Inspiring smart cities

As we move into the future, cities will emerge as leaders in the global transition to renewable energy. These urban centres, at the heart of modern society, will be key players on the road to cleaner energy adoption. This transition, however, is not only about adopting sustainable energy sources, but also about integrating digital solutions for efficient energy management. The symbiotic relationship between renewable energies, especially solar, and digitalisation will pave the way for the smart cities of the future. The European solar photovoltaic industry association Solar Power Europe and the Data Cellar project will jointly explore this concept in the session Solar and digitalisation: redefining smart cities, which will be held at EU Regions Week 2023 in Brussels on 10 October.

In this vision of the future, where the fight against climate change requires the widespread adoption of renewable energy, Data Cellar is committed to harnessing the power of data to empower cities and communities. This will be the basis for informed decision-making, energy optimisation and large-scale deployment of renewable energy. Similarly, Solar Power EU is demonstrating that solar energy and data management are inseparable when it comes to shaping sustainable and smart cities.

The digitisation of the solar industry at the EU Regions Week 2023

Together with this leading force representing more than 300 organisations in the solar sector, Data Cellar will explore practical approaches by which cities and communities can leverage digital and database tools to accelerate the deployment of solar. The session at EU Regions Week 2023 will address, among others, the following ideas.

• Real-time data for efficiency. Cities of the future will use real-time data analytics to optimise solar energy. This involves continuous data collection and analysis, including energy consumption patterns, weather conditions and solar panel performance.
• Seamless grid integration. As solar adoption increases, digitisation will help cities to integrate it seamlessly into existing grids. Solar Power Europe and Data Cellar will showcase the crucial role of digital tools that balance supply and demand, ensuring energy efficiency and resilience.
• Empowering citizens. Citizen participation will be of paramount importance in smart cities. Digital tools will make real-time energy data available to citizens, allowing them to monitor usage and contribute to sustainability efforts.
• Efficient monitoring and maintenance. Maintenance is crucial. The session will illustrate how digital solutions automate monitoring, enabling proactive maintenance for long-term productivity.
• Data-driven policies. Work in cities can use data to shape renewable energy policies, ensuring they are effective and targeted to relevant stakeholders, thus accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.

Data Cellar and Zabala Innovation

Data Cellar, one of the five sister projects of the Interoperability Network for the Energy Transition (INT:NET), plays a key role in advancing the digitisation of energy for the European Commission. It aims to create an energy data space dedicated to facilitating the growth of local energy communities in the EU. It is one of five flagship projects dedicated to the deployment of Energy Data Spaces in Europe. Through innovative private metering, user-friendly integration and collaboration with other EU energy data space projects, Data Cellar provides stakeholders with essential tools and services to support their sustainable energy activities.

In this project, Zabala Innovation acts as the Dissemination and Communication lead, actively driving the project’s dissemination efforts and ensuring that the project’s innovative work reaches a global audience. Expertise in dissemination and fostering effective communication channels are key to raising awareness in the renewable energy and data management sector.

Save the date!

The joint Solar Power Europe and Data Cellar session at the EU Regions Week 2023 is scheduled for 10 October, from 14:00 to 15:30, at SQUARE Brussels, Mont des Arts, Brussels. Mark your calendars and join us on this journey towards a future where solar energy and digitalisation redefine smart cities for generations to come. Together we will create a more sustainable world.