With its substantial spending power, the public sector can contribute to green societal transitions through the adaptation of green public procurement (GPP). Albeit described as having extensive potential, GPP is also associated with several organizational challenges and somewhat elusive effects. This article discusses the potential and challenges relating to GPP and how ‘successful projects’ can provide a better understanding of how the elements of the GPP process comes together, especially in relation to innovation. This is done by introducing a schematic model for GPP with innovation, through which two successful Norwegian municipality GPP projects are unpacked. Using data from the National Programme for Innovative Procurement (LUP) and in-depth document analysis, the authors demonstrate the complexity and interaction of GPP with innovation with regards to both processes and outcome, and how this is conditioned by geographical context and dynamics. They conclude that both cases, albeit having different green foci (i.e. building with wood and safer production of drinking water), combine different multi-actor organizational structures, built around dialogue and the fostering of trust between actors. In addition, both cases showcase radical innovation obtained through GPP, with the potential of scaling up these innovations, pending the continued capacity of the involved market actors.