The 15 PhD candidates of the Smart-BEEjS consortium visited project partner Instituto Tecnologico Canarias (ITC) in Gran Canaria last week to participate in a number of preliminary planning activities in order to better understand how to work together and complement each other’s expertise in this interdisciplinary project. Furthermore, the candidates took part in several seminars led by external project collaborators such as Cenex, and NEA, to contextualize their research areas in the wider world of energy policy.

The Smart-BEEjS project takes an interdisciplinary approach to uncover transformational pathways towards the creation of Positive Energy Districts. One of the key aims is that this transformation must be human-centric, hence seminars involved heavy emphasis on social aspects of the energy transformation. Themes such as ensuring inclusive eMobility for the future, tackling energy poverty and promoting energy justice across efficiency measures were central to the conversation. A special insight on the energy needs of outermost regions was provided by host organization ITC, who discussed the energy-water linkages that are prevalent in remote areas and island regions.

The consortium concluded their trip by visiting the wind-pumped hydro-power station of Gorona del Viento in El Hierro, a world-class feat of renewable energy infrastructure.

 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Innovative Training Networks, Grant Agreement No. 812730