GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

The scope of the projects will therefore be to:

• Test large-scale Positive Clean Energy Districts under real life conditions and analyse
• Demonstrate different combinations of technologies to achieve Positive Clean Energy Districts and analyse the most cost-efficient combinations.
• Develop business models and governance structures that are best suited for Positive Clean Energy Districts (e.g. studying the most effective incentive schemes for behavioural change, development and integration of sustainable energy communities).
• Test and adapt different management systems/platforms and citizen interaction and related co-creation and communication strategies that facilitate the implementation of Positive Clean Energy Districts.
• Optimise on-site energy storage systems (e.g. thermal, electrical) linked with local non-combustion RES production (including excess energy from local/ regional industry), use of low carbon materials, and e-mobility (both passenger mobility and freight transport).
• Integrate low to zero pollution heating and cooling systems (e.g. solar thermal district heating plants) making best use of local assets.
• Test Positive Clean Energy District grid solutions, demand response and other smart energy management strategies that help to optimise the larger energy system.
• Establish a project structure that actively involves the local city administrations and mayors of other cities in co-creation, inter-city peer review process and formal collaborations based on officially adopted shared principles.
• Involve owners/inhabitants but also financial actors as consortium partners already in the development phase, with the perspective to scale up from project to real city transformation.

Cities are natural testbeds for innovative integrated solutions and for showcasing the different possibilities for achieving climate neutrality and zero pollution objectives.