Xynteo partnered with ABB to identify and scale resilient, low-carbon energy solutions tailored to the unique needs of island communities across Europe.
Europe’s more than 2,400 inhabited islands face unique energy challenges. Many remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels for electricity and heating, resulting in high carbon emissions, costly imports, and vulnerability to energy insecurity. Despite their renewable energy potential, the transition to cleaner and more resilient systems has been slow, held back by fragmented regulation, limited investment, and infrastructure constraints.
To help address these challenges, Xynteo and ABB have joined forces to support European islands in accelerating their clean energy transition. Combining ABB’s technical expertise in electrification and automation with Xynteo’s systems thinking and stakeholder collaboration capabilities, the partnership aims to identify and scale practical, replicable solutions.
€30m
Worth of new opportunities (in CAPEX-equivalent) progressed to advanced conversation stage.
200+
New targets reached through a range of outreach approaches.
11
Newly engaged potential commercial partners across a range of sectors.
7
High-value sub-segments identified for deeper engagement.
The initiative
The key objectives for the engagement:
- Accelerate the decarbonisation of European islands by identifying scalable, low-carbon energy infrastructure solutions
- Support local energy resilience by enabling the shift away from fossil fuel dependency through clean, reliable, and cost-effective systems
- Convene key stakeholders to co-develop actionable frameworks that align policy, investment, and technology for island energy transitions
- By piloting these solutions in select island communities, ABB and Xynteo aim to demonstrate how systemic collaboration—across public, private, and civic actors—can unlock scalable impact
- Develop and launch a go-to-market strategy and plan for ABB to scale BESS-aaS
The ultimate goal is to empower Europe’s islands to lead in the energy transition while strengthening economic and climate resilience.
Xynteo’s role
Investigation and design:
- Conducted systems-level research to map barriers, enablers, and best practices for island decarbonisation
- Co-designed the partnership approach in collaboration with ABB, aligning commercial expertise with systems impact
Stakeholder engagement:
- Led the stakeholder engagement strategy, including outreach to policymakers, energy providers, and local leaders
- Facilitated knowledge exchange across public and private sectors to surface replicable solutions
Solution pathway development:
- Developed a transition playbook with policy and investment recommendations grounded in practical insights
- Positioned island communities as innovation testbeds to demonstrate scalable clean energy models
