Author: Taliah Dommerholt

Follower Cities Complete their Bold City Visions for Climate Neutrality

Posted on March 17, 2023 by - News

We are happy to announce that the Bold City Visions (BCVs) of the Follower Cities (FCs) are officially completed, and we are well on the way to achieving full political approval by each of the cities.

BCVs are ambitious, comprehensive city visions for climate neutrality and serve as an important aspect of the +CityxChange methodology. When dealing with ‘wicked problems’ such as the energy transition, municipalities are often confronted with the challenge of overcoming organizational silos, in which different departments and domains are disconnected and unable to effectively partake in horizontal coordination. By using a framework for integrated strategy development, cities and municipalities can create strategies that support and reinforce each other, ultimately accelerating the pace at which cities are able to reach their goals and visions. The BCVs cover urban, technical, financial, legal and social aspects of the energy transition, and are prepared through a process of open engagement and co-creation with citizens, urban authorities, industry stakeholders, and across municipal units. This extensive process enables holistic, evidence-based decision-making and planning.

Following Lighthouse cities Trondheim (see Deliverable 5.7) and Limerick (see Deliverable 4.7), the +CxC FCs, Alba Iulia, Smolyan, Võru, Písek, and Sestao have used the BCV Framework to design and construct city visions for planning, implementing, replicating and scaling-up to positive energy districts (PEDs) and climate neutral cities by 2050. Situated within the cities’ overarching strategic planning and management processes, as well as the broader context of the Sustainable Development Goals, the BCV process has helped the cities to identify and address key opportunities and actions in becoming smarter and more sustainable.

The +CxC map of partners.

As outlined in our latest deliverable, D6.2: Bold City Vision 2050 for each FC, each city has determined specific areas of focus and key actions for achieving their Visions by 2050. The city of Smolyan, for example, aims to create a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable city using smart positive energy solutions and digital services to improve the quality of life for and together with its citizens. The BCV for Võru is formulated around the premise of growth, both in terms of supporting new businesses and attracting new residents. This is done by promoting a healthy and sustainable living environment, fostering technological development, and improving community services and smart governance. The other cities have similarly outlined their goals and objectives for achieving climate neutrality, tailoring their approaches to the specific challenges they face. 

As a result of problem analyses and feasibility studies conducted during the BCV process, some cities, like Písek, have created SECAPs (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans), setting climate targets and introducing new forms of energy management. Other cities found it useful to create their BCVs in conjunction with local urban agendas. The Sestao BCV was essentially combined with its Agenda Urban, in order to reduce redundancy within the political process and increase the chance of getting official approval for the proposed measures. The development of the two documents was opened for citizen participation, resulting in an Action Plan that was unanimously approved across all political parties in the city council’s plenary session at the end of July 2022. Similarly, Alba Iulia has linked multiple strategies to its BCV, including the Smart City Strategy 2021-2023, the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy, and the Integrated Urban Development Strategy 2021-2030. 

Through the BCV process, we have gathered numerous learnings and insights that can be applied to similar vision-making processes. To highlight some key takeaways:

  • Citizens must be at the heart of the development of such a strategy, in cooperation with other stakeholder groups such as industry actors and urban authorities. It is critical to map stakeholders and partners for collaboration to ensure the vision responds to diverse interests and needs.
  • A continuous monitoring process is sometimes more important than the strategy itself. Establish methods for monitoring and evaluation from the start of the development process.
  • Visions should be embedded in the larger political context, to better ensure feasibility and relevance, and identify synergies with other strategic urban agendas.
  • Explicit alignment with SDGs provides context and weight.
  • For the vision to become a reality, the transformation process requires strong leadership and comprehensive financing schemes. Transformation is not a one-off process but rather a constant cycle of information supply and demand that requires a macro “visionary” perspective that is also grounded and operational.
  • Identify legal and regulatory obstacles from the onset and create action plans to overcome potential hurdles. 

We encourage you to check out the latest deliverable, D6.2: Bold City Vision 2050 for each FC, for more details and the complete BCVs of each city. For an overview of the Bold City Vision Framework, check out D3.1 Framework for Bold City Vision, Guidelines, and Incentive Schemes (SDG City Transition Framework). And be sure to visit our knowledge base for a more detailed overview of everything else our cities have been up to! 

D6.2: Bold City Vision 2050 for each FC (BCVs for Alba Iulia, Smolyan, Võru, Písek, and Sestao)

Posted on March 10, 2023 by -

The deliverable D6.2: Bold City Vision 2050 for each FC (BCVs for Alba Iulia, Smolyan, Võru, Písek, and Sestao) was submitted by ISOCARP Institute (ISOCARP), Alba Iulia (MAI), Mesto Písek (MP), Municipality of Võru (Võru), Municipality of Smolyan (SMO), and Sestao Berri (SB), with contributions from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Future Analytics Consulting (KPMG), and Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) in March 2023. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“In working towards climate neutrality, urban decision-makers and planners must contend with a number of available aims, strategies and technologies. With many ideas of how to address issues of energy generation and consumption, such considerations have entered a space of political absorption and practical roll-out. Still, the alignment of developments and long-term climate neutrality visions is a challenge for policy makers and practitioners. To address such challenges, a process of goal setting and planning is proposed, through the development of Bold City Visions (BCVs). BCVs enable policy makers and practitioners to feasibly consider how to reach climate neutrality, through common energy efforts and the establishment of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). The process considers the long-term roll out of solutions, over various generations and scales, with reflection on how to do so and the development of roadmaps to inform future planning and execution. 

This deliverable demonstrates how the +CityxChange Cities of Alba Iulia, Smolyan, Võru, Písek, and Sestao have utilised the BCV Framework to create visions for their cities. It serves as a collection of visions across these cities, and a reflection on the processes and value of utilising the BCV Framework. The BCV Framework was employed in the +CityxChange project to help Lighthouse Cities and Follower Cities in their design and construction of energy neutrality visions. This report outlines the process by which each city developed their BCVs, understanding the key stages and methods of enactment that led to their development. Each BCV for the five Follower Cities, constructed by municipal representatives in each city, is presented, outlining planning processes, implementation roadmaps, guidelines for deployment and monitoring of process. A reflection is then made on the process and outcomes of building BCVs in this project.

The value of the Bold City Vision process is highlighted at multiple points throughout the report, in its ability to make tangible that which is often abstract and seemingly unattainable. It connects localised strategies and activities to emergent ideas and technologies in pursuit of climate neutrality. It also allows for governors to merge national and international goals and targets with local policy-making. The BCV process is one that draws in many various actors and shares the responsibility of information sourcing and encourages co-creation and co-development of solutions at a city level. The BCV also aids in the consideration of scale, political will and temporal changes in the creation of realistic and attainable visions for climate neutrality, through common energy solutions.

In the deployment and replication of the BCV process, the value of careful consideration of purpose and design are crucial to producing usable outputs. A diversity of actors should be drawn into the BCV process, including politicians, law-makers and citizens,  and co-creation should be encouraged to produce mutually beneficial results. The BCV process is inherently a malleable and adaptable one, able to fit multiple contexts and political landscapes. This, however, does imply that replicating BCV construction should consider consistency and how BCVs may feed into one another, especially under broader national and international planning banners.“

D5.16: +Trondheim sustainable investment and business concepts and models

Posted on March 6, 2023 by -

The deliverable D5.16: +Trondheim sustainable investment and business concepts and models was submitted by Trondheim Kommune (TK) and Officinae Verdi S.P.A (OV) , with contributions from Trønderenergi AS (TE), NHP Eiendom, and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in February 2023. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download, as well as an excel file detailing Trondheim’s financial risk sharing model:

“This report presents the outcomes and results from the work on sustainable investments performed within the +CityxChange project in Trondheim. The project has focused on developing and fostering the implementation of novel business and investment models for the establishment of Positive Energy Blocks/Positive Energy Districts (PEBs/PEDs). The work comprises financial and economic analyses, and the development and implementation of new, innovative business, investment, and risk sharing models with the objective to show how involved stakeholders can plan for and perform business in PEBs and local energy markets. The models have been improved and adapted to local conditions in cooperation with main actors operating in the PEB. This includes cost and revenue structures for required infrastructure/hardware/software and related financial investments.

The assessment of the sustainability of each investment is described and discussed by applying a defined methodology with a set of belonging indicators. The investment and business models developed, demonstrated, and verified, are targeting real estate companies, the DSO, the local energy market operator (LMO), and solution/technology providers necessary in order to enable the Trondheim PEBs.

Prevailing energy legislation in Norway and energy regulatory issues hamper the establishment of functional and profitable PEBs/PEDs. The +CityxChange project in Trondheim has received a special acceptance from the national regulatory body to trade energy and capacity between actors/assets locally. The Trondheim PEB set-up involving a Local Energy Market (LEM) could not be possible without this acceptance (or a possible dispensation in other cases). The investment and business models and costs/revenues shown in this report are thus only valid for the Trondheim cases, involving energy/capacity trade.

The following models have been developed and applied: Rooftop PV, battery storage, vehicle-to-grid charging (V2G), sector coupling electric – thermal sector, local energy markets (LEM), and a Financing Risk Sharing Model (FRSM) supporting procurement of equipment necessary to establish and operate a PEB. The FRSM provides concrete outputs and results for the calculation of reduced Simple Payback Periods (SPP) and increased return on investment (ROI) for a variety of green and renewable energy measures. The FRSM also supports community development providing the picture of players, investments, revenues, risks, and how they can be shared to optimise business scenarios. All the models represent interventions that, together with energy efficiency measures, make up the constituents of the Trondheim PEBs. In the Trondheim LEMs, energy and capacity are traded between a series of buildings and producers/providers and customers of energy where investment/business models are developed for, and where all assets (PV, battery storage, etc.) work together and are fully interconnected and integrated in order to have fully functional and efficient PEBs. The FRSM is thus a key and a main means to fully analyse the profitability of the Trondheim PEBs.

A relevant and innovative part of the work has been to move from a cost to a value creation focus. In order to succeed with a green energy transition we need to shift focus from “total reduced costs” to “total added value”, understood as the sum of increased revenues including decreased SPP/increased ROI, increased values of assets/equity, value creation through ESG factors for the private stakeholders, societal outcomes and improvements for the city, and reduced investment needs for critical and important infrastructure.

This deliverable includes investment models for the deployment of the Sluppen and Brattøra PEBs in Trondheim, which are prototype PEBs. The PEBs have a total cost of around 4,1 and 3,7 M€ each. 33 % (Sluppen) and 13 % (Brattøra) respectively of those costs are covered through EU funding; Sluppen higher since more companies there have received EU funding. Despite the extensive EU funding, in-kind contributions make up 62 % of the total PEB Sluppen prototype total cost. Investment costs make up appproximately 70% of the total PEB cost. These calculations are based on investment costs and estimated operational costs. The PEB costs are 105 €/m² building floor area for both PEBs in Trondheim. Calculations indicate that commercial level cases have an initial unit cost of 77-80 €/m² (costs prior to applying the project developed investment and finance models).

With an initial global investment for the Sluppen PEB of € 2.791.103 and considering an average cost price of energy of 0,26 €/kWh, the resulting total revenues amount to € 455.438 with a Payback period of 6 years. The model analysis through using the FRSM gives the opportunity to simulate various scenarios and revenues with different energy prices (as duly described in section 5).

According to indirect impacts analysis, the initial Sluppen PEB investments generated a further € 28 million cascade investments with linked indirect 181 jobs with an estimated leverage factor equal to 1:10 (€ 28 million/€2,7 million). This can be defined as “seed money”, i.e. with a potential to generate further investments and impacts.

The main conclusion from the Trondheim PEBs is that they have positive payback periods (SPP) and return on investment (ROI), coherent with stakeholders’ expectations, and where each investor/stakeholder shares a different financial risk related to the pro-quota invested and related revenues.

Single intervention investment models are important for benchmarking costs and revenues in PEBs/green energy neighbourhoods. However, an FRSM is a crucial model and tool for concluding whether an area based approach to energy interventions (i.e. PEBs) is profitable or not.

Detailed FRSM analyses further show that:

  • The total revenue is positive for all actors of the Trondheim PEBs; the highest for the building owner (R Kjeldsberg in this case)
  • The cash flow is also positive for all actors
  • Simple payback times vary from 2 – 17 years, with an average SPP of 6 years
  • ROI varies from 1 – 17%, with an average of 7,8%; for building owner RK it is 10,3%
  • For the LEM which is novel and important for the whole PEB solution in Trondheim: Investments take 11 years to be recovered (SPP), and the ROI for the LEM (Aneo – Trønderenergi) is 1,9%
  • An ESG oriented company/business has more easy access to the financial capital market. Lower debt cost (KD) of capital means lower cost debt and lower financial risk
  • If a company increases its ESG CSR score by 1 point (i.e they add an additional strength in one of the areas of ESG – CSR or are no longer engaging in an activity deemed as a ESG_CSR concern), there should be a cost debt reduction of around 0,5 points

Other important outcomes and results from the Trondheim cases/PEBs:

  • Rooftop PV systems may exhibit net positive revenues from year 8 on when financed through an annuity loan at 5 % interest rate. This requires sales of surplus production in the LEM during 4 Summer months, and a depreciation scheme with a variable monthly (albeit fixed annual) depreciation dependent on the monthly PV production
  • The PV case may be profitable from year 1 if, in addition to the factors above, the PV investment receives interest rate support of 3 %. Interest rate support for such a case could for instance be through a national/international funding instrument, or through a mix of public and private incentives (private for instance through a green loan)
  • Interest rate support is a far more efficient use of money than one-off funding schemes, in the way that 5 times more PV systems can be funded from year one for the same cost
  • The battery storage case is not itself economically profitable due to high investment costs. A battery storage is, however, crucial in PEBs/LEMs involving PV, and a local battery storage being part of a LEM will significantly improve the cost situation. The value of battery storage of 200 kWh can be 13.560 €/year which is close to 70 €/kWh of battery storage capacity
  • V2G chargers may have net positive revenue from year 1 if charge/discharge is optimised, and energy/capacity from the EV batteries are sold in a LEM. ROI may be close to 11 % already from year 1, and 27 % from year 8. Total revenues over the assumed technical lifetime of the V2G charger of 10 years are close to € 70.000 for 10 EV chargers at one location, e.g. connected to a commercial EV sharing scheme

PEBs/PEDs/smart energy neighbourhoods are complex systems claiming a larger and precisely defined set of stakeholders. Having such ecosystems becoming economically profitable is even more complex to ensure. A series of lessons are already learnt during the process of setting up and implementing the PEBs, and implementing viable business and investment models for the PEBs:

  • Joint cooperation among private and public actors-local authorities is a fundamental success factor
  • Building Owner/Real Estate developer and in the Trondheim cases the Local Market Operator (LMO) are core players in the PEB implementation success
  • PEB implementation needs public funding at an early stage in order to design and test tailored business models in the pilot phase
  • A public body/local authority is needed as driver and facilitator for escalation to PED, replication and for overall profitability
  • Moving to a total value concept is a long and complex process that requires a long planning phase, strong dialogue among local stakeholders, system thinking and a collaborative mindset. This process has to be governed, preferably by a player that can be a recognised public authoritative stakeholder or a cooperative team

The work on sustainable investments has brought about innovative investment and business models including solutions on how to analyse and calculate the cost structure and profitability of Positive Energy Blocks. Experiences have been gained and processed from the PEBs, local energy markets and use cases. The report also addresses how the financial models and analyses fit in and can be applied for the operation of smart, green energy neighbourhoods.“

D7.13: Reporting to the SCIS System 7

Posted on January 18, 2023 by -

The deliverable D7.13: Reporting to the SCIS System 7 was submitted by KPMG Future Analytics with contributions from LCCC, MPOWER and TK in January 2023. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report, Deliverable 7.13: Reporting to the SCIS System (7), is part of a series of bi-annual reports and is the seventh iteration in the series; being the subsequent revision of the previous version, Deliverable 7.12: Reporting to the SCIS System (6)1 which provided an overview of KPI performance as of Month 36 of the +CityxChange project.

During the reporting period, Work Package (WP) 7 has seen further engagement between all relevant Key Performance Indicator (KPI) owners and KPMG FA towards the refinement of KPI calculations, the resolution of data reporting issues, the pursuit of alignment in KPI data for the purposes of Self-Reporting Tool (SRT) reporting, and the further enhancement of Monitoring and Evaluation Reporting Tool (MERT) features and functionality – as feedback emerges through use.

As with prior periods, it has become necessary for KPI descriptions, scope and calculations to be reviewed and adjusted as and where necessary. This is due to changing circumstances in data availability and adapting to challenges encountered in aligning this data to reporting standards on an ongoing basis. This process has been facilitated within WP7, and is ongoing so that all KPIs can be captured and reported to the MERT and/or the SRT where possible.

The MERT has seen further KPI calculations confirmed by the KPI Owners and data being submitted mainly for the Common Energy Market (CEM) theme. Furthermore, the MERT has undergone a number of updates and refinements to front- and back-end processes. This includes updates to the database structure to improve data collection for additional KPI metadata . Work on the MERT has included adjustment to the visualisation for better representation of the KPI data within the MERT. As of writing of this deliverable, data for 19 KPIs had been submitted to the MERT, with a total of 23 KPIs having monitoring data reported.

Within the reporting period, two KPIs were classified as potentially incompatible for reporting to the SRT given their data issues and two KPIs were deemed theoretically compatible should data come on stream. Other KPIs are still subject to review. This collaborative process continues with KPI owners, however, WP7 may consider assessing the overall viability of aligning with SRT reporting in the next reporting period. A follow up workshop will then be conducted with each of the partners to verify the calculations and translation of data.”

D11.12: Risk Mitigation Registry 4

Posted on January 10, 2023 by -

The deliverable D11.12: Risk Mitigation Registry 4 was submitted by NTNU in December 2022. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This deliverable contains the +CityxChange risk management process and a regular review
and update of the risk tables. It defines detailed risk management and review processes
and sets expectations, procedures, and responsibilities. It presents an extended version of
the risk tables, updated with the state at the time of writing with new risks based on lessons
learned, and defines more detailed criteria for each identified risk, leading to an operational
risk management and tracking. This report also includes a state-of-the-art review done in
early 2021 of existing SCC-01 projects in order to identify gaps in this risk management
strategy; and includes a risk assessment section for COVID-19 implications done in 2021.
This report is the updated version of D11.9: Risk Mitigation Registry 3 and supersedes that
document. Specific changes from the previous document are highlighted in the
Introduction.“

D10.10: Plan for dissemination and exploitation of +CityxChange project results 4

Posted on December 15, 2022 by -

The deliverable D10.10: Plan for dissemination and exploitation of +CityxChange project results 4 was submitted by ISOCARP Institute with contributions from NTNU, FAC and R2M in December 2022. 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 4, and its previous versions D10.1, D10.6, and D10.8 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 organisation, tasks and roles; and
  5. The means or delivery channels.

The deliverable provides the updated overall plan, an overview of the communication activities of the first four years, 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 to update the various aspects of project’s CDE dimensions and activities, following a shift to an increasingly online and virtual world of working and communication since the COVID-19 pandemic. As the project moves into its final year, it has begun to focus on supporting scalability and replicability, and disseminating replicable pathways to help achieve sustainable urban ecosystems with lower emissions and 100% renewable energy on a large scale. Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) developed during the project’s duration aim to support scalability by expanding within existing urban areas and existing infrastructure. Replicability is achieved by sharing and exploiting processes to develop and implement solutions in new cities driving climate-neutrality.“

D5.14: Trondheim project documentation repository including project status reports 4

Posted on December 8, 2022 by -

The deliverable D5.14: Trondheim project documentation repository including project status reports 4 was submitted by Tronheim Kommune (TK) in December 2022. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report details and summarises the work that has been performed in the Light House City (LHC) of Trondheim during year 4 within the +CityxChange project. It covers an overall and detailed project status and forthcomings for +Trondheim Work Package 5, status concerning KPIs and impacts, meetings and events organised and attended, activity concerning dissemination and communication, and describes the +Trondheim document and documentation repositories.

In year four of the project, LHC Trondheim implemented hardware, software, and solutions for the deployment of Seamless eMobility scheme, the two Positive Energy Blocks of Brattøra and Sluppen, the Energy Trading Platform and the Local Flexibility Market.

Brattøra recently recorded a positive PEB balance of 230,857 kWh/yr (10 % of the PEB Brattøra total energy demand) and Sluppen 224,880 kWh/yr (5.2 % of the PEB Sluppen total energy demand).

One of the project’s most important achievements was Trondheim receiving full acceptance and permit (28.02.2022) from the national regulatory authority RME for coordination of open energy and flexibility markets at Brattøra and Sluppen. It is running indefinitely, pending TE’s continued participation, and thus allows continuous experimentation and testing.

LHC Trondheim received third place in The European Capital of Innovation Award 2021 in the category “The European Rising Innovative City”. +CityxChange solutions received third place in Smartgrid Centre’s Innovation Award. The Smartgrid Centre is an alliance that interacts with research, innovation and knowledge sharing for the development of a flexible and intelligent electrical energy system. Trondheim Municipality was selected as one of the 100 +12 Cities to participate in the EU Mission for 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. Trondheim’s application was based on the existing and planned efforts, measures, and strategies around its work on innovation and climate neutrality. It is unambiguous that the results and documentation of the work originating or connected to +CityxChange have influenced and contributed to this.

Trondheim LHC has also developed and delivered its Bold City Vision. To ensure the process that the bold city vision will form the foundation and reference for future city plans and strategies in Trondheim, the work in +CityxChange has been integrated and anchored in Trondheim Kommune’s Planstrategi (the municipal planning strategy).

The five Citizen Observatories, which are part of +CityxChange in LHC Trondheim are all established. The location of the Citizen Observatories serve a purpose beyond the project, expanding the impact and contributing to positive synergies.”

LHC Limerick’s Citizens’ Observatory

Posted on December 5, 2022 by - News

Citizen engagement is key to successful energy transitions, with citizens playing critical roles in co-developing localized solutions and adapting behaviors. One of the primary objectives of the +CityxChange project is to trial new methods of citizen engagement and participation in the Lighthouse Cities and Fellow Cities, embedding participatory procedures into local frameworks in order to enable interconnected communities and urban authorities.

Lighthouse city Limerick has made valuable progress in this regard, facilitating participation by creating physical and digital spaces in which citizens can share their visions and desires for the city. One such innovation is the Citizens’ Observatory, which supports locals in becoming next generation smart citizens, and helps communities to develop ownership, understanding and awareness of how they can play an active role in leading the transformation towards Positive Energy Districts and Cities.

So, what is the Citizens’ Observatory? 

D3.6: Framework for DPEB Innovation Labs defines Citizens’ Observatories as “programmed spaces, ‘places’ within the Innovation Playground which act as a portal to a digital Citizen Observatory system, lowering the threshold to participation and enabling the next generation smart citizen. The +CityxChange Citizen Observatory can be co-located with the DPEB Innovation Lab or can be dispersed within the Innovation Playground” (Fitzgerald et al., 2020, p. 34.)

In Limerick, the Citizens’ Observatory is a physical and digital space, operating in conjunction with Fab Lab Limerick and the Engagement Hub under the umbrella of the Citizen Innovation Lab. The Observatory hosts a program of events and provides a space for citizens to engage in the +CxC project and the clean energy transition through processes of engagement enabled by the Citizen Observatory’s digital tools. The space specifically focuses on empowering citizens to engage with data, and the space provides access to tools such as the Limerick Energy Model, a digital twin of the city, and the Community Mapping Tool, where geolocated crowdsourced data can be gathered. The Citizen Innovation Lab now also has a digital platform that shares information about events and the programme of engagement including open calls for citizen solutions. This is also where citizen stories of the clean energy transition can be shared. 

Want to know more? Check out D4.8: Limerick Citizen Observatory, which describes the implementation of Community-Led Open Innovation in Limerick, documenting the development and establishment of a Citizens’ Observatory, as well as the engagement program of community participation events and the establishment of a Positive Energy Champions Network. 

D8.2: Report on the identification and assessment of exploitable results

Posted on November 28, 2022 by -

The deliverable D8.2: Report on the identification and assessment of exploitable results was submitted by R2M with contributions from NTNU and IOTA in November 2022. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:

“This report presents an overview of the exploitable results of the +CityxChange project identified during the first four years of the five-year project. This work has been conducted as part of Work Package 8: Scaling-up, Replication and Exploitation and specifically as part of Task 8.4: Competence analysis, identification and management of exploitable results. The report provides an overview of the strategies and actions needed for adoption and exploitation of results generated by the +CityxChange project. As such, it provides a framework for identifying, developing, and optimising the exploitation of the project results during the project and after its completion.

Twenty-five exploitable results have been identified which are summarised under four categories: 12 Products & Applications, 2 Services, 9 Knowledge & IP and 2 Processes. It is envisioned that 17 of the results will be exploited on a commercial basis and the remaining 8 results will be made available for public or scientific exploitation for free, under appropriate open licences, or similar paths.

For each of the exploitable results, an Exploitable Results (ER) manager has been assigned and two templates have been completed: i) Partner market analysis template and ii) ER template. Together with the SWOT analysis, they form the basis for the exploitation strategy and exploitation activities for the final year of the project. Requirements for IP protection have been identified and appropriate protection mechanisms have been put in place. The levels of maturity vary across the exploitable results and the effectiveness of the results will be validated during the +CityxChange demo projects.

It can be expected that the methods and products developed in +CityxChange will contribute to the adoption of PEDs/PEBs and can be of great benefit for all stakeholders involved. This report forms the basis for the replication and exploitation plans that will be delivered in Month 54.”

Consortium Meeting in Písek to kick off final year for +CxC

Posted on November 23, 2022 by - News

From November 10-11 we held a consortium meeting in Písek, Czechia to plan for the final year of the project. It was a great opportunity to catch up and in some cases meet for the first time in person! We were able to discuss hurdles and achievements, as well as future steps for the project.

The program was structured around specific challenges and needs of the 7 project cities, which were discussed in workshops and interactive discussion-based sessions. For the FCs—Alba Iulia, RO; Písek, CZ; Sestao, ES; Võru, EE; and Smolyan, BG—the focus was on their journey and needs, and for the LHCs—Trondheim, NO and Limerick, IE—it was on what we have learned from the demonstration phase, and plans for moving forward towards replication. We also discussed how to best extract all the knowledge (and associated processes) that we have tested and created throughout the last 4 years, and then make this information accessible.

As part of the program, the LHCs each presented on how to make the last year count. First LHC Trondheim led a session titled ‘How to make a PEB?’ (see our recent news post about Trondheim’s successes here), followed by a presentation from LHC Limerick about forming Energy Communities (for more about what Limerick is up to, check out the recordings of their recent symposium and read our news post about it here). 

We also held a successful storytelling workshop about the role of citizen engagement in the project, discussing how to engage hard-to-reach citizens, how to communicate complexity, how to know when to involve different stakeholders in extended projects, and how to make participatory processes valuable for vulnerable citizens in the short term. This was followed by a demo of the Mobee app by Trondheim Kommune, a real-time assistant that supports mobility in the city of Trondheim.

After several other sessions and important discussions, it became even more apparent that the cities have had differing challenges and successes, which need to be understood and recognized for the value they bring to the table. We are learning from our ‘failures’ and finding meaningful ways to bridge the gaps in our intended impacts. A next step for the +CxC project is to record the stories of the various lessons learned, describing how and why certain ambitions were or were not met. The challenge is to effectively extract and package our learnings for widescale impact and a just energy transition beyond the parameters of our project. 

A huge thank you to our wonderful hosts in Písek for sharing their beautiful city with us. Feeling inspired and looking forward to this last year!