About
The development of positive energy districts (PED) is crucial for the transition towards climate-neutral European cities. The initiative supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals, European Green Deal objectives, the Mission on Carbon-Neutral and Smart Cities, and the Renovation Wave.
The Implementation Working Group (IWG) on PED and neighbourhoods for sustainable urban development was established in October 2018. It is supported by 19 European countries with their national research and innovation (R&I) programmes and networks of European cities, R&I and industry.
The working group joined forces with the JPI Urban Europe, which provides a management platform to develop a PED-specific call agenda and additional activities. These activities engage ‘problem-owners,’ specifically city administrations, in co-creation processes to identify solutions to their challenges.
The working groups activities include:
- developing a common European understanding on PEDs across all participating countries
- running a European platform of city administrations who work towards attaining PEDs (PED city panel)
- managing annual calls for R&I projects in the field of PEDs (applied research, PED labs and PED demonstrations)
- valorisation and interconnection of nationally and regionally funded PED projects for knowledge exchange and learning on a transnational level
- developing tools and guidelines on PEDs
- developing replication and upscaling schemes to support PED mainstreaming in Europe
- developing a monitoring and assessment scheme for PEDs.
The activities of the PED working group are linked to other SET Plan activities, such as those of the working groups on energy systems and energy efficiency in buildings.
The working group participates in international collaboration initiatives, such as:
- the International Energy Agency (IEA) technology collaboration programmes on energy in buildings and communities (ANNEX 83 on PEDs)
- decarbonisation of cities and communities
- the Mission Innovation Network.
Targets and objectives
The working group supports the planning, deployment and replication of 100 PEDs by 2025 as a tool for achieving climate-neutral cities. These PEDs are embedded in integrated urban strategies providing liveable, sustainable and inclusive urban neighbourhoods.
To pave the way for 100 PEDs by 2025, the Implementation Plan introduces six interlinked modules along a circular pathway towards PEDs, namely:
- European positive energy cities: Set up a dialogue among cities or national city networks on the planning, financing, deployment and replication of PEDs; ensure an integrated open innovation process in PED development.
- PED labs: Develop city-driven PED labs according to individual cities’ needs and approaches towards PED, both in Europe and globally.
- PED guides and tools: Develop guides and tools based on the needs of PED stakeholders and the learning experiences from PED labs. Use these guides and tools for successful planning and designing, implementation, operation, replication and mainstreaming of PEDs.
- Replication and mainstreaming: Support European cities in the replication and mainstreaming of 100 PEDs in Europe by 2025.
- PED monitoring and evaluation: Monitor, evaluate and assess PED performance to support each module with relevant information for learning.
- Innovation actions for PEDs: Fund Innovation Actions through national and transnational R&I funding to support innovation activities along the circular implementation pathway. Avoid or alleviate potential risks and ensure knowledge flows through the different modules.
Composition
The working group is chaired by Austria, Belgium, Italy and Sweden.
Participating SET Plan countries (in alphabetical order):
- Austria (Co-chair)
- Belgium (Co-chair)
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy (Co-chair)
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway (Associated Country)
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden (Co-chair)
- Türkiye (Associated Country)
PED stakeholders from research, industry and cities:
- European Energy Research Alliance (EERA)
- Joint Programme Smart Cities (JPSC)
- UERA
- Eurocities
- ERRIN
- Energy Cities
- Housing Europe
- Euroheat & Power
- TP DHC+
- EUA EPAUE
- TB Construction
- European Technology Innovation Platform (ETIP)
- Renewable heating and cooling
Documents
Key members
- IWG Chair: Hans-Günther Schwarz, Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology BMK
- IWG Co-chairs: European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN); European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP)
Other members:
- Christoph Gollner, Programme Management Coordination, Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG
- Susanne Meyer, Policy Coordination, Austrian Institute for Technology AIT