The Follower City Leipzig continues its efforts to realize measures and projects which have been developed within the Triangulum-Project so far. At the beginning of April 2018, Leipzig submitted the proposal SPARCs (Sustainable energy Positive & zero cARbon Communities) in response to the Horizon 2020 call “H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020 – BUILDING A LOW-CARBON, CLIMATE RESILIENT FUTURE: SECURE, CLEAN AND EFFICIENT ENERGY”.

(Picture: Sparks)

It demonstrates and validates technically and socio-economically viable and scalable solutions, for the planning and rollout of user-driven, smart and integrated energy solutions for the transition to a low-carbon and resource efficient economy. Within SPARCs, two Lighthouse and five Follower Cities will demonstrate about 100 actions turning single buildings, blocks, and districts, into energy prosumers. SPARCs targets a 64% carbon emission reduction, 65% increase in share of RES, and 53% of energy savings, bringing together citizens, companies, research organizations, city planning and technical departments and decision-making entities, transforming cities to carbon-free inclusive communities through co-creation. Besides Leipzig, the second Lighthouse City Espoo (FI) will also implement large demonstrations that will then be replicated in the five Follower Cities Rejkjavik (IS), Maia (PT), Lviv (UA), Kladno (CZ) and Philothei-Psychiko (GR).

With the participation in the SPARCs proposal, Leipzig had the chance to build upon the experiences and knowledge gained within Triangulum and used the opportunity to further develop its energy-related smart city projects in collaboration with the local partners such as the Leipziger Gruppe