Inspiring Minds
Interviews and stories of committed people who are inspiring contributors to the energy transition in cities.
Community energy, a powerful force of change in Besançon
Interview with Anik Lehman-Tron (Besancon City Administration) and Mireia Matencio (Opale Energies Naturelles)
In this episode, two energy experts based in the East of France join me to share their plans for an energy community in the city of Besançon. Together, they want to operate energy production in an entirely different way and, what’s most important, boost the involvement of citizens. It is exciting to see how well the city and the private sector perspective converge!
Community power through virtual net metering in Athens area
Interview with Chris Vrettos, Electra Energy Cooperative
We did a virtual travel to Ilioupoli, a sub-urban municipality in the Athens area. We wanted to meet Thanos Katsonis who works for the local government of Ilioupoli, and Chris Vrettos is driving force of the social cooperative Electra Energy. They are just about to kick-start a community power organisation. How will they work collaboratively to increase the number of prosumers in Greece and – who knows – to bring other good things to the local community? Thanos could not be there for the intervie, but Chris tells us how they push for a citizen energy culture and the steps necessary to achieve this.
“Our priority for it is to be just.”
Interview with Jakuta Imširović, expert associate for environmental efficiency, City of Zenica (BiH)
ArcelorMittal Steelworks is not only a big employer in the city of Zenica in Bosnia and Herzgowina. The international steel producer is also responsible for a big part of the city’s major problem: air pollution. Learn about how a city with heavy industry can drive the energy transition.
“These are the people that we need to be thinking about when we think about just transition.”
Interview with Prof. Dr. Lucie Middlemiss, University of Leeds
All over Europe, energy prices are currently soaring and the impact it will have this winter on poverty will be huge. In addition to not knowing how to pay the bill, vulnerable people often suffer from physical and mental diseases caused by their situation. Recognizing the struggle, addressing the issue and getting help needs to be made much easier.
Valencia aiming for 100 energy communities by 2030
Interview with Carmen Castells and Fernando Gonzalez
Until now, Valencia with its 800.000 inhabitants may be more known for its mild climate and lovely beaches than for its incredibly collaborative and forward-looking energy policy. In part 2 of our ECF collaboration lab series, we dive into Valencia’s impressive efforts to involve the local community in energy and climate matters.
Energy community: each group has a different way to look at it.
Interview with public and civil activists in the Metropolitan Area of Naples
In the region of Naples, four small municipalities team up for the energy transition so as to make their place attractive for current and future generations. In this episode, we talked to three people who are very much pushing for collaborative actions between the 4 cities and civil society.
Prague’s first steps in energy community matters
Interview with Miloslav Franek (City of Prague) and Tereza Mc Laughlin Vanova (Local Energy Managers' Association)
How ready are the Czech Republic and its residents for this new type of energy generation? In this conversation,Tereza and Miloslav lead us through the complexity of decentralized and citizen-driven energy in Czech Republic.
Fearless innovation in Munich’s neighbourhoods
Interview with Verena Stoppel and Bernhard Klassen from City of Munich
Since 2016, Munich turned two of its neighbourhoods into a laboratory: over a bit more than 4 years, 20 million euros were invested in testing smart city solutions.
“Smart, yes, but there is a huge challenge related to data quality.”
Interview with Etienne Vignali, SPL Lyon Confluence
What once was a logistics and industrial site with a rather bad reputation has become one of Europe’s biggest urban renewal projects. Create thriving places without overshooting the ecological ceiling: how far is Confluence today from meeting this objective?
“Urban renewal is a very cooperative process, which has to be done together with the people.”
Interview with Stephan Hartmann, City of Vienna
Stephan takes us behind the scenes of an ambitious demonstration project in Vienna’s low-income district of Simmering. How is smartness being used to give more weight to the voices and interests of a city’s residents?
