analysis of the city\'s energy system. In order to do so, the analysis of the energy system was divided into three stages: municipal characterization, analysis of the energy demand and survey of the supply of the main local energy sources. For this last stage, aiming a specific evaluation exercise, was specified the potential of electricity production through the solar resource.The main results of the analysis of the energy system of Porto Alegre, between 2005 and 2014, highlight that energy consumption grew eight times more than the population increase and less than half of the city\'s GDP. Also, in the same period, the car fleet grew 13 times more than the population. Among the economic sectors analyzed, the transportation sector was responsible for the consumption of 60% of the final energy demand of the city, in 2014. In that year, the most consumed energy source was electricity, representing 28.1% of final consumption. The per capita electricity consumption in Porto Alegre was considered high, 2.58 MWh/per capita, which equals that of Brazil and some developed countries. Regarding the potential for electricity production, it was determined a potential of 2,549 GWh/year (considering the entire territory of the city), and 772 GWh (considering only the territory that have buildings, approximately 30% of the city). This means that if all residential and commercial consumers produced their own energy could generate 2,892 GWh per year in Porto Alegre. This energy would be able to supply 75.8% of all city electricity demand. In the end, it was emphasized the importance of unifying the energy planning to the urban planning and to the urban mobility plan, since the urban energy system is related to both.

Nos dias atuais as cidades são o epicentro de uma transformação energética, pois, são elas as principais consumidoras de matéria e energia. Energia fornecida, em sua maioria, através de um sistema convencional, centralizado e ineficiente. Dessa forma, são nos centros urbanos que poderão ser melhor implementadas estratégicas de eficiência energética e conservação de energia. Contudo, antes que os municípios se comprometam com novas iniciativas políticas e investimentos, o primeiro passo é melhorar a compreensão do sistema energético local. Por conseguinte, o objetivo central desta pesquisa é compreender de forma mais integrada o sistema energético de uma cidade através da aplicação de uma metodologia de análise. O município escolhido como estudo de caso é Porto Alegre, por ser uma cidade que se comprometeu em estabelecer mudanças para reduzir as emissões dos gases de efeito estufa, contudo, sem ainda possuir um plano de ação definido. A metodologia do trabalho é qualitativa e quantitativa e foi dividida em três etapas principais: a revisão bibliográfica, o desenvolvimento da metodologia de análise do sistema energético urbano e a aplicação da metodologia proposta. A revisão bibliográfica forneceu a base teórica para o desenvolvimento da metodologia de análise do sistema energético urbano. Esta metodologia prevê o levantamento de dados diversos que se complementam e, dessa forma, possibilitam uma análise integrada e mais aprofundada do sistema energético da cidade. Para tanto, a análise do sistema energético foi dividida em três etapas: caracterização municipal, análise da demanda de energia e levantamento da oferta das principais fontes energéticas locais. Para esta última etapa, visando um exercício concreto de avaliação, especificou-se o potencial de produção de eletricidade através do recurso solar. Os principais resultados da análise do sistema energético de Porto Alegre, entre os anos 2005 e 2014, destacam que o consumo de energia cresceu oito vezes mais que o aumento populacional e menos que a metade do PIB da cidade. Igualmente, no mesmo período, a frota de veículos, assim como o consumo de gasolina, aumentou 13 vezes mais que a população. Entre os setores econômicos analisados o setor transporte foi responsável, em 2014, pelo consumo de 60% da demanda final de energia da cidade. Nesse ano, a fonte de energia mais consumida foi a eletricidade, representando 28,1% do consumo final. Ainda analisando os dados de 2014, verificou-se que o consumo de eletricidade per capita de Porto Alegre pode ser considerado alto, 2,58 MWh/per capita, se igualando ao do Brasil e ao de alguns países desenvolvidos. Em relação ao potencial de produção de eletricidade, a partir da fonte solar, estimou-se um potencial de 2.549 GWh/ano, considerando todo o território da cidade, e de 772 GWh, considerando apenas o território que possuem edificações, aproximadamente 30% da cidade. Isto significa que se todos os consumidores residenciais e comerciais produzissem sua própria energia poderiam ser gerados 2.892 GWh por ano em Porto Alegre. Essa energia seria capaz de suprir 75,8% de toda a demanda de eletricidade da cidade em 2014. Ao final, ressaltou-se a importância de articular o planejamento energético ao planejamento urbano e ao plano de mobilidade urbana, uma vez que o sistema energético urbano está relacionado com os demais. / Nowadays cities at are the epicenter of an energetic transformation. Today, they are the main consumers of matter and energy. Most of that energy supplied through a conventional, centralized and inefficient system. Thus, it is in urban centers that strategic energy efficiency and energy conservation can be better implemented. However, before municipalities commit to new policy initiatives and investments, the first step is to improve understanding of the local energy system. Therefore, the central objective of this research is to understand in a more integrated way the energy system of a city through the application of a methodology of analysis of an urban energy system. The municipality chosen as a case study is Porto Alegre. It was chosen because is a city that has committed itself to establishing changes to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, however, it does not have a defined plan of action. The methodology of the work is qualitative and quantitative and was divided into three main stages, among them: literature review, development of the methodology of urban energy system analysis, and application of the proposed methodology. The literature review provided the theoretical basis for the development of the methodology of analysis of the urban energy system. This methodology determines the collection of diverse data that complement each other and, thus, enable an integrated and more in-depth analysis of the city\'s energy system. In order to do so, the analysis of the energy system was divided into three stages: municipal characterization, analysis of the energy demand and survey of the supply of the main local energy sources. For this last stage, aiming a specific evaluation exercise, was specified the potential of electricity production through the solar resource.The main results of the analysis of the energy system of Porto Alegre, between 2005 and 2014, highlight that energy consumption grew eight times more than the population increase and less than half of the city\'s GDP. Also, in the same period, the car fleet grew 13 times more than the population. Among the economic sectors analyzed, the transportation sector was responsible for the consumption of 60% of the final energy demand of the city, in 2014. In that year, the most consumed energy source was electricity, representing 28.1% of final consumption. The per capita electricity consumption in Porto Alegre was considered high, 2.58 MWh/per capita, which equals that of Brazil and some developed countries. Regarding the potential for electricity production, it was determined a potential of 2,549 GWh/year (considering the entire territory of the city), and 772 GWh (considering only the territory that have buildings, approximately 30% of the city). This means that if all residential and commercial consumers produced their own energy could generate 2,892 GWh per year in Porto Alegre. This energy would be able to supply 75.8% of all city electricity demand. In the end, it was emphasized the importance of unifying the energy planning to the urban planning and to the urban mobility plan, since the urban energy system is related to both.

The global climate is changing rapidly, which pronounces the need for transforming the energy system. The Swedish municipalities have been identified as key actors in Sweden’s decarbonisation due to their far-reaching responsibilities, which encompass energy planning. The municipalities are required to have a Municipal Energy Plan (MEP) regarding the provision of energy, but have increasingly shown climate awareness. Further, the municipalities are responsible also for the spatial planning, and increased climate efforts will largely be dependent on how this planning is conducted. However, the energy system also affects various other environmental impacts. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) can aid to take these impacts and associated National Environmental Quality Objectives (NEQOs) into account, which is necessary in order to avoid that other negative environmental impacts occur due to a decarbonisation and that synergies between NEQOs instead could be utilised. Thus, this thesis aims to examine current municipal energy planning practice and the integration of energy and climate targets into comprehensive planning (Paper I), as well as to explore the performance of SEA and the consideration of NEQOs in municipal energy planning (Paper II). Further, suggestions for strengthening the practice is developed (Paper I and II).To achieve the aims, a document analysis, statistical analyses, thematic analyses and an interview study has been employed. This thesis shows that the Act on Municipal Energy Planning is not followed and that the municipalities proactively focuses on climate change mitigation instead. Moreover, a link between MEPs and Comprehensive Plans is seen regarding energy and climate-related targets, and a continuous energy planning can thus be one way of achieving a spatial planning in line with the climate objectives. SEA is seldom performed despite legal requirements, due to a deficient screening practice. However, when performed, SEA can increase the consideration of NEQOs, particularly those in which negative environmental impacts of climate efforts can occur. The consideration of NEQOs could thus help enhance synergies between a decarbonisation and other NEQOs, which could mobilise support for the MEP and aid its implementation. / <p>QC 20181120</p>