The region of Bari, Italy is known for its abundant sunshine – which our manufacturing site now takes advantage of to further minimize the ecological footprint of our operations, thanks to a new solar farm that was inaugurated last week. ☀️ Learn more about the impact this new solar farm has in this video. 🌍 #Sustainability #TeamMerck

The Netherlands has once again proven why it’s a leader in sustainable urban design. Engineers there built the world’s first solar bike path, a road surface embedded with solar panels that not only allows cyclists to commute but also generates renewable electricity. Remarkably, a single stretch of this bike path produces enough power to supply the daily energy needs of three households. This innovation blends infrastructure with sustainability. Instead of consuming land for solar farms, the Netherlands has turned everyday pathways into power plants, optimizing space in densely populated areas. The panels are covered with a durable, transparent layer to withstand heavy use, ensuring safety while still capturing sunlight efficiently. The project has gained global attention because it represents a new model for integrating clean energy into cities. If scaled, solar bike paths could be replicated worldwide, transforming millions of miles of roads and walkways into decentralized energy grids. With climate change threatening cities across the globe, such solutions are vital. The Netherlands has once again shown that small, smart ideas can make a big difference when applied creatively. #SolarInnovation #Netherlands #CleanEnergy #UrbanDesign #SustainableFuture

In land-scarce Singapore, how can rooftops work harder? They can generate clean energy, support biodiversity, and even make our cities cooler. A joint study by CDE, The Building and Construction Authority and National Parks Board - led by Assoc Prof Stephen Tay (NUS Department of the Built Environment) - shows how co-locating solar panels with green roofs unlocks these benefits in tropical cities like Singapore. One idea, many benefits and another step towards a low-carbon future. Read more about the research here: https://lnkd.in/g3T6Zc5Y #CDE #NUS #ForgingNewFrontiers #CDEImpact

Sistema Energy S.r.l. has signed a PPA with SMART CityLife S.r.l. for the sale of energy produced by a photovoltaic plant that will be installed on one of the buildings in the CityLife area, also developed by Sistema Energy. The project is part of the significant redevelopment of one of Milan’s most important districts, integrating innovation and sustainability with a strong focus on the environment. Cosimo Lena, CEO of Sistema Energy, commented: "I thank the legal team that supported us throughout this process and SMART CityLife S.r.l. for choosing Sistema Energy as a partner to strengthen its environmental commitment in this significant architectural project. The photovoltaic plant, implemented as an on-site PPA, will provide clean energy and reduce the building’s energy costs." SMART CityLife S.r.l. added: The CityLife district has become an emblem of ecological and sustainable urban transformation. This outstanding achievement has been internationally recognized, having obtained the prestigious Platinum level in the LEED for Cities and Communities, WELL for Community, and SITES for Existing Landscape certifications. SMART CityLife S.r.l.’s commitment to sustainable urban regeneration is evident in its partnership with Sistema Energy: the installation of this photovoltaic plant, with a capacity of approximately 150 kWp, perfectly reflects the values of our company, first and foremost the reduction of environmental impact." BIP Law & Tax assisted Sistema Energy S.r.l.. In particular, the team provided support on civil, regulatory, and administrative matters under the guidance of equity partner Marco Muscettola, with contributions from senior manager Nicoletta Bezzi. SMART CityLife S.r.l. was assisted on civil law matters by Studio Legale Bartyan, with a team composed by lawyers Sylvia Bartyan and Alessandra Guercia, and on administrative law matters by Ammlex - Amministrativisti Associati, by the lawyer and partner Marta Spaini. https://lnkd.in/dQJR5Bhi #Energy #photovoltaicplant #sustainability #PPA #environment

The work on greener buildings 🏙️ with the Future Energy Hub here in Stavanger inspired an exploration of a related challenge: the underexplored potential within Europe's rural building stock 🏡. This resulted in two short communications. 💡 The 'Why': the Euro commentary, "From decay to resource" argues for a new policy perspective that supports European Commission's rural vision, framing building decay as a regenerative community opportunity 🌱 🛠️ The 'How': co-authored with Tudor Milchis and Ilinca Mirela Beca from Technical University of Cluj Napoca, the short communication "Rethinking rural material stocks" outlines a practical framework to turn that vision into a plan by mapping and quantifying these resources. While these articles lay the conceptual groundwork 🧱 I plan to advance the research through empirical studies to test these strategies for real-world impact. Special thanks to my colleague Anders Riel Müller 송연준, whose invitation to join Future Energy Hub allowed me to develop these concepts that have been on my mind for a while 🧠 Articles available here 👇 - the 'why': https://lnkd.in/dWuavAk4 - the 'how': https://lnkd.in/dvkbxkaY #CircularEconomy #RuralDevelopment #EnergyEfficiency #EmbodiedEnergy #EUstrategy #GreenBuildings #FutureEnergyHub

Transforming European cities into sustainable, resilient spaces requires innovative solutions in many areas – from renewable energy and green technologies to inclusive urban design. How can research networks accelerate urban evolution? Discover how the work of CompNanoEnergy, GREENERING, and NET4Age-Friendly directly supports the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, proving that collaboration is key to building a sustainable future. From advancing clean energy technologies to circular economy and smart urban environments these 3 COST Actions address complex urban challenges through their interdisciplinary collaboration: https://bit.ly/4m2oUff #COSTactions #ScienceWithoutBorders #SmartCities #EUMissions

Renon arrives in Mexico hand in hand with ECOTRENDS. At Renon, we are pleased to announce our official arrival in Mexico, hand in hand with ECOTRENDS, based in Guadalajara, Jalisco, under the representation of Ing. David Rangel Sutti. With this expansion, we are initiating a new stage in the Mexican market, solidifying ourselves as one of the most innovative solutions in energy storage systems (BESS, Battery Energy Storage Systems). Our goal is to make world-class technology accessible to Mexico, focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, and safety, supporting the growth of the renewable sector in the country with reliable and scalable solutions for industrial, commercial, and residential projects. As our representative in Mexico, Ing. David Rangel, states: "We are very excited to make available to the national market a brand that has demonstrated its leadership and success at a global level. With Renon, we take a firm step towards the consolidation of more efficient, safe, and sustainable energy projects in Mexico." At Renon, together with ECOTRENDS, we reaffirm our commitment to technological innovation and the energy transition, opening up new opportunities for customers and developers seeking reliable and high-performance storage solutions. The future of energy in Mexico is already here. #Renon #BESS #EnergyStorage #EnergyTransition #Mexico #Innovation

📌 Celebrating Estonian progress! On September 8th, #Estonia celebrates its bioenergy day! Meaning that from today until the end of the year Estonia could potentially rely on bioenergy alone for its energy needs. Here’s how Estonia leads the way 👇 📈 Over 200 #districtheating systems keep life comfortable and affordable 🌱 In cities like Tartu, Pärnu, Keila, Rapla and Paide, more than 95% of heat already comes from #renewables ⚡ Efficiency matters: modern #CHP plants reach nearly 100% efficiency, ensuring resources are fully used 👩🌾 #Local benefits: #bioenergy creates rural jobs, strengthens #energysecurity, and supports the circular economy Estonia sets an example for Europe with sustainable, #affordable, and community-focused district heating. Discover more on the website 👇 https://lnkd.in/dF9TAVwp Eesti Taastuvenergia Koda / AS Graanul Invest / Warmeston

𝗗𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀? --> According to the RED II directive, the primary purpose of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) is to deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits for their members and local areas, rather than simply pursuing financial profits. This reflects the European Commission’s strong belief in the socioeconomic value of RECs. --> Yet, many scholars argue that social impacts are often overlooked, seen as immeasurable, obvious, rare, or even as costs that hinder projects. In our latest article, with Prof. Alessio Tei and Prof Giovanni Satta we challenge this perspective by developing a novel theoretical framework to identify and evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of RECs through carefully designed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Our approach: - Built on the Triple Bottom Line paradigm (environmental, social, economic) - Uses a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to assess KPIs - Evaluates KPIs against relevance, measurability, comprehensiveness, benchmarking ability, availability, and familiarity - Integrates insights from diverse experts and scientists across sectors and institutions To ground the framework in practice, we conducted a semi-structured interview with Tirreno Power, regarding the Vado Ligure - Quiliano REC, to validate the selected KPIs for impact assessment. -->By bridging theory and practice, our work contributes to making the invisible social value of RECs visible, measurable, and actionable. #Shareyourthoughts: do you think socioeconomic impacts are not realistic to measure at all? #Staytuned to discover our full article as soon as it is published A special thank you to Allegra Fabrizio (General Manager of Tirreno Power SpA), Enrico Erulo (Director of Corporate Affairs), and Ilaria Montini (Head of Energy Transition), for making the interview possible and for providing valuable insights to complete this work. Thank you to the NEST - Network 4 Energy Sustainable Transition project for funding this research #RenewableEnergy #EnergyCommunities #SocioEconomicImpact #Sustainability #TripleBottomLine #ClimateTransition #EnergyPolicy #ImpactAssessment #MCDA #KPI ME4F - Mobility & Energy for Future

The Arctic’s Solar Giant Meet Powerhouse Brattørkaia in Trondheim, Norway. Unlike most buildings that only try to save energy, this one is designed to generate more power than it consumes over its entire lifetime. ✅ 3,000 m² of solar panels angled to perfection ✅ Produces 500,000+ kWh annually – far beyond its own needs ✅ Excess energy powers neighbors, offices, and even electric buses ✅ Uses water from the fjord to regulate indoor temperatures, replacing traditional air conditioning In a place known for long winters and limited sunlight, this building proves that smart design + renewable energy can make cities not just sustainable — but energy-positive. This isn’t just architecture. It’s a blueprint for the future of our cities. Would you live or work in a building that gives back more energy than it takes? Ruperto Arrieta Jr.Shaik SayeedEnrico BuenaventuraDimi NakovOana Widter #EnergyPositive #SustainableArchitecture #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #GreenBuilding #NetZero #FutureCities Credit: No Polluting