Solutions on BABLE are expert-curated proposals for efficiently implementable Smart City projects. Each Solution contains a list of benefits and a list of functions needed to achieve these benefits, as well as information on the business model, driving factors, relevant legal regulations, advices from experts and links to relevant use-cases and products.
Solutions
Solution

Public Charging System for Electric Vehicles
The current EU regulation on emissions for cars is the strictest worldwide. Along with further restrictions the thresholds cannot be meet with conventional cars only anymore. One alternative technology, reducing the local emissions, are electric vehicles. For a successful market penetration, a functioning infrastructure is necessary. Therefore, public charging systems for electric vehicles support the electrification of urban mobility systems by providing chargers. These chargers can be of different power ranges and charging technologies. In addition, they can be smartly integrated into the local grid and provide information about the system for customers, operator and other stakeholders. For the user experience, it is recommended to include a payment and authentication system, which facilitates the access and enhances the transparency of the charging process.
Solution

Virtual Power Plant
The increasing usage of renewable energy raises the risk of unpredictable energy generation drops or peaks. A virtual power plant reduces these risks by aggregating several small production units. Besides balancing (unpredictable) sustainable energy supply and demand in neighbourhoods, it improves the yield of energy generation units as it enables households to store and/or trade surplus energy. A virtual power plant incorporates energy generation units, load and battery systems. As an online platform, the virtual power plant aggregates people’s production and consumption of energy and stores the surplus locally. Due to this aggregation, it’s possible to trade energy on the wholesale markets: the use of a home battery lets you store energy when electricity prices are low and discharge the battery when there are high. Overall the virtual power plant is able to monetize flexibility and minimizes the risk of shortages in supply by using a different set of functions.
Solution

Local Energy System
Approximately one-quarter of the energy price is owed by the transportation of the energy. The implementation of a local energy system can shift the energy production from a centralised system to a decentralised system. In a local energy system, the energy is produced close to where it will be used, in contrast to a centralised energy production system or a national grid where the production is centralised. The local generation reduces the transmission losses and is able to adapt to the local needs. The system includes the generation, the storage, and the consumption of energy. To optimise the energy consumption a visualization of the consumption or controlled energy consumption are possible.
Solution

Smart Home System
The majority of public funding on energy efficiency within the EU is proposed for the building sector. The federal funds in that sector add up to €5.4 billion in 2014. A smart home system is one possibility to improve residential energy efficiency. A smart gateway, as an essential part of the system, connects the smart home with the outside world. This allows the mobile control of devices in the house from remote places. External systems and services can be used for better energy usage regulation. Furthermore, it can be connected to the smart grid as well as electric charging infrastructure to enable better energy efficiency and billing plans, for example, according to peak-time energy consumption or renewable energy content.
Solution

Smart Lighting
Smart streetlights enable the reduction of running expenses associated with public lighting by delivering several value-added services to cities and citizens. The solution allows the dynamic adaption of the brightness of streetlights according to the season-dependent day and night cycle duration or even to a combination of this and the noise level. A good lighting system increases both actual and perceived security. Furthermore, directed light may improve the well-being of residents. An underlying connectivity backbone connects the poles (i.e. fibre-optic backbone) and serves to deliver digital services via integrated street lights. Within this solution, the lighting poles can be used to provide other functionalities (i.e. Intelligent and Connected Public Space – Wi-Fi, navigation aids for visually impaired people or displays) through the attachment of additional sensors or signalling devices.
Solution

Building Energy Management System
The majority of public funding on energy efficiency within the EU is proposed for the building sector. The federal funds in that sector add up to €5.4 billion in 2014. One way to increase the energy efficiency of buildings is to implement a building energy management systems (BEMS). BEMSs are centralized, computer-based systems, which provide real-time monitoring and integrated control of building services and equipment to optimize energy usage. They typically control the lighting, power, hot water and HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) systems. The system monitors the information received from various sensors in the building (smart meters, occupancy, temperature, carbon dioxide and humidity sensors, etc.) and optimizes the energy consumption while maintaining safety and comfort. These systems can also be used to improve the health and security of the inhabitants by control and monitor of the environment, emergency responses and regular maintenance schedules. The technology can be applied to both residential and commercial buildings and at varying scales from small independent building to complex sites with multiple buildings.