How port governance shapes living labs for energy transitions

Source abstract

Ports are increasingly central to decarbonisation, energy-system integration, and resilience, yet less is known about how port governance shapes experimentation and whether learning becomes embedded in organisational practice. Living Labs (LLs)—organised forms of multi-actor experimentation in real-life settings—offer a promising approach, but are often treated as governance-neutral. This study develops and applies a governance–LL fit framework linking governance conditions to four LL pillars: co-creation, real-life setting, iterative learning, and institutional embedding. We compare two Nordic ports that are both wholly municipally owned companies but differ in their dominant governance configurations and in asset control, operational responsibilities, and decision authority: the Port of Aalborg (Denmark) and the Port of Trelleborg (Sweden). The analysis draws on capacity-building workshops, stakeholder engagement materials, and project documentation, using a proposed energy community in Aalborg and a Green Corridor in Trelleborg as case anchors. The comparison shows that prospective uptake pathways reflect both governance conditions and the scope of the initiative. Aalborg’s intra-port energy community could draw on contractual, procurement, and partnership interfaces within the port ecosystem, whereas Trelleborg’s corridor-level initiative would require coordination and commitment across several autonomous organisations and jurisdictions. Across the cases, the analysis indicates that institutional uptake depends on aligning stakeholders, decision authority, and available organisational instruments with the scope of the transition challenge. Because the evidence captures early-stage LL development rather than completed pilots, the findings concern prospective pathways rather than demonstrated long-term outcomes.