Author: Taliah Dommerholt

D10.11: Plan for dissemination and exploitation of +CityxChange project results 5

Posted on October 30, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.11: Plan for dissemination and exploitation of +CityxChange project results 5 was submitted by ISOCARP in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU and FAC. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This document is the yearly update of the Communications, Development & Exploitation (CDE) plan at the state of October 2022. It is a revised version of D10.9: Plan for dissemination and exploitation of +CityxChange project results 41, and its previous versions D10.12, D10.63, and D10.84 which provide the framework for dissemination and exploitation activities of the +CityxChange project (connected to Task 10.1: Communication and Dissemination Management). This document is revised annually and supersedes the previous version. It is composed of:

  1. The outline of the communication goals;
  2. The context in which the goals have to be implemented;
  3. The formulation of a strategy and a detailed plan;
  4. The means or delivery channels.

The deliverable provides the final updated overall plan, an overview of the communication activities of the last year, the achieved outreach through different channels, and a compilation of the preparatory internal and external activities which aim at supporting the further process of communicating and disseminating the project and its progress and outcomes. The purpose of this version is to conclude the CDE dimensions of the project, sharing the final analyses and activities.“

D8.5: Report on ‘Get Involved’ workshops and facilitation of replication across 20 EU cities

Posted on October 25, 2023 by -

The deliverable D8.5: Report on ‘Get Involved’ workshops and facilitation of replication across 20 EU cities was submitted by Research2Market (R2M) with contributions from NTNU in October 2023. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report presents the results of the replication activities which are carried out as part of the +CityxChange project. The goal of the replication activities as reported here was to replicate +CityxChange solutions beyond the cities directly involved in the project. Replication activities are interlinked with the dissemination, communication, and exploitation activities of the project. All these activities have in common that they want to engage with other cities and make project results and knowledge available to a broader audience. Two lines of replication support activities can be distinguished, being:

  • Replication support activities by and for the project partners. The LHCs and FCs have, together with the other project partners, used their existing local, regional, and national networks to promote project results and support cities interested in one of the solutions with replicating the solution into their local context. The project has leveraged EU-wide umbrella organisations to organise outreach and replication activities like matchmaking events from EIP-SCC. Scalable Cities events have been used for presenting experiences and learnings from Lighthouse and Follower cities in the Task Group Replication and the Board of Coordinators, and joint events like the Scalable cities – IRIS conference in Utrecht or the Scalable cities – MATCH-UP in Valencia have been used to reach out to other EU cities. During the project’s Final Event in Trondheim organised by +CityxChange and Scalable Cities, a major ‘Get Involved’ session was organised aiming to support replication of a selected set of project solutions to other cities in Europe. Examples of replication projects resulting from replication activities are the replication of the Bold City Framework in multiple Norwegian cities or the replication of the eMobility solution by FourC to the city of Bergen, Norway. Together, replication projects have triggered 21 million euro of investments that we could directly track from +CityxChange.
  • Dedicated replication campaign targeting Italian cities. Additionally, a dedicated replication campaign was set-up by project partners R2M Solution and IES targeting cities in Italy. As a result, feasibility studies have been conducted at the cities of Bologna, Padova, Milan, Udine, Rome, and Crispiano, and these cities have started actions to replicate some of +CityxChange’s solutions.

Replicable solutions have been identified as part of the exploitation and commercialisation activities done in Work Package (WP) 8 – “Scaling-up, Replication and Exploitation”. Replication activities increased in the second half of the project when project solutions had been implemented and the first results on their performance and impact became available.

It can be concluded that both forms of replication support activities led to replication projects. In all cases it is important to provide dissemination materials in which cities can recognise themselves. We tried an approach of not focussing too much on the solution but more on the challenges, processes and methodologies used to overcome these challenges. Storytelling is a good technique to inspire and enthuse other cities. We have examples where targeted effort put into replication supporting activities, can help trigger more replication as the Italian replication campaign shows.“

D10.16: 5 Conference Papers and 5 Scientific Articles

Posted on October 20, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.16: 5 Conference Papers and 5 Scientific Articles was submitted by UL in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU and ISOCARP. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report contains a summary record of +CityxChange peer reviewed conference papers and scientific journal articles from the project implementation period of November 2018 to October 2023. This scientific dissemination forms part of WP10 Dissemination and Communication and supports the objective of WP10 to disseminate project outcomes across Europe.

These scientific publications are intended to support the validity of the innovation activities and demonstration projects and to promote the development and exploitation of +CityxChange open innovation and cross-cutting results through research. This deliverable is connected to activities carried out in Task 10.5.

A tracker of publications was developed internally and updated periodically during project implementation. It supports overall tracking for an overview in the project, for the periodic review, and to ensure an internal publication process around IP rights and agreement on content. The list included in this report is based on this tracker. In total, 15 peer reviewed journal articles, 11 peer reviewed publications in conference proceedings. Other publications that have not been peer-reviewed are recorded where they were of specific importance. The target was 5 of each main category, which was overachieved.

Additional outreach activities happened through other channels, including the project website and Deliverables. Publications are also linked in the project Knowledge Base.”

D10.15: 2 Masterclasses

Posted on October 20, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.15: 2 Masterclasses was submitted by UL in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU and ISOCARP. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report contains a summary record of +CityxChange masterclasses (Digital Futures Lab, Mission-Oriented Innovation Network: Student Placement) and other educational formats delivered by Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and University of Limerick (UL) – the +CityxChange Lighthouse City academic partners – during the project implementation period from November 2018 to October 2023. It forms part of WP10 Dissemination and Communication which has as an objective the broad dissemination of project results to foster further development and implementation.

A tracker of educational activities including masterclasses was developed internally by the +CityxChange team and updated periodically during project implementation. The list included in this report is based on this tracker. In total, 14 educational programmes used +CityxChange as a case study forming the basis of a masterclass, course, or seminar.”

D9.24 : +CityxChange storytelling workshops, inviting other LHCs and FCs 5

Posted on October 19, 2023 by -

The deliverable D9.24 : +CityxChange storytelling workshops, inviting other LHCs and FCs 5 was submitted by ISOCARP in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU, LCCC, TK, MAI, SB, MP, SMO, VORU. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report is the final update describing the results from storytelling workshops where LHCs and FCs exchanged trial-and-error experiences on how to create robust support among local politicians and stakeholders, connect with inhabitants, create justifiable impacts, manage complex projects across divergent interests, goals, and needs, build targeted networks locally and internationally, support capacity and assess strengths and weaknesses, mobilise demonstration and research partners, develop IPR agreements, distribute responsibilities, create the right storyline, vision and profile for their city, develop transition pathways, and arrange successful partner workshops to develop their replication and implementation work.

The Storytelling Workshops are an integral part of the knowledge development and exchange in- and outside the +CityxChange project and are embedded in Work Package 9 – Intra-Project Collaboration and Clustering. The deliverable is contributing to Task 9.3: Extra-Project Cooperation with existing LHCs and FCs through clustering events run by +CityxChange consortium, focusing on the exchange with other Lighthouse and Follower Cities. Led by ISOCARP Institute, the Storytelling Workshops are jointly organised with the Work Package Lead, NTNU, as well as the +CityxChange cities. To ensure an active exchange with other stakeholders and SCC-01 projects, representatives of the projects are invited to the Workshops.

This deliverable describes the approach for the Storytelling Workshops in +CityxChange and reports on the final series of Storytelling Workshops in the last project year, which occurred during the four Learning Sessions held in Sestao, Alba Iulia, Smolyan and Võru from March 2023 – September 2023. It is the fifth of five annual reports on Storytelling Workshops. In this report, we discuss the process of narrative construction and its role in communicating the experiences of the +CxC cities. The results of these sessions informed the design of the +CityxChange cookbook and the production of multimedia stories displayed in an open exhibition at the Final Conference in Trondheim. In the exhibition each city demonstrated how they have used storytelling methodologies to share their challenges and successes of the project, and share these stories with the wider community of practice and public.”

D10.12: Publications in local media and professional media

Posted on October 19, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.12: Publications in local media and professional media was submitted by ISOCARP in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This deliverable collects publications in local media and professional media by and about the project and is connected to T10.3: +CityxChange news articles, infographics and policy briefs.

Over the course of the project, key public project deliverables were launched through news articles, infographics, and policy briefs using +CityxChange communication channels, such as website, social media, or newsletters. This report also includes external news articles written by local and professional media. In total, 90 articles, consisting of both local and professional media, were collected and are recorded on the project website.”

D10.13: 10 press releases

Posted on October 19, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.13: 10 press releases was submitted by ISOCARP in October 2023 with contributions from NTNU. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report includes an overview of the Press Releases published throughout the +CityxChange project, and is connected to Task 10.3: +CityxChange news articles, infographics and policy briefs.

In the first year of the project, press kits were created about the project for each city. These are documented in D10.7: Press kits about the project for each city. Following these first press releases, periodic news posts were published through the project website under the ‘What’s New?’ tab and subsequently shared on social media and in newsletters. The news posts began in 2021 and were posted semi-regularly, with a total of 43 posts at the conclusion of the project and at least five Press Releases created and shared by partners through their own channels.”

D10.17: Final Report

Posted on October 19, 2023 by -

The deliverable D10.17: Final Report was submitted by NTNU and ISOCARP in October 2023 with contributions from Trondheim kommune, Limerick City & County Council, Písek, Alba Iulia, Võru, Smolyan, Sestao, UL, R2M, FourC, GKinetic, and ANEO. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This document is the formal Deliverable for the final report, which is published in the form of a book that gives a high-level overview of project results: How to PED – The +CityxChange Cookbook: Experiences and guidelines on Positive Energy Districts.

It sets a counterpoint to the detailed technical Deliverables of the project and provides a different entry point for a broader audience. Main project Deliverables and other sources are referenced throughout the book to make it easier to navigate them.

The book follows a cookbook metaphor to present selected results of the project and “recipes” that made them happen. Its main components are overall project results and highlights of the achievements of all cities, and then solutions described as concepts and examples from one or more cities.

The solutions or “recipes” are organised into two categories: procedural recipes, which outline the critical processes towards PED development, and structural recipes, which detail the elements supporting the implementation and deployment of PEDs.

The book abstract explains the concept:

“A PED is a process, not a product”

This “How to PED’’ cookbook contains experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations gained throughout the 5 years of the +CityxChange EU Horizon 2020 project, specifically focused on the variety of activities necessary to develop and build Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) in smart sustainable cities and communities. Over the course of the book we will draw on the experiences of our 2 Lighthouse Cities, 5 Follower Cities, and 26 other partners, to demonstrate what it takes to build a PED.

We show the importance of collaboration and co-creation, involving the right people, designing effective pathways for change, deploying strong partnerships and financing, adapting to existing processes or adapting the processes themselves, developing impactful strategies, building new systems and services, and creating new infrastructure in PED projects.

This cookbook represents the processes and results of +CityxChange, where we all contribute with our own recipes & flavours. Just as in real life, recipes often need adjustment to taste. There is no single way to build a PED, so these recipes from our cities provide guidance through the complexities of the journey and share key information that helps initiate and smoothen the processes.”

Trondheim successfully implements local energy and flexibility market

Posted on October 11, 2023 by - News

+CityxChange partner, Aneo (formerly Trønderenergi), a Nordic renewable energy company, has successfully developed and deployed a novel solution for local energy and flexibility markets (LFM) in the two Positive Energy Blocks, Brattøra and Sluppen, located in Lighthouse City Trondheim.

As a Horizon 2020 project, +CityxChange aims to pilot integrated, innovative, and replicable solutions for Positive Energy Blocks & Districts, which are developed and tested in Lighthouse Cities (Trondheim & Limerick), in close collaboration with the Follower Cities (Alba Iulia, Písek, Sestao, Smolyan, and Võru). The long-term goal of the project is to create sustainable urban ecosystems with zero emissions and achieve 100% renewable energy city-regions by 2050. 

ANEO’s work on LFMs plays a key role in establishing successful Positive Energy Blocks in Trondheim, and was recently awarded 2nd place at the Norwegian Smartgrid Centre’s Innovation Award 2023. Their groundbreaking solution has great potential for upscaling and replication, promising to enhance energy market efficiency and contributing to the broader energy transition.

Positive Energy Block

A positive energy block is an urban area that consists of at least three buildings (new and retrofitted) that together consume less energy than they produce, resulting in an annual positive energy balance that can be shared with the larger city. The area achieves this through an increase in energy efficiency, reduction of energy demand, and reliance on local renewables.

What exactly is a local energy and flexibility market (LFM)?

The market solution is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive innovation that incorporates the same steps and actions as an ‘ordinary’ global power market (think bid matching, trading, settlements, measuring, invoicing, etc.). The local energy and flexibility market essentially functions as a downscaled power market, in which the individual assets trade energy and user flexibility with each other, and then the market itself trades system services with the local Distributed System Operator (DSO). 

The two local markets consist of a total of 16 buildings/installations involved in the energy trade (6 at Sluppen and 10 at Brattøra). These buildings contain 29 individual assets (11 at Sluppen and 18 at Brattøra) that participate in the market, including PV systems, heat pumps, battery storage, and HVAC systems, as well as Vehicle to Grid (V2G), EV chargers, and E-busses. These assets act as individual market actors, partaking in the buying and selling of energy. 

Energy Flexibility

Energy flexibility is the ability to reduce energy use or shift usage to different times of day. Often it refers to when buildings and assets adjust their energy usage in response to price signals, thus contributing to grid congestion management, supply-demand balance, and optimisation of renewable energy resources.

For practical reasons, the market solution currently operates on a 60-minute time resolution, however it is capable of performing trades at a 15-minute time resolution and will soon transition to this shorter time resolution. Trading is based on a set of predefined trading rules—for example, how much capacity can be pulled from a certain flexible asset or local PV system at a certain time of the day/week/year. The market is fully automated, based on novel trading algorithms (or ‘trading rules’) that improve themselves through machine learning.

The solution is designed and operates within two main trading modules: the DSO-round and the Asset-round. As you would expect, the DSO-round is exclusively for DSO services, and includes all available user flexibility. In this round, flexibility is sold as a so-called ‘system service’ to the DSO. Local PV production and other unregulated energy resources are excluded from this part of the market trading, making the local user flexibility potential/volume a predictable and stable source. As a result, the local user flexibility is highly viable as a DSO system service. Results also show that the local DSO is willing to pay for such system services, given their contribution to the balancing of the local energy grid. 

The Asset-round, on the other hand, involves all energy bids and bid offers, which are made available from the buildings and their assets to the local marketplace. In this sense, energy production (kWh) is sold to local customers, who are thus also considered assets in this equation. The availability and volumes, both for bids and bid offers, are reported on the local marketplace at as close as 15 minutes before each hour (trade) starts.

Why is this important?

The market has been fully operational for more than a year, during which we have been able to verify it as a viable, practical market solution, and have gained knowledge on how to widely scale and replicate the market to other local contexts. During this time, ANEO has gathered extensive results showcasing how local Renewable Energy System (RES) production (primarily PV energy), also known as Distributed Energy Resource (DER) capacity, is sold locally. Currently, more than 80% can be sold, leading to a distinct 6% reduction of the local peak load, and according to estimations, a reduction of 20% could soon be obtainable. In Norway, the solution has already reduced tension on the local ‘Distribution grid’, and even the ‘Regional grid’. If scaled-up, this solution has the potential to have a positive impact on the larger ‘Transmission grid’. This will have important implications for increasing grid capacity and reducing grid bottlenecks. 

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

DERs are small-scale energy resources usually situated near sites of electricity consumption, such as rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems.

The +CxC project has estimated that with the LFM solution, it could be possible to increase local energy resource utilisation efficiency by up to 20% and even more in certain specific periods. Harnessing flexibility can ease the burden on the grid and possibly circumvent the need for costly infrastructure upgrades. Currently, the anticipated costs for grid upgrades and maintenance in Norway are estimated to be close to 20 billion euros, which will be paid for by consumers through grid taxes, making the LFM solution highly consequential. Efficient utilisation of user flexibility on the local scale may also reduce energy costs for the consumer, having a significant socio-economic impact and potentially contributing to the reduction of energy poverty.

Why isn’t this happening everywhere?

While the +CxC LFM is highly successful, there are still challenges regarding the potential of replication and upscaling, and the journey is far from over. A major barrier to implementation is the need to update the current grid and energy market regulation in order to actually make use of the digital opportunities we have available. Regulatory approval is key to transforming an LFM from a digital solution that trades energy and flexibility, into a solution where trades executed within the market will be accounted for by the existing electrical system and market.

Furthermore, local market solutions still lack sufficient economic incentives, with only a slightly positive return on investments for the market owners and operators, through peak shaving and peak shifting. While participants in the +CxC LFM are drawn by the economic advantages for trading local flexibility and energy, these benefits are currently dependent on local DSO funds. The absence of direct economic gains from local energy trading and DSO service means it lacks adequate incentives for operating and integrating local markets.

Peak shifting/shaving

Shaving refers to reducing consumption peaks by temporarily scaling down production or switching to a secondary power generation system, while shifting refers to moving consumption from peak load times to other more optimal parts of the day.

What’s next?

The local energy market approach and solutions demonstrated in Trondheim are highly viable, and key for a successful energy transition. An upscaled +CityxChange LFM could not only increase local utilisation of renewable energy but also be a strong mitigator of increasing grid capacity issues, having positive financial, socio-economic, and environmental impacts if adequately replicated and scaled. 

The aim is to further develop the energy market to leverage the ICT advancements and foster a sustainable, flexible, and decentralised electricity system that empowers individuals and communities to actively participate. The solution has the potential to accelerate local electricity production and demand investments, optimise grid investments through smart technologies, and facilitate a transition towards sustainable cities. 

Curious to learn more? Read the full deliverable, D5.6: Trondheim Flexibility Market Deployment Report, and check out the two dashboards displaying the live trades and summary of results and impacts:

Also be sure to download our ‘How to PED cookbook’ for an overview of our project’s main outcomes and achievements.

Turbine in the water!

Posted on October 11, 2023 by - News

From the 19th to the 21st of September 2023, GKinetic Energy deployed a 12kW hydrokinetic tidal turbine just downstream of Sarsfield Bridge on the river Shannon, in central Limerick City. Backed by the Limerick City Council and other local partners, this represents a major step forward towards utilising the river for energy generation in the city. The deployment saw successes in a number of areas, and pioneers a design that showcases the most advanced urban deployment of river turbine technology to date. Congratulations to all +CityxChange partners involved in making this possible!

The deployment of a river turbine in Limerick was targeted considering the limitations of generating energy through other sources. Due to the protected status of much of Limerick’s buildings, utilising roof and wall space for solar and other renewable energy sources was not feasible. Instead, an alternative energy source was identified – the river Shannon. Over the last few years, GKinetic, a leading developer of innovative turbines that generate clean energy from flowing water, has been working on a technology to convert hydrokinetic  energy from the city’s river into electricity. Working closely with Limerick City & County Council,other partners and stakeholders, the turbine has been iteratively designed, taking into account the technical, environmental, and societal factors that impact its deployment. 

The process that led to the turbine’s deployment in September 2023 saw GKinetic and partners implement a number of activities to continuously improve the design of the turbine. Read on below to discover how this was done.

Minimising Impact to Aquatic Life

In early stages, objectives were set to ensure that the turbine would not disrupt aquatic life. This involved understanding the dynamics of the river from an environmental and ecological perspective, to identify the potential impacts of the turbine. Then, the design could be adjusted to limit these impacts. The main outcome of this was the development of turbines with a low rotational speed, where interference to aquatic life is minimised, with the turbine rotating at the same speed as the river flows. Power generation starts from low river flow speeds of only 0.6m/s, and in its current state of development reaches rated capacity at 2.2m/s. The turbine is also able to naturally deflect debris with its counter-rotating turbines, to both minimise impacts to aquatic flora and fauna and retain maximum efficiency. 

Validating with Citizens

Throughout the ongoing development of the turbine, citizen validation processes were implemented where impressions and feedback were collected from local communities. This involved open discussions during outreach events, and targeted consultation with key stakeholders. The deployment of the turbine in September 2023 was one of these processes, where a physical display of the technology served to demonstrate the finely tuned design, able to benefit societies without impeding their activities. One key aspect here is the deployment of multiple smaller 12kW floating devices, instead of one 60kW design as initially planned. Making the turbines float on boat-like structures ensures that they can be moved depending on environmental factors and when the river is needed for social activities. The interest and support of local stakeholders in the longer term deployment of the river turbine helps to secure planning permission to begin generating energy from the turbines en masse for Limerick City.

From the 19th to the 21st of September 2023, GKinetic Energy deployed a 12kW hydrokinetic tidal turbine just downstream of Sarsfield Bridge on the river Shannon, in central Limerick City. Backed by the Limerick City Council and other local partners, this represents a major step forward towards utilising the river for energy generation in the city. The deployment saw successes in a number of areas, and pioneers a design that showcases the most advanced urban deployment of river turbine technology to date. Congratulations to all +CityxChange partners involved in making this possible!

The deployment of a river turbine in Limerick was targeted considering the limitations of generating energy through other sources. Due to the protected status of much of Limerick’s buildings, utilising roof and wall space for solar and other renewable energy sources was not feasible. Instead, an alternative energy source was identified – the river Shannon. Over the last few years, GKinetic, a leading developer of innovative turbines that generate clean energy from flowing water, has been working on a technology to convert hydrokinetic  energy from the city’s river into electricity. Working closely with Limerick City & County Council,other partners and stakeholders, the turbine has been iteratively designed, taking into account the technical, environmental, and societal factors that impact its deployment. 

The process that led to the turbine’s deployment in September 2023 saw GKinetic and partners implement a number of activities to continuously improve the design of the turbine. Read on below to discover how this was done.

Continuously Editing the Design

A major driver of the successes of the river turbine, in exceeding expectations for energy generation, is that the design was iteratively developed by engineers. The developers constantly looked for ways to improve the system, such as replacing complex mechanical parts with simplified bespoke components that reduced weathering and increased efficiency. Such changes have led to the low cost, high efficiency blade pitching system on the unit, which facilitates maximum power generation. This process of “tinkering” with the design has constantly improved the potential energy generation, to the point that during its deployment in September 2023, more energy was being produced than could be used up by the on-board systems in place to demonstrate functionality. This process also takes into account the physical characteristics of the site, to maximise possible energy generation. This is exemplified by the turbine’s ability to float and rest on the riverbed to accommodate varying water levels.

The deployment of the turbine in the river Shannon in Limerick, in September 2023 has seen successes in a number of areas. Not only is the design for the turbine the most advanced and effective on the market, it is also kind to aquatic life, moulded to the needs of citizens, and able to efficiently produce clean energy. But the work does not stop here, GKinetic and partners continue to work on the design of the turbine in Limerick. Not only this, but the deployment process has also been expanded into learnings for other cities, including reflections on how to secure regulatory approval, effectively test generation, and connect to flexibility markets. This and more information on the turbine can be found in D4.9: White Paper “Regulations Unlocking Innovation Potential”.

Stay tuned with the +CityxChange project for more updates on the development of innovative technologies and processes, as with Limerick’s river turbines. As the project concludes, there is much to be learned from. Check out the How to PED Cookbook for a summary of our main outcomes and achievements.