Empowering cities through Positive Energy Districts: Strategies and implementations from PED projects of EU climate neutral and smart cities

<ns3:p>Background Positive Energy Districts, which incorporate energy planning at the district level, are a pioneering concept for sustainable, smart and climate-neutral urban development. This concept supports creating communities that generate more annual energy than they consume. To this end, integrative innovative solutions for Positive Energy Blocks/Districts and Positive and Clean Energy Districts have been, are being, and will continue to be devised, tested, and monitored for their performance in the “Lighthouse” cities of various EU research and innovation initiatives. This review paper showcases a range of EU projects that were brought together through panel discussions and workshops during two key events: the MAKING-CITY final event (June 13, 2024) at the Innovation Camp in Groningen, and the Sustainable Places 2024 Conference (September 25, 2024) in Luxembourg. Methodology 11 invited projects on Positive Energy Districts and Positive and Clean Energy Districts, and their corresponding case studies aim at exploring innovative strategies and practical approaches to accelerate the transformation of cities towards sustainability and resilience. Participants of the two events have gained insights into cutting-edge initiatives, exchanged best practices, and discussed actionable steps to foster the development and implementation of PEDs/PCEDs in diverse urban contexts. Results and Discussion These projects collectively serve as a portfolio of related initiatives derived from Smart Cities and Communities, the Climate Neutral Cities Mission, and the Driving Urban Transitions funding programs—each targeting different stages in the planning, design, implementation, or operation of PEDs/PCEDs. Conclusion This study primarily highlights how the eleven projects and their case studies collaborate and cooperate by discussing policy recommendations, technological innovations, economic frameworks, and the role of social and local communities. Through these explorations, it seeks to offer insight into the complex and varied domain of PEDs/PCEDs in terms of replication and future steps.</ns3:p>