Low-Carbon Investment in Budapest

Background

Hungary has great potential for solar energy. However, this has not been exploited adequately: only four percent of Budapest’s energy mix come from renewable sources. This is set to change, as the city is refining its climate targets to be in line with the EU climate neutrality objectives: Budapest plans to invest in solar technologies. Next to maximising the city’s greenhouse gas mitigation potential, Budapest also intends for its action to become a role model of solar development in Central and Eastern Europe.

Project

To achieve this goal, the project fosters the integration of solar energy into the city’s everyday life. A first step in this regard is to map the total solar potential of Budapest’s buildings and its potential impact on the power grid. Secondly, implementation of a pilot measure allows to model future large-scale deployment of solar installations. Furthermore, the project assesses the legal, administrative, technical, financial, social, and behavioral barriers that stand in the way of establishing urban “prosumerism” (being a producer and consumer of electricity at the same time). Having identified the barriers, the project develops practical solutions that are tailored to the needs of both citizens and businesses. Workshops, promotional materials and consultation opportunities support and raise awareness among citizens and stakeholders. The project builds on previous project experiences and connections and brings together the main stakeholders and most important actors in the field in solar energy. A solar integration roadmap of Budapest constitutes the final outcome of the project.

Last update: April 2024