Energy Communities for Smart Energy Transition

The transformation of urban energy landscapes demands innovative approaches that address the challenges of sustainability, resilience and community engagement. This session explores the contributions of the HESTIA, ACCEPT and SENDER projects in advancing these goals through demand response (DR) services, energy community integration and sustainable urban renewal.

Energy communities represent a pivotal aspect of the transition towards sustainable development. By fostering collaboration and empowerment among residents, energy communities facilitate the adoption of renewable energy sources, demand flexibility and grid balancing mechanisms. The HESTIA project embodies this ethos by developing cost-effective solutions that encourage residential consumers to engage in flexibility sharing and grid balancing. Through personalised services and agent-based concepts, HESTIA lays the foundation for an open marketplace and new grid reality, fostering cultural transformation towards energy-conscious communities.

Smart cities and urban transitions play a crucial role in shaping the future of energy consumption and production. ACCEPT recognises the potential of energy communities in maximizing grid robustness, through their untapped flexibility. By actively involving community members and developing digital toolboxes, ACCEPT enables the creation of innovative services and revenue streams within energy communities. This approach not only supports the longevity and well-functioning of communities but also contributes to the broader objectives of sustainable energy transition and enhanced grid resilience.

The SENDER project emphasises sustainable innovation in the energy market, with a focus on demand response, home automation and local energy production. Through co-creation processes and consumer data analysis, SENDER engages customers in shaping energy solutions that align with their needs and concerns. By leveraging artificial intelligence technologies to create digital twins mirroring consumption patterns, SENDER promotes energy efficiency and community-driven trading, driving cultural transformation towards a more decentralized and participatory energy landscape.

This session aims to disseminate the impactful outcomes of the HESTIA, ACCEPT and SENDER projects. It will feature presentations on project objectives, results, and a roundtable discussion facilitating stakeholder engagement. Through insightful discussions, stakeholders will explore implications for policy and practice, culminating in policy recommendations.

By showcasing the transformative potential of energy communities, smart cities, and sustainable urban renewal, this event endeavours to inspire collective action towards a resilient and energy-conscious future.

Contributing projects:

• HESTIA
• ACCEPT
• SENDER

Contributing speakers:

Francesca Pozzar, SINLOC – Andrea Martinez, SINLOC – Ismini Dimitriadou, HYPERTECH – Antonis Papanikolaou, HYPERTECH – Christian Kunze, Smart Innovation Norway