Blending public and private expertise for fossil-free cities

Without private expertise and finance, without citizens on board and without strong support from national and EU institutions, the implementation of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) becomes a Herculean task. Face to this challenge, many cities are getting outside of their comfort zone through innovative public-private partnerships and a commitment to climate neutrality. 

Fossil-free cities - Blending public and private expertise & finance to implement SECAPs

A recent event co-organised by the Covenant of Mayors, the SmartEPC project, and the Smart Cities Marketplace highlighted the crucial role of collaboration in achieving Europe's green targets by 2030. Speakers emphasised the importance of innovative projects, European technical assistance, and capacity-building programs for sustainable urban development.

Private partnerships were identified as essential for securing investments and scaling up climate actions. European technical assistance facilities like the ELENA programme and EU capacity-building initiatives were praised for their transformative impact. Tadhg O’Briain, Deputy Head of Unit at the Directorate General for Energy, European Commission, stressed the need to implement the EPBD and highlighted the Citizens Energy Package as a key initiative for enhancing citizen participation in the energy transition.

Vlasta Kremlj, Mayor of Selnica ob Dravi, underlined the importance of awareness-raising and education in building public-private trust. Igor Van De Vyver from Mechelen discussed the need for an entrepreneurial mindset in risk management for climate actions. Valérie Plainemaison from EFIEES pointed out the lack of awareness and capacity building as obstacles and stressed the need for a stable regulatory environment. Dinis Rodrigues from the European Investment Bank highlighted the challenges of simplifying complex projects and the importance of learning from past mistakes.

Pioneering solutions for decarbonised heating and cooling

The event featured three thematic sessions: street lighting, housing, and decarbonising heating and cooling. The latter session, part of the Cities Heat Detox campaign, spotlighted four cities driving innovation:

Guimarães, Portugal: Europe's Green Capital for 2026, the city is committed to climate neutrality by 2030. The city focuses on decarbonising heating and cooling systems through collective efforts, mandating net-zero standards for public buildings since 2013, and adopting electrified heat pumps and renewable energy communities.

Marseille in France has long been an important hub for trade and is now establishing itself as a cluster for high tech and information-based industry. To tackle cooling challenges, the city harnesses sea thermal energy, cutting CO2 emissions by 80%. It is also exploring waste heat recovery from data centres.

The city of Maribor in Slovenia, aims to eliminate fossil fuels by 2040 through a three-phase plan, leveraging hydropower, biomass, heat pumps, and innovative technologies to achieve a carbon-neutral district heating system.

Finally, the city of Partizánske in Slovakia is planning a modern, sustainable district heating system integrating renewable energy sources like biomass, geothermal heat, solar energy, and waste heat. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a resilient energy infrastructure.

Check out our interactive Heat Detox map to explore more examples of cities decarbonising heating and cooling!

Through these innovative projects and collaborations, European cities are not just meeting but exceeding the ambitious green targets set for 2030.