Positive energy district stakeholder perceptions and measures for energy vulnerability mitigation

100 Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are to be created in Europe by 2025, with a stated goal of urban decarbonization. These are highly energy efficient residential urban areas, powered entirely through renewables. PED creation is to be guided by principles of quality of life, sustainability, and inclusiveness (specifically focusing on affordability and energy poverty prevention). Although there is research into the decarbonization aspects of PEDs, there has been little focus on the guiding principles, and their potential to reduce energy vulnerability. Using energy vulnerability factors and an energy justice framework, this article examines how the topic of energy vulnerability mitigation is perceived by professional PED stakeholders. Stakeholders from multiple countries were interviewed in order to determine how and to what extent they approached the topic of inclusivity and energy vulnerability. The contribution of this paper to academic research is in helping to frame energy vulnerability in European smart city urban areas, focusing on the perceptions of key stakeholders. This contributes to research on the identification and evaluation of innovations such as PEDs which offer a potential

Automated summary

100 Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) to be established in Europe by 2025 aim to achieve urban decarbonization through highly energy efficient residential urban areas powered by renewables. While there is existing research on decarbonization aspects of PEDs, this article focuses on how professional stakeholders perceive energy vulnerability mitigation, highlighting the importance of inclusivity and energy vulnerability in creating PEDs. Stakeholder interviews from multiple countries provide insight into how key stakeholders approach the topic, contributing to academic research on energy vulnerability in European smart city urban areas.