Stockholm completed the transition of its district heating network from fossil gas to renewable sources in 2023 — a decade ahead of schedule and under budget. For cities across Europe looking to sign the Gas-Free Cities declaration, the Swedish capital’s experience offers a detailed and replicable blueprint.
How Stockholm did it
The city began planning its gas phase-out in 2010, starting with a comprehensive audit of all gas-connected properties in the district heating network. The audit revealed that around 60% of gas-heated buildings could be directly converted to district heating connections at relatively low cost — because the pipe infrastructure was already in place.
For the remaining 40%, the city deployed a mix of large-scale heat pumps (drawing heat from the Baltic Sea), biogas from local waste treatment, and — for a small number of legacy industrial buildings — hydrogen-ready boiler upgrades.
The political journey
The political path was not straightforward. An initial city council vote in 2013 to accelerate the gas phase-out was narrowly defeated. The project was eventually approved in 2015, after the city administration commissioned an independent economic analysis showing that staying on gas would expose the city to an estimated €180 million in stranded asset costs by 2035.
“The economic case was what turned the council,” says Stockholm’s former Deputy Mayor for Environment, who oversaw the transition. “Once councillors understood the financial risk of inaction, the political resistance largely dissolved.”
Key lessons for other cities
Campaign researchers have distilled five key lessons from Stockholm’s experience:
- Start with an asset audit. Understanding what infrastructure exists — and where district heating pipes run — dramatically reduces the cost of conversion planning.
- Anchor the decision in economics, not ideology. The stranded asset argument is particularly powerful with fiscal conservatives and city finance directors.
- Sequence carefully. Stockholm started with public buildings and social housing, building contractor capacity and public familiarity before moving to private residential stock.
- Use the declaration as a procurement signal. Stockholm’s commitment sent a price signal that drove significant investment in domestic heat pump manufacturing, reducing costs for later phases.
- Build a resident communications programme early. The biggest source of delays in Stockholm was planning disputes from residents unfamiliar with heat pump installations. A proactive communications campaign, co-designed with community groups, reduced objections by an estimated 40% in later phases.
The full Stockholm case study — including data on costs, timelines, and contractor specifications — is available to Gas-Free Cities signatories. Contact the campaign team to request a copy.