The NEW R&D was present in the PERIN, to address the role of a utility in the urban transition towards the concept of intelligent and energy-sustainable city, on April 12.

The Portuguese National Innovation Agency (ANI) is been promoting the “+Science, +Europe” Programme Days, aiming to twofold the Portuguese participation in the next research and innovation framework programme – the “Horizon Europe”. Since the beginning of March, diverse dissemination and discussion-oriented sessions have been held throughout Portugal, focusing on diverse R&D topics.

Within this scope, ANI promoted, on the 12th of April, a workshop on “Sustainable Energy Communities” at Superior Institute of Engineering of Algarve University. During this event, several projects, proposals and other activities and actions subordinated to this topic were presented and further discussed.

EDP NEW R&D, as a research centre that is part of a utility, was invited do present what should be the role of an utility within the urban transition toward a smart and energetic sustainable city: “Sustainable Energy Cities: the role of a utility”. After contextualising on the required characteristics and vectors to-be-addressed in order to attain that high-level sustainable threshold, EDP NEW R&D has presented its ongoing activity regarding smart cities’ projects and proposals.

The event was opened by professor Paulo Águas, Algarve University dean, and professor Eduardo Maldonado, ANI’s president. Besides EDP NEW R&D presentation, the projects “Culatra 2030 – Sustainable Energy Community”, “PELAGOS” and “Blue Hub” were also presented by Algarve University. To conclude this round, ADENE has rendered a national characterisation on buildings’ efficiency and InnoEnergy has presented the current opportunities under KIC InnoEenergy.

The workshop was concluded with a round table hold by professor Eduardo Maldonado and with the presence of the remaining speakers. In this discussion panel, the pivotal drivers and barriers of the previously mentioned projects were, together with the audience, discussed.

The presentations can be downloaded from here.