ATELIER: Positive Energy District in Buiksloterham

Positive Energy District in Buiksloterham

Now that the City of Amsterdam has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral, it has begun to implement and test innovations that can help it accomplish its objectives. Positive Energy Districts are one of these promising innovations, and Amsterdam has been awarded a European grant to create a PED in Buiksloterham. This part of Amsterdam-Noord will soon be home to a new district in which residents generate their own renewable energy. As their energy production is expected to outstrip demand, the surplus will be traded on a local energy market.

European ATELIER project

The City of Amsterdam and AUAS are now developing the new Positive Energy District as part of the European ATELIER project, working closely with the Spanish city of Bilbao, where a similar district is being built. Other cities also stand to benefit from the innovations and techniques developed in Amsterdam and Bilbao, with Bratislava, Budapest, Copenhagen, Krakow, Matosinhos and Riga set to follow suit. The City of Amsterdam is coordinating the project, which will run until 2024 and involves 30 cities, knowledge institutions and companies from 11 countries.

AUAS as a knowledge partner

AUAS is involved in ATELIER as a knowledge partner in several work packages. In this capacity, it organises collaboration with other smart city projects, contributes to project monitoring and evaluation, and supports the dissemination of the results in other European cities.  

Technology solutions and energy storage

The defining characteristic of a PED is its energy system. To become energy-positive, far-reaching energy savings must be combined with a lot of sustainable energy generation, including solar power. In addition, technological solutions will be needed to match supply and demand, such as storage and batteries. Finally, electric transport will also be integrated into the PED.

Energy consumer and producer

In the new district in Buiksloterham, ATELIER will connect new and existing energy cooperatives. In the near future, its residents will not just use energy, but generate it too, storing and trading any surplus energy via a digital platform. The new 20,000 sqm district will feature homes and commercial properties, as well as an electric shared transport hub.

Technology, citizen participation and business models

Besides technological solutions, the research group is also investigating new forms of citizen participation, effective business models and ways to scale up and roll out similar districts in other cities.

Education

AUAS students can take part in research projects, insights will be turned into course materials, and training and coaching programmes will be set up for professionals and students alike. Professor Willem van Winden (Urban Economic Innovation): "We are developing strategies to scale up and replicate these districts far and wide and will be setting up training and coaching programmes for professionals and students."

Team

• Omar Shafqat (project leader)(opens in new window)
• Karen Williams
• Renee Heller
• Joachim Meerkerk
• Sara Rueda Raya
• Willem van Winden
• Stan Majoor
• Danijela Šijačić
• Krispijn Faddegon
• Danique Bredenoort
• Daniel van den Buuse
• Elgin Blankwater

AUAS parties involved

The Energy and Innovation and Urban Economic Innovation research groups. The Applied Psychology bachelor. The Smart City Academy. The Centres of Expertise Just City and Economic Transformation.

Partners

City of Amsterdam (NL), City of Bilbao (SP), Tecnalia (SP), TNO (NL), Cartif (SP), De Waag Society (NL), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (NL), Paul Scherrer Institute (SW), Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (GE), City of Budapest (HU), City of Matosinhos (PO), City of Riga (LT), City of Copenhagen (DK), City of Bratislava (SK), City of Krakow (PL), DEUSTOTECH (SP), Cluster Bilbao (SP), IBERDROLA (SP), TELUR (SP), EVE (SP), SPECTRAL (NL), Republica Development VOF (NL), Developer Poppies Location (NL), Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan Solutions (NL), Waternet (NL), DNV-GL (NL), Greenchoice (NL), Civiesco (IT), Zabala Innovation Consulting (SP), Fraunhofer ITWM (GE)