PEDvolution at the BRIDGE General Assembly 2025 | Advancing Collaboration for Positive Energy Districts
PEDvolution joined the BRIDGE General Assembly 2025, held in a hybrid format on March 25–26 in Brussels and online. Hosted by CINEA – the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, this annual event convenes EU-funded projects working in the fields of smart grids, energy storage, and digitalisation, with a shared mission: to accelerate Europe’s green energy transition through collaboration and innovation.
This year’s General Assembly brought together representatives from over 100 Horizon Europe and H2020 projects, and provided a dynamic space for keynotes, panel discussions, and parallel breakout sessions, all focused on shaping Europe’s sustainable energy future.
Representatives from two PEDvolution partners — INLECOM (Project Coordinator) and Smart Innovation Norway, —attended the event online, engaging in discussions that are central to the future of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) and the role of digital innovation in achieving urban sustainability.
From opening remarks to closing reflections, PEDvolution's presence underscored the project’s commitment to strengthening ties within the BRIDGE initiative community, sharing updates from its ongoing activities, and identifying synergies with sister projects and other related initiatives across the BRIDGE community.
Day 1 | Policy Updates, Achievements, and Tackling Implementation barriers
Day 1 of the BRIDGE General Assembly 2025 featured keynote speeches and policy updates from the European Commission and CINEA, covering topics such as the Affordable Energy Action Plan, competitiveness, and the Clean Energy Technology Observatory. The agenda highlighted 2024 achievements from BRIDGE Working Groups, explored challenges in overcoming barriers and scaling innovation through a dedicated panel session, and offered insights into EU funding opportunities and supporting tools, including the Innovation Fund and Horizon Results Platform. Further enhancing collaboration between projects and improving the dissemination of results have been recognized as key future priorities.
Day 2 | Working Group discussions and parallel sessions
Day 2 began with a wrap-up of the previous day and an in-depth presentation on Cluster Data Spaces and energy-related data initiatives, followed by parallel working group sessions on Consumer & Citizen Engagement, Data Management, Regulation, and Business Models. The day concluded with a plenary session summarising breakout discussions, feedback from DG ENER, and final reflections outlining the next steps for BRIDGE activities in 2025.
For PEDvolution, the BRIDGE General Assembly continues to be a cornerstone event for fostering cross-sectoral dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the co-creation of solutions that support EU policy priorities. PEDvolution’s participation reinforced the importance of collaboration—not only within its own consortium but also across the wider community of innovators shaping the future of Europe’s energy landscape.
As PEDvolution moves forward, the insights and connections gained at the General Assembly will help guide its mission to transform urban districts into climate-neutral, energy-positive ecosystems—powered by digital innovation, community engagement, and systemic thinking.
