The GINNGER consortium marked the initiation of its project activities during the official project kick-off meeting held on November 8th and 9th, 2023, in Zaragoza, Spain. This significant event convened over 40 representatives from 20 project partners across various European countries. During this inaugural gathering, the consortium formally launched their ambitious undertaking. In particular, the GINNGER Innovation Action (funded by the Horizon Europe Research and innovation funding programme of the European Commission – Grant Agreement Nr 101123324) aspires to ease the regeneration of neighbourhoods and built environments through the implementation of co creation processes in heterogeneous stakeholders’ structures. This will facilitate the planification and implementation of actions in local environments, leading to a reduction of social, environmental, technological and economic risks thus to deliver healthy, affordable and sustainable built environments in EU.
The primary focus of the first day revolved around mutual introductions and fostering a comprehensive understanding of all project-related facets, including descriptions. Specifically, partners engaged in in-depth discussions about the intricacies of each work package, aiming to achieve a thorough understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities within the project. On the second day, the primary emphasis was placed on the project’s six different demonstration sites situated in Spain, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy, and France, with the aim of exploring their unique attributes and requirements.
UBITECH ENERGY plays a crucial role in GINNGER as the leader of Subtask 4.2.4, i.e., responsible for the development of the blockchain-based Flexibility Marketplace and its implementation in the field. In general, Task 4.2 deals with the Development of the digital solutions from the Energy Block (i.e., Forecasting Module, Energy Management Tool, EC Creation and Operation Tool and Flexibility Marketplace). Within this context, UBE will use the blockchain technology to develop this digital marketplace in a secure and transparent way and enable the consumers in the neighborhoods to exchange their renewable energy generated, their storage capacity and/or possibly provide ancillary services to the grid, following a demand response approach.
The GINNGER project will create positive social impact in neighbourhoods by stablishing and validating the GINNGER co-creation methodology aimed at supporting decision-making procedures for regeneration actions. The co-creation methodology will rely on SSH innovations for social progress and the enhancement of public policies. The project will put special emphasis on the validation of the co-creation methodology in 6 pilots: P1. Langreo (ES), P2. Plovdiv (BG), P3. Massagno in (CH), P4. Murcia (ES), P5. Orte (IT) and P6. Paris (FR). Within these pilots, the co-creation methodology will support the implementation of 21 Regeneration Actions. Moreover, GINNGER will set-up a local figure called the Green Neighbourhood Facilitator, which will ensure that voices across pilots are heard and will lead the capacity buildings actions at local level. To complement the implementation of the regeneration actions from a technical perspective, GINNGER will develop and validate a digital toolkit to support the planification, implementation and operation of the regeneration actions. The digital toolkit will be composed by a total of 13 digital solutions grouped into four blocks dealing with Energy, Renovation, Resources and Mobility.
