Municipal energy and climate planning

Municipal Energy and Climate Planning

How does a municipality translate its climate targets into a plan that can be used in political decision-making? Ea Energy Analyses supports municipalities in planning, implementing, and following up on energy and climate efforts — from the underlying data and greenhouse gas inventories to strategic choices, prioritisation of measures, and documentation of progress.

We help translate national and local climate targets into realistic and politically actionable plans, based on robust data and transparent methods. The analyses can be used directly in political cases, briefing notes, and decision-making documents.

Climate action plans: development, updating, and recertification

We have extensive experience in developing, updating, and recertifying municipal climate action plans, including under DK2020. The focus is on the whole picture: creating coherence between the municipality's climate targets, the chosen measures, and the actual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We assist, among other things, with:

  • Supporting the climate action plan with greenhouse gas inventories for the municipality as a geographic area, as an organisation, and consumption-based (scope 3)
  • Developing and updating climate action plans in step with new requirements, targets, and political priorities
  • Preparing and communicating a clear and usable basis for political decision-making

Climate data, scenarios, and reduction pathways

A solid and transparent data foundation is essential for credible energy and climate planning. We work systematically with the municipality's climate data and analyse the expected development in emissions and energy consumption. We support the municipality with:

  • Preparing and quality-assuring municipal greenhouse gas inventories (territorial and consumption-based)
  • Establishing business-as-usual scenarios based on national projections
  • Analysing existing and new measures and assessing the reduction gap
  • Defining and updating the reduction pathways that chart the course towards the municipality's climate targets

As a methodological foundation, we draw on our work with the municipal CO₂ scenario tool for KL (Local Government Denmark) and the Danish Energy Agency. This ensures consistent and transparent analyses that the municipality can continue to work with itself.

Impact assessment of specific energy and climate questions

Municipalities often face decisions where it is crucial to understand how changed assumptions affect the greenhouse gas inventory and target achievement. We can quickly and consistently analyse the effect of specific energy and climate policy questions. These may include, for example:

  • Cancelling or changing a district heating expansion
  • A faster uptake of electric vehicles than assumed
  • New assumptions for grid gas and the phase-out of gas
  • Plastic sorting and changed waste streams
  • Updated assumptions for carbon-rich lowland soils and afforestation
  • Consumption-based climate footprints of municipal investments

The analyses provide a clear picture of how decisions affect emissions, the reduction pathway, and climate targets, and can be used directly in administrative and political decision-making.

Below, you can read more about selected Ea projects within municipal energy and climate planning.

Completed projects

The list of projects below illustrates the types of projects we have been working on.

2026

Support for ProjectZero

ProjectZero is a public-private partnership that has as its goal to reduce emissions in the energy sector, including transport, by 100% in 2029 for Sønderborg Municipality. Ea Energy..

31 January 2026

2025

Energy Communities in Lejre Municipality

Energy communities represent a new way of organising the production, distribution, and consumption of energy at the local level. In recent years, the terms citizen energy community and..

1 June 2025

Update of climate plan and scenario analyses for Lejre Municipality

Lejre Municipality has joined the DK2020 project, now titled the Climate Alliance. Through the Climate Alliance, the municipality pledges to develop and implement climate action plans that live..

31 January 2025

Ballerup Municipality green accounting

Each year, Ballerup Municipality prepares their “green accounting”, which maps and tracks the energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions of the municipality. The green accounting covers both the..

17 March 2025

Analysis of the potential for repowering in Billund Municipality

Billund Municipality has joined the DK2020 project, now renamed as the Climate Alliance of Denmark. With the Climate Alliance, the municipality pledges to develop and implement climate action..

4 February 2025

Update of climate plan and scenario analyses for Holbæk Municipality

Holbæk Municipality has joined the DK2020 project, now titled “Klimaalliancen” (the climate alliance). Through Klimaalliancen the municipality pledges to develop and implement climate action plans that live up..

31 December 2025

Climate and energy analyses for Aarhus Municipality

Ea Energy Analyses has supported the climate and energy work taking place in Aarhus Municipality with ongoing analyses.

31 December 2025

Supporting energy and climate actions in Furesø Municipality

Ea Energy Analyses supported Furesø Municipality on their analyses related to the energy and climate work. Ea also supported the municipality in monitoring their climate actions.

30 September 2025

Strategic energy plan for Ikast-Brande Municipality

Ikast-Brande Municipality joined the DK2020-project, now titled Klimaalliancen (“the climate alliance”). Through Klimaalliancen the municipalities pledge to develop and implement climate action plans that live up to the..

31 August 2025

Scenario tool

In the DK2020 project municipalities pledge to develop and implement climate action plans that meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Scenarios for reducing greenhouse gases are an..

4 February 2025

2024

Screening of locations for new heat production plants in Allerød Municipality

Today, large parts of the heating demand in Allerød Municipality are supplied by individual natural gas boilers. The boilers make up about 60% of the heating installations in..

21 April 2024

Energy plan for Ballerup Municipality

Ballerup Municipality has joined the DK2020-projet, now known as the Climate Alliance. Through the Climate Alliance, the municipalities pledge to develop and implement climate action plans that live..

30 April 2024

Analysis of co-pyrolysis on Samsø

Ea Energy Analyses has carried out an investigation of the life cycle perspective and the economy of a potential pyrolysis plant on Samsø. Samsø Municipality works to handle..

3 October 2024

Update of climate plan and scenario analyses for Roskilde Municipality

Roskilde Municipality has joined the DK2020 project, now titled “Klimaalliancen” (the climate alliance). Through Klimaalliancen the municipality pledges to develop and implement climate action plans that live up..

14 June 2024

Joint energy community for Stavnsbåndet

“Stavnsbåndet” is a community of 26 terrased houses with a community house and shared green areas between the houses, located in Furesø Municipality. Ea Energy Analyses assisted Stavnsbåndet..

31 December 2024

Support on climate and energy actions in Rudersdal Municipality

Ea Energy Analyses assisted Rudersdal Municipality on analyses related to the energy and climate work in the municipality, including analysis of the scope 3 emissions of the municipality...

23 July 2024

Mapping of potential for wind and solar RE in Lejre Municipality

Ea has carried out an analysis of the potential for wind and solar RE in Lejre Municipality to support the work on integrating RE in the municipality. By..

15 May 2024

Joint solutions for heating in Allerød Municipality

Allerød Municipality has a goal of having a fossil free heat sector by 2035. As there is a number of areas in the municipality that are not covered..

31 December 2024

2023

Scenarios for district heating in the capital area

In 2012, Copenhagen Municipality published the climate plan KBH 2025, which shows the direction for reductions of carbon emissions in Copenhagen, with a goal of having the city..

30 November 2023

Support for development of heat plan

At a national level, the political ambition is to phase out gas for indoor space heating by 2035. Today, individual gas boilers cover almost 80% of the heating..

28 February 2023

Climate plan for Holbæk Municipality

Along with 45 other municipalities, Holbæk Municipality has taken part in the second phase of the DK2020 project. With DK2020 the municipalities commit to develop and implement climate..

31 January 2023

Energy, heat, and climate planning in Hillerød

Meeting the national target of a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 requires new policies and a change in regulation at a national level, but it..

13 July 2023

Communal, local heating solutions for Rudersdal and Hørsholm

The municipalities of Hørsholm and Rudersdal have, along with the neighbouring municipalities of Fredensborg and Helsingør, participated in a project with a goal of a fossil free heating..

14 April 2023

Climate plan for Rudersdal

In the DK2020 project municipalities commit to develop and implement climate action plans that live up to the Paris agreement. Rudersdal Municipality has, along with 45 other municipalities,..

30 June 2023

2022

Socio-economic consequences of the green transition in Sønderborg

Sønderborg Municipality has a target of having a carbon neutral energy system by 2029. The municipality has already come far, as the emissions was reduced by 52% in..

30 September 2022

Contributions to the 70% reduction target

The Danish municipalities work on energy and climate agendas through the DK2020 project. The purpose of DK2020 is to provide a shared framework for all Danish municipalities, in..

15 August 2022

Strategy for solar energy for Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality

Through their participation in the DK2020 project, Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality (LTM) has made a goal of net zero emission of greenhouse gasses in 2050. This sets a demand for..

15 June 2022

Catalogue of prerequisites for preparation of municipal heating plans

Political agreements from the summer of 2022 entails that the Danish municipalities has to have plans for green heating before the end of 2022. This leaves municipalities and..

4 November 2022

Analyses for the post 2025 climate plan for Copenhagen Municipality

In 2012, Copenhagen Municipality published the climate plan “KBH 2025”, showing the path to reduction of carbon emissions in Copenhagen with the target that the city should be..

12 August 2022

Climate plan for Rødovre

The Danish parliament has committed to an agreement for a binding climate law, to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 70% in 2030 compared to 1990,..

1 August 2022

Climate plan for Gentofte

Along with 45 other municipalities, Gentofte Municipality has become a part of the second phase of the DK2020 project. Through DK2020 the municipalities commit to develop and implement..

8 June 2022

2021

Heating plan for Furesø Municipality

Furesø Municipality takes actions to further the green transition, and the municipality is therefore taking part in the second phase of the DK2020-project. By participating, the municipality commits to..

1 August 2021

Climate plan for Allerød

Meeting the government’s target of 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 requires new policies and a change in regulations on a national basis, but it will..

28 February 2021

2020

Climate plan for Frederiksberg Municipality

Frederiksberg Municipality wishes to take co-responsibility for the green transition, and the municipality has therefore set several ambitious climate objectives as a framework for the work on the..

31 October 2020

Strategic energy plan for Sønderborg Municipality

In this project, Ea Energy Analyses aided Sønderborg Municipality in updating their strategic energy plan. The updated energy plan illuminates how Sønderborg Municipality can become carbon neutral in..

31 October 2020

Alternatives to biomass in the electricity and heat supply

In this project, Ea Energy Analyses investigated the potential for new technologies in the electricity and district heating sectors. The analysis had three main parts An overview of..

31 October 2020

Strategic energy plan for Holbæk Municipality

The Danish government has set a target for reducing the emission of greenhouse gasses by 70% in 2030, compared to 1990. Meeting the target requires new policies and..

30 September 2020

Strategic energy plan for Næstved Municipality

The purpose of the project was to investigate how Næstved Municipality going forward is ensured cheap and environmentally friendly heating that will work for years going forward. As..

31 May 2020

Climate plan Helsingør Municipality 2045

During 2018 and 2019, Ea Energy Analyses assisted Helsingør Municipality in developing an action and climate plan for the municipality towards 2030, based on a wish for a..

18 March 2020

Strategic energy planning in Aarhus

In this project, Ea Energy Analyses provided technical counselling and assistance to the strategic energy planning for Aarhus municipality. The goal of the project was to have a..

30 June 2020

2019

Strategic energy plan for Egedal Municipality

Ea Energy Analyses has aided Egedal Municipality in developing a strategic energy plan. Ea specifically helped with analysing the economics of district heating development compared to individual solutions..

20 December 2019

Climate and sustainability plan for Helsingør Municipality

Helsingør Municipality wishes to be one of the municipalities in Denmark with the smallest carbon footprint per inhabitant. As a result, the municipality has a goal of reducing..

31 March 2019

2018

Strategic Energy Planning for Southern Jutland and South-West Jutland

The transition to a fossil-free energy system by 2050 will require huge investments. Although the overall direction is clear, there is uncertainty as to how the conversion to..

30 June 2018

Analysis of surplus production in Ilulissat

Since the inauguration of the hydro power plant Paakitsoq at Ilulissat in 2012, it has become apparent that the potential for production from the plant is higher than..

31 January 2018

2015

Transition to renewable energy in the Capital Region of Denmark

The Capital Region of Denmark has set targets to be a green and innovative metropole and has outlined a strategy of growth and development, where the objective is..

30 June 2015

Strategic energy planning in the Capital Region of Denmark

The Capital Region of Denmark, Local Government Denmark (Capital section) and the 29 municipalities in the region, utilities, knowledge institutions and consultants, as well as the partner organisation..

31 August 2015

Financial support for strategic energy planning and for green pilot projects

Ea Energy Analyses has on behalf of the Danish Energy Agency and Local Government Denmark carried out an evaluation of the financial support for partnerships for strategic energy..

31 December 2015

Scenario analyses and energy balance for Høje-Taastrup

In January 2014, the municipality of Høje-Taastrup initiated the project “Høje-Taastrup Going Green” with financial support from the Danish Energy Agency for strategic energy planning. The aim of..

31 December 2015

2013

Strategic energy plan – Frederiksberg

The Frederiksberg Municipality has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions in 2020 by 35 % compared to 2005, and to contribute to Denmark’s goal of independence from..

31 August 2013

Strategic energy planning in the Region of Southern Denmark

The Region of Southern Denmark has launched a cross-organizational cooperation on strategic energy planning in the region. Ea Energy Analyses has assisted the Region in illustrating the perspective..

30 June 2013

2012

Guide on mapping methods for strategic energy planning in the municipalities

Ea Energy Analyses, in collaboration with NIRAS, has prepared a guide in mapping methods and data capture for the Danish Energy Agency, for use in municipal strategic energy planning...

31 January 2012

2011

CO2 projections for the City of Aarhus

Ea Energy Analyses has assisted the City of Aarhus in projecting the city’s CO2 emissions for the purpose of its climate plan ”Klimaplan 2012-2015 – Det intelligente energisamfund”..

30 April 2011

Hvor vi har arbejdet

Baltic Sea Region

South Africa

Türkiye

Find information about one of our projects in Türkiye here.

Ireland

Find information about our work in Ireland here.

Nordic countries

We have done several projects in the Nordic countries. See some examples here.