With this first of a series of calls on the topic of Positive Energy Districts and Neighbourhoods (PED/PEN), JPI Urban Europe invites transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral communities of researchers and practitioners to create projects with focus on smaller-scale joint R&I projects (duration 1-2 years) on PED/PEN implementation. The results from projects granted in this call should help to facilitate learning from different European contexts, cities and countries to create greater engagement in PED implementation processes. Four projects have now been selected for funding and support.
The four selected projects come with impressive transnational consortia and therefore will support cross-country exchange on PED development. We are already excited for the outcome of the projects and hope for a smooth project conduct for all partners!
– Christoph Gollner
Christoph Gollner is the PED Programme Coordinating Programme Manager:
Christoph, how has the call process been?
– The PED Pilot Call took place in difficult times, the Covid-19 crisis led to shifted priorities, reduced budgets and overall confusion. We are all the more grateful and happy for the outcome of the call.
What can you tell us about the four selected projects?
– These projects perfectly meet the aims of the call and we expect excellent results regarding key aspects for PED implementation: stakeholder-oriented strategies, cities as main drivers, governance and legal framework, technological and system innovation. The four selected projects come with impressive transnational consortia and therefore will support cross-country exchange on PED development. We are already excited for the outcome of the projects and hope for a smooth project conduct for all partners!
Start/running period: 01.02.21 / 24 months
Applicant: KTH Royal Institute of Technology – Urban Planning and Environment
Consortium: Linköping University; City of Lund; Cosmopolis – Vrije Universiteit Brussel; DUSS-explorers; OEAW-ITA; FH Technikum Wien; UFGC GmbH; Kleboth und Dollnig ZT GmbH; StadtLABOR – Innovationen für urbane Lebensqualität GmbH; ElectriCITY Innovation
Abstract:
Positive energy districts and neighbourhoods (PEDs) are a promising approach to rapidly achieve decarbonisation goals while creating more resilient and liveable cities. However, PEDs are challenging to implement because they require fundamental changes in the ways that cities are planned, designed, and operated in the long term. The aim of TRANS-PED is to develop a novel governance approach that can be adopted by PED stakeholders to realise deep and holistic changes to cities. This two-year pilot project will engage a learning network of PED stakeholders in Sweden, Belgium, and Austria to develop a shared set of tools and approaches to frame, embed, assess, and upscale urban energy innovations.
The project partners will engage in a series of online and in-person activities to co-produce a range of practical tools to build a community of practice and position Europe as a global role model for urban energy transformations.
Start/running period: 01.01.21 / 24 months
Applicant: Architecture Workroom Brussels
Consortium: 3E NV; Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG; FH Technikum Wien; City of Brussels; City of Vienna; UIV Urban Innovation Vienna GmbH; City Mine(d); Stockholms Stad
Abstract:
So far positive energy districts and neighbourhoods (PEDs) have been predominantly researched from a technological and energy perspective, often with a focus on electricity and related to new buildings. While the building level is clearly regulated with known possibilities for intervention, this is not the case for the level of districts and neighbourhoods. A broader implementation of the PED concept therefore requires a special focus on legal, institutional and organisational issues and a focus on the main actors, the cities, to develop effective instruments and structures. The cities of Brussels, Vienna and Stockholm join forces to initiate and steer in-depth exchange and capacity building, fed with first-hand experiences.
Enlarged by R&I partners, the consortium dives deep to understand how decisive legal instruments and planning processes of cities need to be adapted to realise PEDs. Furthermore, solutions for the missing administrative existence of the district/neighbourhood level are investigated to ensure long-term engagement and follow-up. Ideas and findings are reflected and validated in multi-stakeholder groups in each city. With the commitment from a European-wide network and in dialogue with more cities a transnational community of practice will be stimulated. Results will be summarised in key recommendations for take-up and advancement.
Start/running period: 01.02.21 / 24 months
Applicant: Sonnenplatz Großschönau GmbH
Consortium: FH Technikum Wien; TU Wien, Institute of Energy Systems and Electrical Drives; LEEF Technologies s.r.o.; Tornet Fastighetsutveckling AB
Website: www.ped-interact.eu
Abstract:
Climatic conditions worldwide force the comprehensive integration of renewable and distributed energy resources into the power system, the effective use of the energy and of the existing infrastructures. Business models are changing and becoming more customer-centric: The customers play an active role in energy supply. The way in which the power grid should be managed, as well as the interaction between all actors in the energy value chain, should become more direct, simpler and more structured. INTERACT effectively integrates all innovative technologies of renewable and distributed energy resources in a holistic architecture, and thus designs the first Energy Community worldwide that works in harmony with the power grid.
The used LINK-based holistic architecture unifies all interactions within the power system itself, between the network-, generation- and storage operators, consumers and prosumers, and the market. Through its standardised structure, this architecture facilitates all processes that are necessary for a reliable, economic and environmentally friendly operation of smart power systems in order to establish a beneficial situation for everyone. To achieve this, INTERACT builds on and integrates both success factors: the best practices of the European positive energy districts; and the specific local needs and requirements of the communities. INTERACT crowns with a roadmap that guides the implementation of a Local Energy Community through the description of a general and two specific cases in Sweden and Austria.
Start/running period: 01.01.21 / 18 months
Applicant: e7 Energie Markt Analyse GmbH
Consortium: SEVEn, The Energy Efficiency Center, z.ú.; Czech Technical University in Prague; White Arkitekter; Sustainable innovation AB
Abstract:
Stakeholder involvement is by far the most important element for a successful implementation of PED, according to a survey by JPI Urban Europe. From our experience it is crucial to involve key stakeholders such as representatives of municipalities as early as possible in the area development in order to develop PEDs. As so often the phase with the highest degree of design possibilities is also the one where only few data about the future area are available. So decision makers have to make decisions without detailed information and long-term effects. This project provides decision makers with improved information at an early stage and creates a corresponding data-based participation process.
The data will be collected and calculated with the help of a methodology and prepared for the appropriate target group. The target groups can actively use these in the data-driven participation process, consolidate their opinions and make decisions based on data. This process will be tested using real Living Labs of potential PED projects. This concerns the participation process and the development of the necessary data. With the help of this method, the decision on PED sites will be accelerated to reach the goal of 100 PED sites in Europe.