The +CityxChange consortium, which includes the IOTA Foundation, has won a bid to lead a new smart city lighthouse project under an EU research and innovation program. A total of €30 million euros worth of backing has been committed, the majority from the EU, for seven EU cities to experiment with smart positive energy innovations.
A total of 25 enterprises and organizations, including distributed ledger technology innovator IOTA, form the +CityxChange consortium. The group, which will be led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in the project, competed against 11 other proposals to become the lighthouse project for developing energy independent cities.
Blockchain Technology to Improve Quality of Life in European Cities
Over the next five years, the European cities of Trondheim, Limerick, Alba Iulia, Pisek, Sestao, Smolyan, and Voru will experiment with using digital services, including blockchain and peer-to-peer technology, to improve quality of life and generate more energy than they consume. Their experiences will be shared with cities across Europe to continue the wider development of the smart city ethos.
The funding of €20 million euros will be provided by the European Research and Innovation program Horizon 2020. Some of the project partners will add €10 million euros of “in-kind” efforts towards local implementation of demonstration projects in Trondheim and Limerick.
The +CityxChange project was commended by independent experts for showing that it will contribute to the wider roll-out of “Positive Energy Districts” across Europe.
The energy solutions proposed will include local governments and residents “involving the entire district energy value chain, extending to high-level policymakers and cities, universities, large enterprises, distributed network operators, SMEs, and not for profit organizations.”
Aligned with IOTA
Describing the project as “100% aligned” with the IOTA Foundation’s DNA and an ambitious open innovation, Wilfried Pimenta, Head of Business Development at the IOTA Foundation said:
Smart cities is one of the fastest growing cross-sectorial arenas of innovation for IOTA. Building on our work and partnerships across mobility, energy or data marketplace, these smart city ecosystems bring it all together.
The Norwegian co-founder of the IOTA Foundation David Sønstebø is excited about the project and to be working with Norway’s largest university NTNU:
Being able to explore and demonstrate the utility of IOTA within the smart city context in numerous cities across Europe will be incredibly valuable going forward.
The enterprises, universities, and not-for-profits involved include:
IES R&D, Powel AS, University of Limerick, Energy Agency of Plovdiv, Future Analytics Consulting, Research2Market Solutions, ISOCARP, TrønderEnergi Kraft AS, ABB Norway, ATB, AVIS Budget Group, Statkraft Varme AS, ESB Innovation RoI Ltd, ESB Networks, Ove Arup & Partners SAU, FourC AS, R.Kjeldsberg, Smart MPower, Space Engagers, Colaborativa, Officinae Verdi, NHP Eiendom, and GKinetic Energy Ltd.
+CityxChange aims to help the cities involved in the project achieve their goal of sustainability, with zero emissions, and 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Do you think fully sustainable city ecosystems are possible? Can blockchain and distributed ledger technology help to achieve this?
Images courtesy of AdobeStock