18 November 2024
Sønderborg

Under the theme "Financing Decarbonisation," this discussion will explore innovative financial models for sustainable urban investments. The Footprint Firm and KOMPAS VC will share insights on how early-stage capital can be structured to support urban decarbonisation projects, with examples from their work with impact startups.

• Beyond Pilots: Driving change: Understand how public and private sector actors can play a crucial role in enabling new, sustainable business models to demonstrate and scale
• Building a Common Language: Explore practical strategies for bridging gaps and aligning in understandings and logics between sectors.
• Real-World Insights: Gain valuable lessons from a participating organization on how to effectively collaborate within PPP frameworks.  

In today’s fast-paced world, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are becoming essential for driving innovation and achieving long-term sustainable growth. This roundtable discussion will provide practical insights from a public sector perspective on how to identify and engage with the right actors for successful PPPs. We’ll explore how these partnerships can move beyond testing and pilot stages to create scalable, impactful solutions that benefit both public institutions and private businesses.We’ll also address the challenge of bridging gaps in understanding and logics by developing a shared language between sectors, ensuring that all parties can work together effectively.

• Identifying the Right Actors: Learn how public and private sectors can pinpoint relevant stakeholders for impactful partnerships.
• Beyond Pilots: Understand how to transition PPPs from testing phases to scalable, real-world solutions that meet both public and private needs.
• Building a Common Language: Explore practical strategies for bridging gaps and aligning in understandings and logics between sectors.
• Real-World Insights: Gain valuable lessons from a participating organisation on how to effectively collaborate within PPP frameworks.

This roundtable will focus on how we can work together more effectively to accelerate the integration of photovoltaic (PV) technologies, including organic solar cells, into urban environments. With the pressing need to scale renewable energy in cities, this discussion will center on the practical steps required to implement and realize truly building-integrated PV (on roofs, facades and even windows), to drastically lower CO2 emissions from buildings. Participants from industry, academia, urban planning, and technology providers will explore the key barriers—such as regulatory challenges, technological constraints, and financing hurdles—and share insights on how to overcome them. The session aims to foster actionable collaboration, identifying specific strategies to ensure the successful deployment of solar energy solutions in cities.

• Opportunities within building integrated photovoltaics technologies.
• Manufacturing, installations, and use-cases for organic photovoltaics in the built environment.
• How to address design aspects of photovoltaics in the built environment.
• Sustainability aspects of building integrated photovoltaics.

Linking housing affordability with decarbonisation is of critical importance and requires a collaborative vision and co-responsibility between public and private sector.  In this roundtable we will delve into the opportunity to redefine how we develop housing and deliver value for people while staying within the planetary boundaries. Over the first six months of 2024, BLOXHUB, in collaboration with ULI (Urban Land Institute) and the Laudes Foundation, convened pan-European industry voices to gather their insights on barriers and opportunities to decarbonise European housing while building social equity. Together we explored how to create agency for action through innovative building practices, new investment structures, partnerships and co-responsibility between public and private sector among other levers for action and compiled the current best practice cases for inspiration. In this roundtable we will share our findings and invite you to join us for a roundtable dialogue on the next steps and partnership opportunities within Europe.

• Gain insights into the intersection of housing, decarbonisation, and social equity.
• Gain insights to how a collaborative approach between public and private sectors can create innovative, sustainable, and affordable housing solutions.
• Learn from case studies that demonstrate the potential for transformative change in the housing sector.
• Be part of a critical conversation on how collaboration can drive the just transition in residential real estate.

While Denmark is well-known for its cycling culture, the transport sector remains one of the country’s significant contributors to CO2 emissions. Global innovations in mobility, including demand-responsive public transport, shared micro-mobility, and autonomous vehicles, are developing rapidly, but Denmark is not keeping pace with these advancements. This roundtable will discuss how legislative barriers and influence from lobby groups are slowing the adoption of sustainable mobility solutions. Kasper Dam Mikkelsen, founder of the car-pooling platform Nabogo, will share his experiences in navigating these obstacles. Together with industry experts, we will explore potential legal reforms and discuss what a low-carbon mobility system might look like for Denmark.

• Insights into how incumbent regime actors and lobby groups are delaying mobility innovation.
• How current legislation favours private car use over sustainable mobility options.
• Understanding New Mobility and envisioning a future low-carbon transport system for Denmark.

Since 2007, ProjectZero has driven a 66% reduction in Sønderborg’s energy-related CO2 emissions, targeting full neutrality by 2029 through ambitious renewable energy strategies. Now, with new wind and solar energy plants planned near residential areas, the municipality has prioritized community involvement to address concerns and foster support.
Discussion on the Sønderborg Model and new innovative ideas on how Sønderborg can engage citizens around renewable energy projects

• ProjectZero’s impactful strategy in cutting CO2 emissions by 66% since 2007.
• The 2029 goal for full CO2 neutrality and the role of local renewable energy initiatives.
• Community-centric approaches to introducing wind turbines and solar panels.
• The municipality’s model for turning community resistance into positive engagement and benefits.

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