Siddharth Sareen, Science Communication Manager, ssareen@fni.no
After 4.5 generative years from 2020 to 2025, the COST Action PED-EU-NET drew to a close at an exciting time for PEDs in Europe. During this period of high activity and advances, our network was instrumental in convening important meetings that ensured close understanding among decision-makers, diverse experts, and across urban European contexts undertaking ambitious low-carbon energy transitions. Hundreds of network members from dozens of countries formed and expanded key thematic contacts and utilised and contributed to our network through scientific and policy endeavours. PED-EU-NET enabled and produced dozens of scientific outputs, high-quality originally envisaged deliverables, impactful meetings, workshops and annual conferences, and enabled timely capacity building to ensure key competencies to enhance and advance the PED agenda throughout Europe. Many grants facilitated collaboration across COST member countries, and many PED-EU-NET members secured large funded projects to help achieve Europe’s PED ambitions.
PED-EU-NET generated resources that will continue to serve a meaningful purpose in the future as PEDs and renewable energy communities proliferate in the hundreds and thousands. A notable contribution is the PED Academy series of masterclasses by PED trainers from our network, which is freely accessible for users upon registration at https://www.pedlearning.eu/course/ped-planning-design-implementation – this continues the spirit of PED-EU-NET training schools that many Action participants benefitted from.
Another key resource is the PED booklet, available in over a dozen European languages as a direct outcome of our Action as Deliverable 4.1 (https://pedeu.net/deliverables/). These are just some examples of the considerable impactful outputs produced by network members. The PED Database merits attention in this respect (https://pedeu.net/map/), and is already being drawn on by ongoing PED initiatives like Driving Urban Transitions. PED stakeholders will also find it useful to visit an overview of major PED-EU-NET events (https://pedeu.net/category/events/), such as our annual conferences, which include resources such as video content featuring insightful reflections by PED experts.
In closing, it is appropriate to share a small poem that captures the spirit of PED-EU-NET and the fact that, while this COST Action has been successfully completed, the networks and collaborative bonds forged through it continue in numerous ways. Hence the poem is aptly entitled:
Every ending is a new beginning
Does a network ever truly end?
What does it mean to come softly to a close
As we approach another bend
In a common journey along a tortuous road?
PED-EU-NET brought together diverse folks
With shared interests in positive energy districts
We learned how to paint with broad strokes
To flex for inclusion, not exclude by being strict.
The task of PEDs in Europe is monumental
The examples we’ve created together deliver
Insights both radical and incremental
To fertilise much joint future endeavour.
Friendships and memories have their place
Alongside socio-technical innovation
We’ve created synergies to run a race
That is not won by a single city or nation.
PEDs will only work if Europe harnesses
The power of its many peoples with skill
So that energy poverty no longer tarnishes
Marginalised lives for lack of political will.
My favourite memories from building this network
Are of a sense of doing this together to achieve
A dream that transcends individual lines of work
To co-create futures in which we all believe.
