More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and the trend is upwards. How can cities become smarter and make a contribution to the battle against climate change? What smart ides will smooth the path towards the “Smart City” of tomorrow? The World Energy Council - Germany e.V. will shed light on this as part of the E-world Innovation Forum.
Measured by their surface area, cities only take up around 2% of the world’s land mass - but as far as effects on the climate are concerned, they leave an enormous footprint. In 2016 over half the world’s population (4 billion people) lived in cities. The UNO assumes that this percentage will increase by 2030 to reach 60%, i.e. 5 billion people. Cities already consume more than two thirds of the world’s energy resources, and are responsible for around 80% of global CO2 emissions. They are therefore the focus of efforts worldwide to break new ground in more climate-friendly developments.
Many cities throughout the world are now taking the “Smart City” approach. They are planning their transition carefully and including digital infrastructures, so that they can still guarantee to be environmentally friendly, efficient in use of resources and security management, even with large population growth.
The World Energy Council - Germany e.V. will take an international look at the Smart Cities of the Future in the Innovation Forum at 10 a.m. - 12 noon 7th February 2018. This not-for-profit organisation will be participate as E-world’s partner in Essen for the third time, and will present international Best Practices in its program. Dr. Peter Hefele, Director of the Regional Project Energy Security and Climate Change Asia-Pacific (RECAP) at the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation in Hong Kong will, for instance, provide an insight into the progress made by the “green mega-cities of the future” in the Asia-Pacific region.
Robert Grüneis, Managing Director of Aspern Smart City Research GmbH & Co. KG. - a Joint Venture between a grid operator, an energy provider, a technology company and the city of Vienna - will provide information on the Austrian Smart City initiative “Aspern Seestadt”. This cooperation will develop some of the technical solutions for the new world of energy, and implement these in real life in a newly-built district of the city with real end customers.
The program run by the World Energy Council - Germany will be rounded off with start-up pitches from innovative new companies, who will present their ideas for the Smart Cities of tomorrow.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the World Energy Council - Germany is independent in forming its opinions, and pursues the aim of creating awareness of the international aspects of energy provision, and keeping the Energy Trilemma high on the national agenda: a secure, environmentally-friendly and affordable energy supply. In the widely acclaimed publication “Energy for Germany”, the Council gives an annual overview of, for instance, the most important economic energy data and prospects for the world, Europe and Germany.