The EU Energy Projects Podcast: Cities at the heart of Europe’s energy transition

In this episode we put our focus on cities. The engines of growth, but also some of the biggest contributors to climate change.

With 70% of global energy-related emissions linked to urban areas, it’s impossible to imagine a low carbon future without cities leading the way.

To explore how this transformation is unfolding, I spoke with Frans Verspeek, project advisor for the EU-funded ATELIER project.

ATELIER is pioneering the concept of 'positive energy districts'. That is areas where groups of buildings generate more energy than they consume, sharing the surplus with their neighbours.

As Frans explained: “We started in 2019 with 30 partners across eight cities… The goal is to test if and how a group of buildings can be energy positive, not just an individual one.” Amsterdam and Bilbao are serving as lighthouse cities, showing what’s possible.

I found Frans refreshingly honest about the challenges: “Cities are crucial for the energy transition because they are concentrated centres of energy use… but especially the involvement of citizens is the most crucial and most problematic element.”

It’s a reminder that energy isn’t only about technology, it’s about people, trust and collaboration.

One part of our conversation I particularly enjoyed was when the sound of birds interrupted our recording. Frans laughed, admitting that his two parrots sometimes even join in his meetings.

It was a fun moment, but it struck me as a nice metaphor too. Just like those unexpected voices in our discussion, citizens’ voices in cities can’t simply be muted; they need to be heard and integrated.

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This episode left me convinced that while the road to carbon-neutral cities is complex, projects like ATELIER are showing us how innovation, regulation and citizen engagement can make urban areas true frontrunners in Europe’s clean energy transition.

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The EU Project Podcast is a fortnightly podcast presenting Europe’s key energy projects.
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