SET 9: EERA JP Smart Cities NTNU SP3-coordination

Since its creation in 2010, the EERA Joint Programme Smart Cities (EERA JPSC) and its participating organisations have contributed significantly to research and innovation in smart cities. The main objective is to develop strong research and innovation for smart planning, design and operation of urban energy systems, firmly integrated with social, cultural, innovation, economic, regulatory and legal perspectives in cities. In this manner, EERA JPSC aims to contribute to Europe's highly ambitious target of developing 100 Smart Positive Energy Districts in Europe by 2025 (Strategic Energy Technology Plan Action 3.2). NTNU has led Subprogramme 3 "Energy-efficient interactive buildings" from the start of the Joint Programme. In Summer 2017, NTNU was elected to become the new Chair of the programme, effective of 1 January 2018 onwards. As EERA JPSC Chair, NTNU's ambition is to help develop a new strategic framework for the EERA JPSC, and help the programme become an independent, robust partner organisation with a clear mandate to promote and strenghten the role of cities and districts as urban energy ecosystems.

Høsten 2017, med virkning fra januar 2018, tok NTNU over koordinator rollen for EERA JPSC. Fra da av har vi videreutviklet EERA JPSC som fyrtårn for europeisk og norsk smartbyforskning, i tett samarbeid mellom akademia, offentlig og privat sektor. Det ble etablert ny og forent arbeidspakke bestående av 5 moduler hvor forskning og innovasjon omkring smarte byer er i sentrum for å oppnå de nye målene i SET-Plan Action 3.2. Vi har etablert en jevnlig og tydelig kommunikasjons- og informasjonsstruktur med Partnerne og EERA Secretariatet NTNU har startet arbeidet med å posisjonere EERA JPSC som ledende kunnskapsaktør i implementering av SET-Plan Action 3.2 og etablert et mer forutsigbart og varig samarbeid med andre forskningsprogrammer og incentiver. Norske aktører er invitert og inkludert i implementeringen av SET-Plan Action 3.2 som foregangsmodeller. I desember 2018 ble EERA JPSC også styrket med SINTEF som full partner.

EERA JP Smart Cities deals with innovative design and intelligent operation of the entire energy system at city level. The EERA JPSC aims to use the revised SET-plan and Integrated Roadmap as motivation for more research and demonstration projects on the urban energy system, contributing to a long-lasting low-carbon society. EERA JPSC will contribute to accelerating demand-driven energy transformation in the city, merging the digital and physical, creating a unified effort across sector silos, supporting new business models and financial solutions, improving quality of life and sustainability, and actively engaging and empowering citizens. EERA JPSC has started to transform itself for the past year, into a partner organisation that can generate its own activity and funding. EERA JPSC is developing a New Strategic Framework 2016-2020 with 3 key strategies: the Campfire, the Marketplace, and the Academy. The Campfire entails influencing European RDI policy, EERA JPSC as systemic solution provider (link with industry), performing meta studies, creating a knowledge base, and fostering crazy "blue sky" ideas. The Marketplace includes multidisciplinary projects, sharing of research infrastructure, and staff exchange. An EERA label will be created for project applications in which at least 2 EERA JPSC partners participate, and which has been discussed during an EERA JPSC workshop The Academy deals with publication, journals and conferences. These three fields will be developed with other European / international organisations for better impact, such as the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe and Urban Europe Research Alliance , the City Protocol Society , the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities , Member States, and EU Commission.