AIR4NRG STRENGTHENS TIES WITH BRIDGE FOR A MORE EFFICIENT ENERGY FUTURE
Driving progress through active participation in the European Commission’s initiative and the Consumer and Citizen Engagement Working Group, contributing to co-drafting the 2024 annual activity report
BRIDGE is a European Commission initiative that unites Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects related to Smart Grids, Energy Storage, Islands, and Digitalisation. Its purpose is to create a structured view of cross-cutting challenges encountered in demonstration projects that may hinder innovation and identify solutions to overcome them. Through continuous knowledge sharing among projects, BRIDGE enables conclusions and recommendations about future project results. Four Working Groups (WG) – Data management, Business models, Regulation, and Consumer and Citizen engagement – represent its key areas of interest.
The importance of Air4NRG’s participation
The active involvement of Air4NRG in the European Commission initiative is key to align the project’s goals with the objectives of BRIDGE, enhance knowledge sharing and interactions with other projects therein. In doing so, the consortium seeks to amplify the impact of the project energy storage research, facilitating the wider adoption of clean energy technologies and supporting global efforts to achieve net-zero carbon solutions. Through BRIDGE, Air4NRG participates in all four working groups, leveraging shared expertise to navigate complex regulatory frameworks, establish sustainable business models, and advance consumer engagement strategies. These collaborative efforts ensure the reproducibility and scalability of the project’s research outputs.
Participation in BRIDGE is a strategic advantage for Air4NRG and similar Horizon Europe projects. It enables the pooling of resources and insights to address shared challenges, creating synergies that drive innovation. For Air4NRG, this involvement ensures that its technological advancements resonate within the broader EU policy framework, facilitating the uptake of clean energy technologies and encouraging long-term partnerships. For all projects involved, BRIDGE provides a platform to amplify their impact, collaborate on standard-setting, and collectively influence policy and market developments in the energy sector.
Air4NRG’s involvement in the Consumer and Citizen Engagement Working Group (CCEWG)
The Consumer and Citizen Engagement Working Group (CCE WG) fosters understanding and methodologies for inclusive energy innovation within European R&I projects, aiming to enhance engagement, trigger involvement, and empower consumers and citizens in the evolving energy landscape. The CCE WG has recently published its 2023 Annual activity report providing a detailed analysis of its collaborative efforts throughout 2023/2024.
Air4NRG actively contributes to this Working Group by leading the “Strategies of Engagement” subgroup. Its main activities include attending plenary meetings with European Commission officials, updating progress, and steering subgroup activities. The project’s contributions encompass organising and moderating Knowledge Sharing sessions, which open each monthly meeting. In addition, Air4NRG has been involved in co-drafting the CCE WG 2024 Annual Report, which will be published next year, through the calendarisation and allocation of activities, desk research on the topic of inclusivity and the preparation of two workshops.
Air4NRG’s integration into the BRIDGE initiative underscores its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. By actively engaging in its Working Groups like in the CCE WG, the project not only contributes to the European energy transition but also works towards impactful, consumer-centric clean energy solutions. Through its efforts, Air4NRG exemplifies how Horizon Europe projects can leverage collaboration to achieve broader societal and environmental goals.
*Cover photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán.
