The smart city paradigm is no longer an option, it must be an obligation, because Romanian cities are in competition with cities from all over Europe and all over the world, the minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja said, on Thursday, at the Smart City Industry Awards.

„We should all care about the smart city concept, its implementation, related projects. (…) I have a simple message: I think that this smart city paradigm is no longer an option. It it must be an obligation that Romanian cities assume, because in the era we live in we no longer run alone down the corridor. Romanian cities, including Bucharest, are in competition with cities from all over Europe and all over the world. Bucharest accounts for about 40% of the Romanian economy, of the GDP, together with the bordering area, and then surely investors will come, surely citizens will come. In urban development it is a simple concept : you have to generate a virtuous circle between people, investments, companies and thus grow your city. That’s why the phenomenon of urbanization happens. The more you have a city, the better quality of life, you attract labor. When you attract labor, companies come to you. By attracting more companies, you have a more diverse offer of products and services, which attracts more people and so on,” said Sebastian Burduja.

He emphasized that, as far as energy is concerned, ELCEN is in a process of renewal, of „thinking big” and reminded that the director of the company, Claudiu Cretu, signed a protocol with the US Department of Energy and a feasibility study for geothermal energy in Bucharest.

„It’s a big thing. It’s a resource that we have to capture to its full potential, to bring the heating agent to the homes of the people of Bucharest at the lowest possible cost,” said the minister of Energy.

At the same time, Burduja reiterated that he wants a 3D energy system: digitization, decentralization, decarbonization.

„So we must slowly move towards the concept of energy communities. Romania has a plan in this sense, the European Commission also has a plan in this sense, and together we can define the most attractive framework in which to stimulate these communities for energy”, explained the minister.

He also spoke about projects for local authorities and mentioned that in the previous months the Ministry of Energy finalized a call for public institutions, for the first time, from the Modernization Fund, namely half a billion euros for photovoltaic parks, wind power plants, micro hydropower plants, all eligible for this call.

The 8th edition of the Smart City Industry Awards Gala, an event organized by the Romanian Smart City Association, takes place on Thursday, with the theme „Connectivity and Accessibility in Smart Communities”.

AGERPRES