Overview

Energy is a major component for both local and global economic development. It is needed for transport, industrial and commercial activities, buildings and infrastructure, water distribution, and food production. Most of these activities take place in or around cities, which are on average responsible for more than 75% of a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) . With their high concentration of industry, transport systems, buildings and households, municipalities consume large amounts of energy (estimated between 60 and 80% of the global primary energy) and emit between 50 and 60% of the world’s total greenhouse gases. The majority of this energy consumption goes into buildings and transport. 
Despite the increasing energy demand in cities, it is at the municipal level that considerable potential to plan for and to produce energy sustainably and strengthen energy efficiency exists.

The international exchange platform Connective Cities and its initiators, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the German Association of Cities and Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World, organized a Dialogue Event on “Municipal sustainable energy production and efficiency: planning and implementing innovative solutions” from  9 to 11 May 2016 in Würzburg, Germany to specifically look into good practices, challenges and solutions to this crucial topic. 

The event took place at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg and was organized in cooperation with the City of Würzburg.

Keynotes

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Keynote by Marie-Luise Righi, Fraunhofer ISC, Germany
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC – materials development for tomorrow‘s products

MUNICIPAL PERSPECTIVE

Input by Charles Amani Kitururu, City of Mwanza, Tanzania
Municipal challenges and opportunities

Results

Urban practitioners from Germany, South Africa, Tanzania, Palestinian Territories, Jamaica, Serbia, Macedonia and Italy joined together to present their energy efficiency and energy production good practices but also to share their challenges and discuss viable practical solutions for their local needs. Several project ideas to continue the practitioners' cooperation were elaborated and presented. As part of the event the participants had also the opportunity to visit examples of sustainable energy production and energy efficiency in the Würzburg area such as the waste-to-energy plant of the city and the centre for energy efficiency.