ITI Talks: Trends in Energy Communities

The latest instalment of ITI Talks, held on April 12th, delved into the evolving landscape of energy communities, featuring speaker Diana Neves. Hosted by the Interactive Technologies Institute, this hybrid event brought together audiences both in-person and remotely, fostering dialogue and insights into the forefront of sustainable energy systems.

Diana Neves, an Assistant Researcher at the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+), led the session with her presentation titled “Energy Communities R&D and Future Trends.” Diana Neves started by contextualizing the emergence of energy communities, emphasizing their role as essential instruments for decarbonization and user empowerment. While acknowledging the predominant focus on economic implications, she underscored the need to broaden perspectives to encompass environmental and social dimensions.

Our guest highlighted the exploration of energy community design and the influence of technological integration and outlined the imperative for research and development efforts to address multifaceted challenges, paving the way for inclusive and sustainable energy transitions.

Diana Neves’ academic background includes a PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems from the MIT-Portugal Program and extensive research experience. Her expertise spans energy systems modelling, decentralized solar energy, and local energy markets, with a particular focus on urban energy transitions and user-centric methodologies.

By examining future trends and research directions, the session facilitated a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in clean energy transitions.