Positive Energy Districts Enabling Smart Energy Communities

Dimitrios Siakas, Harjinder Rahanu, Elli Georgiadou, Kerstin Siakas and Georgios Lampropoulos ()
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Dimitrios Siakas: Sustainable Energy Systems Research Unit, Häme University of Applied Sciences, 13100 Hämeenlinna, Finland
Harjinder Rahanu: Department of Computer Science, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
Elli Georgiadou: Department of Computer Science, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
Kerstin Siakas: Department of Industrial Production, School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, 65200 Vaasa, Finland
Georgios Lampropoulos: Department of Applied Informatics, School of Information Sciences, University of Macedonia, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Energy transitions concentrated on a neighborhood or district scale represent a fairly new area of focus at the European (EU) level, aiming to combat future global warming and to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the EU energy transition policy agenda, positive energy districts (PEDs) refer to urban areas where more renewable/zero-emissions energy is produced annually than is consumed. PEDs have increasingly grown in recognition and significance, as a societal solution geared towards a low-carbon future. The relevant aims include the utilization of 100 PEDs by 2025 and alignment with the EU, which seeks to become a climate-neutral continent by 2050. However, this target raises questions regarding the means of achieving fast and consistent adoption across various socio-technical contexts. Defining the opportunities, challenges, and key issues to address short-term project timelines is vital to implementing fit-for-purpose solutions and bringing PEDs into the mainstream. Proactive knowledge sharing, adaptive learning, and collaboration across disciplines and sectors will bring know-how for understanding the requirements in different contexts. The need for practical approaches to facilitate PED implementation is crucial. This study aims to elucidate the opportunities for and barriers to successful PED design and implementation by compiling and synthesizing experiences from 61 PED projects, identifying key drivers, challenges, enablers, and ethical considerations. In addition, the authors present a framework, consisting of moral principles, which can help present the issues concerning the development and deployment of PED in an ethical context.

Keywords: positive energy districts; PED; smart communities; smart cities; PED drivers; PED challenges; technology; ethics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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