Creating, Optimizing and Planning Positive EneRgy districts: connecting citizens’ energy at different geographical levels

Next to market parties and government, the role of citizens in energy communities (ECs) in developing Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) can and should be strengthened, and wider groups of citizens can be involved. From this shared problem and understanding, this project wants to create and co-develop P2P citizens-based support and information systems that are inclusive of energy vulnerable groups and which fosters active energy citizenship.

Moreover, PEDs need to be embedded within the wider energy system by creating reliable entities such as organized ECs with intermediary roles, linking supply, demand, and storage in the energy market. By zooming out, the project develops new concepts for strategic spatial energy planning through co-creation with neighborhoods and community networks in the wider urban region.

In COPPER local ECs in Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway share experiences in an interdisciplinary and intersectoral way. Concretely, this project facilitates P2P support systems, models energy markets and improves strategic and integrated spatial energy planning.