Clients: Ghent, Antwerp, Dordrecht, Bremen, Fredericia, Varberg Energi, E.DSO, Climate Alliance, Center Denmark, Cambridge Cleantech, cambio Bremen, University of Ghent, University of Aalborg
Date: 2023 – 2027
Location(s): Northern Europe
As the local energy transition transforms the way cities are powered, municipalities must be ready to coordinate energy systems to meet decarbonisation targets, keep businesses growing, and development on track. Bax is supporting six frontrunner cities to build Europe’s first local energy action plans, a planning process to help cities coordinate their local energy transition collaboratively with their Distribution System Operators (DSOs), to connect energy system management to their city-wide goals.
The energy transition is rewiring the way local areas are powered. Electrification and renewable installation is leading to capacity shortfalls and severe grid congestion, with demand for grid capacity set to increase 60% by 2030. Across Europe, this is already leading to delays in the building of new schools, homes and hospitals for up to 10 years. To keep a city’s development and decarbonisation plans on track, municipalities must take a coordinator role in energy systems.
Approach
Bax is supporting six cities to build Europe’s the first wave of local energy action plans (LEAPs), a planning process that guides cities to practical management of energy systems in collaboration with DSOs. In collaboration with European DSO representative E.DSO, city network Climate Alliance and backing from the European Union, our Energy Team is supporting cities to test LEAPs in six first-of-a-kind pilots:
- Ghent is piloting a LEAP for a planned all-electric district in Mariakerke
- Antwerp is piloting a LEAP for the Left Bank (Linkeoroever), due to go climate neutral by 2030
- Dordrecht is piloting LEAPs for two of Europe’s first energy neutral business parks
- Bremen is piloting a mobility-centred LEAP as it expands shared electric mobility city wide
- Varberg Energi is piloting a LEAP alongside an 85MW VPP for the town of 34,000
- Fredericia is a piloting a LEAP for the electrification of heavy industry
Impact
By the end of the project, the first generation of European LEAPs will be developed and tested in real-life settings.
Planning for the energy transition should be a top priority of any city. The opportunities for a green, job-friendly energy system are huge, whereas inaction risks missing decarbonisation targets and impacting city competitiveness. Building a working LEAP is the first step towards cities becoming leaders of green, locally-powered energy systems.
– Rose Dagg, Energy Innovation Consultant
