Smart cities, Europe's future?
The European Commission launched a Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (SCC) to respond to one of the greatest challenges facing the EU – adapting cities into smart intelligent and sustainable environments.
By launching SCC, the Commission aims to gather research resources from energy, transport and ICT sectors and boost the development of smart technologies in cities. €365 million in EU funds have been earmarked for these types of urban technology solutions for 2013.
Cities nowadays face limitations in developing innovative smart technologies, due to high technological risk, difficulties over uncertain returns on investment or regulatory difficulties.
Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger pointed out that "innovation drives Europe's competitiveness and is the best means of addressing energy efficiency”. He added that the SCC will allow for “high efficiency heating and cooling systems, smart metering, real-time energy management, or zero-energy buildings neighbourhoods solutions” to spread among more European cities.
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