SPARCS is working to create a network of Sustainable energy Positive & zero cARbon CommunitieS in two lighthouse and five fellow cities.
The project supports these cities as they deal with the multifaceted challenges they face on their path to sustainability. By setting up inclusive management and planning models and processes, SPARCS aims to demonstrate and validate innovative solutions for smart and integrated energy systems that will transform these cities into sustainable, zero carbon ecosystems with improved quality of life for their citizens.
It will do this by engaging with all the relevant stakeholders from industry and innovative SMEs and research organisations, to urban planning and technical departments. A key criterion for success is citizen involvement, and SPARCS has a clear focus on engaging with citizens and putting urban dwellers at the heart of its efforts.
SPARCS consists of than 30 partners with close to 100 people all working towards the common goal of creating a network of Sustainable energy Positive & zero cARbon CommunitieS. The SPARCS family is made up of members with wide expertise in deploying integrated approaches for planning and rolling out smart city solutions:
StadtwerkeEnergy, CeneroEnergy, Reykjavik Energy and Adven provide innovative energy solutions.
Siemens and Kone are leaders in smart energy technologies and digitalisation.
Many of the participating SMEs bring the complementary knowledge, skills and technical solutions needed for smart city services:
SUITE5 and Hypertech provide user centric energy services; PlugIT Finland provides plug & play EVs; and Leanheat and Seecon offer smart energy management solutions. Renowned research organisations - VTT, Fraunhofer IAO, SPI, CNET and the University of Stuttgart, along with the financial company OVaerdi, provide support to the industrial partners, SMEs, and lighthouse and fellow cities in basing their visions for carbon-free urban communities on concrete, viable solutions.
