Smart Energy for a Smart City (Nottingham - United Kingdom)

The city of Nottingham received £5 million of the European Union Horizon 2020 Research Funding Programme in 2015 as one of 5 lighthouse cities for the Remourban project, with the aim of addressing significant sustainability issues related to transport, energy, and ICT. And Nottingham has been very creative in achieving its targets.

So far, the city already has achieved some notable targets: 11.5% of energy generated from renewable and low carbon sources, more than 3000 photovoltaic panels installed across the city, an increase in waste recycling from 18% to 38% in 5 years, a waste reduction of 14% over 5 years, and a 26% energy reduction thanks to the PFI (private finance initiative) street lighting programme.

Some of the initiatives that were undertaken (and that served as testbeds or “proofs of concept”) include community energy projects, solar power developments, the largest district heating network in the United Kingdom (a 65 km long system of pipes that uses steam from a waste incineration plant to supply 4,500 domestic customers and 150 commercial points) and the use of fuel cell systems.

The municipality has several ongoing and future plans to continue their smart energy development: energy-neutral houses, improving insulation, demonstrating an ultra-low energy standard to drastically reduce the need of heating, extension of the district heating network, and piloting low temperature community heating.

Sources:

https://smartcitiesworld.net/special-reports/smart-energy-starts-at-home-in-nottingham

http://www.cleantech-business.com/media/12122/city_council.pdf