Project description
An inclusive process for the urban sustainable energy transition to smart cities
Renewable technologies for enabling the transformation of cities into sustainable smart cities, already exist. However their wide deployment, penetration and value obtainment relies on the deep and comprehensive understanding of real-life complexities imposed during actual operation, as well as, on the wide acceptance of smooth communication and interaction between citizens, local communities, industries and authorities. The EU-funded SPARCs project encourages the participation of blocks of buildings and districts in the energy market, aiming to turn urban areas into energy prosumers. SPARCs engages 31 partners from 9 EU countries and coordinates a wide range of stakeholders from citizens and local planning authorities to companies and research institutions for the transformation of cities to carbon-free inclusive communities. SPARCS finds solutions eligible for banking support based on pioneering business models, tailored on interactions between the citizen, building and urban energy systems, as well as effective governance model to facilitate the transformation process.
Objective
Sustainable energy Positive & zero cARbon CommunitieS demonstrates and validates technically and socio-economically viable and replicable, innovative solutions for rolling out smart, integrated positive energy systems for the transition to a citizen centred zero carbon & resource efficient economy. SPARCS facilitates the participation of buildings to the energy market enabling new services and a virtual power plant concept, creating VirtualPositiveEnergy communities as energy democratic playground (positive energy districts can exchange energy with energy entities located outside the district). Seven cities will demonstrate 100+ actions turning buildings, blocks, and districts into energy prosumers. Impacts span economic growth, improved quality of life, and environmental benefits towards the EC policy framework for climate and energy, the SET plan and UN Sustainable Development goals. SPARCS co-creation brings together citizens, companies, research organizations, city planning and decision-making entities, transforming cities to carbon-free inclusive communities. Lighthouse cities Espoo (FI) and Leipzig (DE) implement large demonstrations. Fellow cities Reykjavik (IS), Maia (PT), Lviv (UA), Kifissia (EL) and Kladno (CZ) prepare replication with hands-on feasibility studies. SPARCs identifies bankable actions to accelerate market uptake, pioneers innovative, exploitable governance and business models boosting the transformation processes, joint procurement procedures and citizen engaging mechanisms in an overarching city planning instrument toward the bold City Vision 2050. SPARCS engages 30 partners from 8 EU Member States (FI, DE, PT, CY, EL, BE, CZ, IT) and 2 non-EU countries (UA, IS), representing key stakeholders within the value chain of urban challenges and smart, sustainable cities bringing together three distinct but also overlapping knowledge areas: (i) City Energy Systems, (ii) ICT and Interoperability, (iii) Business Innovation and Market Knowledge.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
02150 Espoo
Finland
See on map
Participants (39)
02070 Espoo
See on map
04109 Leipzig
See on map
4474 006 Maia
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
4000 270 Porto
See on map
101 Reykjavik
See on map
272 52 Kladno
See on map
14562 Kifissia
See on map
Participation ended
79008 Lviv
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
Participation ended
79008 Lviv
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
Participation ended
79008 Lviv
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
Participation ended
79026 Lviv
See on map
00331 Helsinki
See on map
02600 Espoo
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
80333 Munchen
See on map
33900 Tampere
See on map
13100 Hameenlinna
See on map
00180 Helsinki
See on map
01510 Vantaa
See on map
80686 Munchen
See on map
70197 Stuttgart
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
04103 Leipzig
See on map
04109 Leipzig
See on map
04109 Leipzig
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
04179 Leipzig
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
04109 Leipzig
See on map
4150 356 Porto
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2685 039 Sacavem E Prior Velho Lisboa
See on map
110 Reykjavik
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
110 Reykjavik
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
110 REYKJAVIK
See on map
160 00 Praha
See on map
3013 Limassol
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participation ended
145 61 KIFISSIA ATHINA
See on map
01032 Kyiv
See on map
79035 Lviv
See on map
Participation ended
33100 Udine
See on map
1150 Bruxelles / Brussel
See on map
151 24 MAROUSSI ATHINA
See on map
79008 Lviv
See on map