ATELIER highlights Europe’s momentum towards positive energy districts
Guest/partner contributor
Posted on: 16 April 2026
As project concludes, it leaves strong legacy of practical tools, frameworks and solutions to advance positive energy districts, writes Bettina Remmele.
More than 100 participants convened in Bilbao on 11-12 March 2026 for the final conference of the EU Horizon 2020 project ATELIER, marking the culmination of more than six years of collaborative work to advance and replicate positive energy districts across Europe.
Attendees included the full consortium, high-level representatives from sister projects and related initiatives, as well as leading experts on positive energy district implementation.
From lighthouse pilots to legacy
On day one, the eight ATELIER’s cities demonstrated how they transformed early concepts into real-world positive energy district deployments and how tailored replication pathways, suited to their unique local contexts, were jointly developed.
Day two then shifted the spotlight to the bigger picture: did the project succeed in establishing functioning positive energy districts across Europe, and what recommendations can the ATELIER partners offer, now that the project has come to an end?
Delivering practical guidance
During both days, interactive breakout sessions offered hands-on exchanges on topics like how to kick‑start a positive energy district, the potential of energy communities and innovation Ateliers, regulatory and policy frameworks, data and digital solutions, replication strategies and financing models for positive energy districts.
The outcomes of the breakout and plenary sessions highlighted a shared message: robust collaboration and governance are just as essential as technological solutions in achieving climate‑neutral districts.
"It’s about people, trust and collaboration”
In his remarks at the conference, Frans Verspeek, ATELIER project coordinator, emphasised the human dimension of the energy transition: “Cities are crucial for the energy transition because they are concentrated centres of energy use… but especially early involvement of citizens is crucial however also challenging.”
He underlined that ATELIER demonstrated how innovation, governance, and community engagement must go hand in hand to make positive energy districts a reality.
Laying the groundwork for Europe’s climate neutral cities
A major highlight of the event was a guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, followed by an official conference cocktail, giving participants an inspiring setting to reflect on the project’s results and strengthen European collaboration beyond the lifetime of ATELIER.
As the project concludes, ATELIER leaves a strong legacy of practical tools, governance frameworks and city‑tested solutions.
The conference confirmed that the project’s innovations - and the partnerships built around them - will continue supporting cities across Europe on their pathways toward climate neutrality.
Project ATELIER started in November 2019 and ran until April 2026 with total funding of €19.6 million. The project coordinator was the City of Amsterdam.
For more information, visit the project website.
About the author
Dr Bettina Remmele is a Senior Project Manager at Steinbeis Europa Zentrum Germany, where she has been working since 2018. She has extensive experience in dissemination and communication as well as financial and administrative management of EU-funded projects in the sustainable energy and mobility fields.
