Parma

The Municipality of Parma is Cooperation Partner within KINETIC, supported by CNR. Parma’s objectives are: To facilitate the process of the Social and Urban Renovation, for making the city more attractive, more sustainable, more inclusive, balancing the priorities for interventions. In 2019, the city of Parma made a feasibility study to create a Positive Energy District in the Campus area with a positive energy balance. The technical data of the campus are as follows:
Total surface: 396,000 m2; Total surface for PVs = 7245.6 m2 (swimming pool, market school, research institute); PVs annual energy production= 1328 MWh.

The City of Parma is a signatory of the Covenant of Mayors initiative since 2013. The adhesion to the movement was part of a strategic vision started in 2005 with the drafting of the Municipal Energy Plan (PEC), in application of Law 10/91. The commitment of the City of Parma towards environmental-related issues steadily increased during the process. In 2014, the City of Parma launched its Sustainable Energy and Climate Action plan (SEAP) aiming at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in 2020. The interventions focused on building renovation, public light refurbishment and sustainable mobility with the involvement of both private and public sector. In the following years, the Administration developed the first (2017) and the second monitoring (2019) of the SEAP, as required by the commitments undertaken by joining the Covenant of Mayors.

In June 2021, the City of Parma approved the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) with the target of reducing emissions between 46% and 58% by 2030. During the last ten years, Parma City Council managed to establish several working groups on several themes such as 4.0 industry, Positive Energy Districts, smart city control platform. This stakeholder engagement process has contributed to create a permanent local network that includes public and private entities, research institutions, startups and local associations operating in the city. The Municipality of Parma, apart from the direct actions on the municipal territory carried out through its Energy Office, has undertaken a path based on multi-level governance between the Municipality and the Region focused on the definition of the Regional Action Plan (RAP) in the framework of the project POTEnT (Public Organizations Transform Energy Transition).

Establishing Demo Sites Transformation Pathways

Collaborative Pathways to Sustainability

Situated on the outskirts of Parma, the REC Campus is central to the city’s Energy Transformation Pathways. Comprising residential, commercial, and academic spaces, this area is a testament to urban life and sustainability initiatives. Strategic collaborations between academic institutions, local government bodies, and private entities are propelling Parma toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

The Campus Energy Community (CEC), a renewable energy project led by CNR, the University of Parma, and Parma Municipality, takes centre stage in these initiatives. The CEC, a pioneering pilot in Parma and Italy, materialised following the approval of the Renewable Energy Communities regulation by the Italian Government. Stakeholders outside the campus area can actively participate in this new emerging community. Expanding the solar panel installations on the campus premises, with other prosumers and consumers, opens the door to a more resilient urban environment.

Beyond the REC Campus, the Parma Municipality’s Climate City Contract outlines ambitious targets for emissions reduction and sustainable development with over 130 actions across various sectors and the participation of 46 signatories. As a result, Parma emerges as a frontrunner in the global effort to combat climate change and promote sustainable urban development.

Collaboration and co-creation are fundamental principles guiding Parma’s sustainability journey. Through strategic partnerships and visionary leadership, the city navigates challenges and seizes opportunities, driving toward a more resilient and environmentally conscious future. As Parma continues its path to carbon neutrality, the DEMO showcase exemplifies the transformative power of collective action and innovative thinking in shaping the city’s future energy landscape.