Energy: First energy community to start in Bologna

The first energy community offering citizens and about 900 companies in the Pilastro-Roveri district reduced tariffs thanks to a combination of renewable sources, distributed generation, energy storage and optimization of consumption, is kicking off in Bologna.

The initiative -part of the project GECO (Green Energy Community) and promoted by AESS (Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development), as coordinator, ENEA and University of Bologna, with the participation of CAAB / FICO and Local Development Agency Pilastro-North East District- is inspired by circular economy and environmental sustainability thinking to combat energy poverty.

Funded with 2.5 million euro by the European EIT Climate-KIC fund,  GECO is linked to the Roveri Smart Village, an initiative promoted by ENEA since 2017 at the Roveri Bologna industrial district and in which the Agency collaborates by promoting the activities of the Municipality of Bologna.

ENEA contributes to the project through the development of a green blockchain based business model, aimed at making the energy demand of the energy community partners flexible. Furthermore, the ENEA researchers involved in the project will deal with the definition of an ICT platform for data collection, in order to improve consumer awareness.

"The goal – the ENEA researcher Francesca Cappellaro explained - is to involve both stakeholders and ordinary citizens in finding local solutions to the challenges posed by climate change ".

"Continuing to work on gradual and progressive changes is not enough. What we need now is a deep transformation of economic, social and financial systems, capable of triggering an exponential change in decarbonisation rates and enhancing climate resilience, "Sean Lockie, Director of Climate-KIC's Urban Transitions, said.

"GECO aims at increasing sustainability, reducing energy poverty and generating a low-carbon economic cycle in the Pilastro-Roveri district", Claudia Carani, Head of AESS energy planning and coordinator of the project, pointed out.

On a technical level, the project makes use of the collaboration of the University of Bologna which, as pointed out by Prof. Carlo Alberto Nucci, will develop models for the optimal management of energy flows and distributed resources, i.e the management of electric generation, consumption, storage and mobility.

For more information please contact:

Gianluca D’Agosta, ENEA – Energy Technologies Department - Cross Technologies for Urban and Industrial Districts Laboratory, gianluca.dagosta@enea.it

Francesca Cappellaro, ENEA -  Department of Sustainability of Productive and Territorial Systems -Support to the activities on the Circular Economy, francesca.cappellaro@enea.it