Sparcs: Creating a network of sustainable and carbon neutral communities | edp.com

Goals

SPARCS a H2020 project that demonstrates and validates innovative zero carbon solutions for smart and integrated energy systems that enable a high quality of life for its citizens. It is a smart city-oriented project, whose major goals is to deliver a toolkit that provides advanced, qualitative and quantitative city diagnosis, effective local stakeholders engagement, digital integration and the development of innovative business models. All these activities will support a transformative process, the City Vison 2050 based onPositive Energy Blocks (PEB), which are limited geographic areas whose average local renewable generation is greater than its consumption.

The project will be demonstrated in two lighthouse cities: Espoo in Finland and Leipzig in Germany, and in 5 fellow cities: Reykjavik in Iceland, Maia in Portugal, Lviv in Ukraine, Kifissia in Greece and Kladno in Czech Republic.

The City Vision 2050 will be developed and demonstrated in the Lighthouse cities and will generate 5 Positive Energy Blocks (PEB) in Espoo and Leipzig, thus contributing to the EU target of reaching 100 PEB by 2020. The PEB will be possible via renewables integration, district heating and cooling integration and thermal demand response, predictability and optimization of energy performance, large battery and storage applications, interoperable digitalization solutions including big data optimization and adaptation of blockchain technology, electro-mobility integration, EV as storage, city planning measures, electrification of the public transport and E-bus charging, Mobility as a Service.