ZERO is a citizen-led project that puts local residents at the heart of the energy transition. It focuses on Arnhem’s Elderveld neighbourhood, where energy supply challenges and social inequalities intersect. The project is an opportunity to co-create an energy future that is both technically resilient and socially fair. Through smart energy systems, a digital twin, peer-to-peer energy sharing, and a jointly designed Urban Energy Covenant, ZERO enables people to take ownership of their neighbourhood’s energy needs while reducing pressure on the electricity grid.
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The main goal of ZERO is to co-develop and implement a neighbourhood-wide energy agreement that lowers electricity peak demand, avoids unnecessary grid expansions, and strengthens community engagement.
By the end of the project, in 2029, at least 50% of Elderveld households will have signed the Urban Energy Covenant. 100 homes will be equipped with Smart Energy Management Systems (SEMS) and participate in peer-to-peer energy sharing.
ZERO aims to reduce the average household’s peak consumption from 6 kW to 4 kW. By doing so, the project expects to remove the need for at least four of the nine medium-voltage grid expansions currently planned in the area.
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The European Urban Initiative is an essential tool of the urban dimension of Cohesion Policy for the 2021-2027 programming period. The initiative established by the European Union supports cities of all sizes, to build their capacity and knowledge, to support innovation and develop transferable and scalable innovative solutions to urban challenges of EU relevance.
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