GARDEN DUT – Grid-Aware Decarbonization of Electricity-driven Neighbourhoods

GARDEN responds to the challenges posed by increasing PV penetration, heat pump adoption, and electric vehicle usage in local electricity grids. Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) currently lack district-level energy management systems, hindering collective flexibility utilization for increased grid-awareness. GARDEN aims to address these gaps through a replicable governance process, which supports municipalities to create decarbonised neighbourhoods that foster grid resilience by not overstraining local grid infrastructures and enable access for all citizens to flexible and clean energy assets as well as sustainable e-mobility. The objectives include mainstreaming flexible PEDs through smart energy management algorithms and a flexibility planning tool. Feasibility studies will assess the flexibility potential to enhance grid reliability in three demos in Austria, Switzerland and Türkiye. Co-creation tools will engage stakeholders, demonstrating municipalities and DSOs that PEDs can be implemented in a grid-aware manner. Additionally, GARDEN will formulate community-driven business models and provide procurement templates to accelerate the adoption of district-level energy management. This project strives to establish a new standard for PEDs, contributing to sustainable urban energy landscapes while addressing the immediate need for grid-aware solutions. The outcomes will guide stakeholders in replicating successful practices, fostering innovation in the broader context of energy transition projects.