The energy system is crucial to the future prosperity and liveability of European cities. It provides a smart integrated system that is able to meet a city’s energy demand in the most carbon and cost efficient way. A city’s energy demand includes every day choices and activities pursued by its citizens and business as well as the operation of its supporting infrastructure to allow the city to operate effectively. This system needs to be secure, resilient, affordable, clean and sustainable.

If cities want to have a bright future that overcomes the challenges that they face, then they need to think carefully about how they develop their future energy system. Energy transition is a long-term structural change in energy systems aimed at developing a secure, affordable and climate friendly energy system better able to manage and balance dynamic patterns of supply and demand from a national and even European level right down to a local level. This must enhance both national and European energy security while ensuring energy equality: affordable energy accessible by all citizens.

The word “transition” alludes to the change from a present state to a future one. This undertaking consists of integrating innovative smart technology and control systems in order to help optimise the effective use of energy and minimise primary energy demand, through for example better control of energy use in buildings and the integration of city infrastructure and energy planning.