Communicating Energy — A new energy transition and low-carbon digital services in North Karelia, the project develops community energy communities, carbon-neutral network services and promotes sustainability as a strategic choice for companies. The project’s theme of the new energy transformation and the associated low-carbon digital services is very new in North Karelia. There are first examples of energy communities linked to energy transition at national level, but not yet regionally. Energy communities legislation is being reformed at both EU and national level and approaches are at a demonstration level; the theme of smart energy solutions is also strongly discussed in Sanna Marin’s Government Programme. Energy transition and changes in customer relationships are also among the most significant trends in future recruitments according to the Finnish Energy Industry Association; in future jobs, the tasks of ICT specialists, energy engineers and customer service are interlinked. The Communicating Energy project enables regional preparation and transition to energy transition technologies, both as an energy company and a university.Communicating energy focuses on current themes of energy transition, carbon neutrality and digital transformation technologies. The project will develop carbon-neutral community-based energy communities, carbon-neutral network services and promote sustainability as a strategic choice for business. Project Work Packages ovat:Työpaketti 1: Local Energy Communities: The main focus of the work package is on piloting local energy communities in Karelia-amk:nSirkkalan Energy Park and a real customer location. The work package includes new application developments that will enable the Energy Community based on the Refund Service and Community Energy Sharing Models to operate. The carbon footprint of the digital service. The work package focuses on developing the carbon neutrality of online services. The work package will develop an operating model for the design of a carbon-neutral web service. Communication and brand development. The work package is based on the diverse work of the community of experts and develops the Energy Community brand and promotes carbon neutrality as a strategic choice for companies. The project designs and implements two community energy community pilots: (a) the development and simulation of the Energy Community’s credit calculation and intelligent energy distribution service model and the application that utilise it in the Sirkkala Energy Park property.B) Forming an energy community operating in the right environment and testing and verifying the functionality of the application developed in the housing company site. The near-energy communities are designed and implemented in collaboration with energy and media companies and act as promoters of new operating models, methods and business operations. The project has a strong multimedia media focus and is expected to serve as a national example. The project will result in new operating models and services that will give concrete expression to the new energy transition and carbon neutrality for consumers, businesses and the public sector. The project will also involve multidisciplinary hackathon events involving experts, entrepreneurs and students. The project will start piloting local energy communities in North Karelia. This brings examples of smart energy solutions to the province, promotes the development of the industry and the introduction of new energy solutions. Pilots and studies help identify the operating models, products, services, barriers and opportunities of this new business. The project promotes the specialisation of companies in the provision of low-carbon services, developing carbon-neutral online services as an integral part of their operations and customer products.The project is in line with the ERDF specific objective 5.1 ‘Strengthening business innovation’, promoting RDI activities related to environmental quality and sustainable development and supporting RDI activities. The project includes regional piloting of new operating models (local energy communities), promoting carbon neutrality of services, methodological innovations (e.g. energy community platforms, service lifecycle analyses) and strategic development.
