Author(s): Han Vandevyvere, Dirk Ahlers, and Annemie Wyckmans.

Abstract / Introduction (download full article at the bottom)

This article discusses early developments of the Positive Energy District (PED) concept, both in terms of its definition and of its implementation in real world demonstrators. Based on the specific challenges for creating an operational definition for the European +CityxChange project, the feasibility of creating a PED was practically explored by identifying 4 possible subtypes that respond to varying constraints regarding the energy balance of the PED. This article provides the context and describes these 4 ambitions levels: PEDautonomous, PEDdynamic, PEDvirtual, and PrePED; and the 3 boundary modes: geographical, functional, and virtual. The work thus expands on the first general PED definitions as they were put forward in the SET-plan and by the European Commission, while allowing a better response to the specific boundary conditions of PEDs’ physical context. As such, it provides an operational, city-focused, bottom-up PED definition. The present study analyses how these efforts connect to current work being performed on the development of a European PED Framework Definition. In the latter, new elements such as context factors are introduced in order to account for the varying boundary conditions that PEDs must address, and in particular the difficulties of realising PEDs in existing and densely built-up urban areas. Hereby it can be argued that the approach with 4 subtypes is a bottom-up method of addressing the same challenges as a context factor based approach operating in a top-down manner, this time starting from the regional or national renewable energy potentials. Both approaches indeed strive towards an optimum setup of PEDs both within their geographical boundaries and in their interactions with the surrounding energy infrastructures and cities. These efforts are instrumental in helping to prevent that a PED is being regarded as a goal in se, functionally disconnected from its surroundings. There are strong arguments in favour of handling PEDs as building blocks for the broader realisation of carbon neutral cities and regions, thus contributing to the systemic change that is needed to futureproof the built environment as a whole. Without applying this integrating perspective, PEDs risk creating a sub-optimal lock-in within their sites and thus remain one-off experiments, lacking connection to the wider urban sustainability strategies that are needed to properly address today’s energy and climate emergencies. This holds even more when considering the quality-related requirements that come with sustainable urban design and governance. Therefore, this study further explores how PEDs can fully support such a deep urban sustainability transition, and what could consequently be the next steps towards successful and upscaled PED deployment.

Publisher: Energies

Year: 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en15124491

Download: Energies | The Sense and Non-Sense of PEDs&mdash

Author(s): Tjark Gall, Giulia Carbonari, Annemie Wyckmans, Dirk Ahlers

Abstract / Introduction (download full article at the bottom)

A key future challenge is to provide decentralized and sustainable energy (Rifkin 2011). Given that challenge, the theme of Post-Oil City asks how this can be accomplished for cities and regions which evolved using fossil fuels. The Horizon 2020 innovation project Positive City ExChange (+CityxChange) responds to this challenge and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), New Urban Agenda, Paris Agreement, as well as the Sustainable Energy Transition Plan and Green Deal of the European Union. It implements an innovative demonstration-driven approach in the context of smart cities by enabling participatory innovation environments and opening energy markets to decentralize and prosumer-oriented models. It focuses on strong integration within the public sector and co-creation across stakeholders and citizens. Positive City ExChange is one of 17 ongoing or completed European Smart Cities and Communities Lighthouse projects to develop and implement solutions for 1) secure, affordable and clean energy; 2) smart electro-mobility; and, 3) smart tools and services in over 100 cities. The +CityxChange consortium unites the two lighthouse cities Trondheim (Norway) and Limerick (Republic of Ireland) with the five follower cities Alba Iulia (Romania), Písek (Czech Republic), Sestao (Spain), Smolyan (Bulgaria), and Võru (Estonia) to achieve sustainable urban ecosystems that establish 100% renewable energy city-regions by 2050 as part of the European energy transition. The project enables the co-creation of the ‘future we want to live in‘. It develops frameworks and supporting tools to enable a common energy market supported by a connected community and integrated with cities’ urban planning, as well as new policy intervention, market (de)regulation and business models that deliver positive energy communities and integrate e Mobility as a Service (eMaaS).
This article discusses how the +CityxChange project creates an enabling environment for the societal and technical innovations that are required to the transition towards positive energy blocks, districts and cities, for, with and by citizens. Eighteen months into the project, the portfolio includes, amongst others, instruments for novel policy intervention, community engagements, market (de-)regulation and business models that enable scaling-up and replicating Positive Energy Blocks and Districts across cities in and outside the European Union. The solutions include data and technology centred projects as well as urban planning and citizen-focused elements, such as co-creating city visions and accelerating change and disruptive solutions through open innovation playgrounds and participatory governance.
The article focuses on the implementation, achieved results, learnings, replicability and impact on the urban planning sector – providing a practical course of action for the Post-Oil City.

Publication: ISOCARP Review 16, pp. 112-127
Year: 2020
Editors: Malgorzata Hanzl, Jim Reilly, Mahak Agrawal, Ricardo Moura
Graphic Designer: Ricardo Moura
ISBN: 978-94-75524-65-9

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