The PIME’s project will be conducted over five years and aims to develop eco-communities with sustainable energy systems, which can be reproduced in other countries. The concept will be demonstrated in three European cities: Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain; Szentendre, in Hungary; and Dale, in Norway.
The energy infrastructure of these communities will be based on the microgrid concept, in which energy efficiency plays a key role in both energy supply and demand. An innovative control system, designed by Tecnalia, will optimise the operation of generation and storage systems in each community in order to maximise economic and environmental returns and offer a secure and reliable energy service.
Citizens living in these communities will also be directly involved in order to curb their energy demand and, in doing so, improve the quality of life and environmental problems in these urban areas.
The project will reinforce three of the pillars of European energy policy: sustainability, competitiveness and supply security, which also form part of the vision of the Concerto initiative. Throughout the 22 participating Concerto projects, of which PIME’s is one, the focus is primarily on demonstrating the environmental, economic and social benefits of integrating renewable energy sources together with energy efficiency techniques through a sustainable energy-management system operated at a community level.
PIME’s has a budget of €18 million and is partially funded by the European Commission. The project will be led by Rogaland County in Norway, while the demonstration project in Vitoria-Gasteiz will be coordinated by Visesa and will involve Acciona, Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council, and the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) in addition to Tecnalia.
Tecnalia is a private, multidisciplinary technological corporation comprising Azti, Cidemco, Esi, Fatronik, Inasmet, Labein, Neiker and Robotiker; which will soon be joined by Euve and Leia.
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