
Red lab
Reinventing the energy system with data
In recent years, numerous technological and digital developments have increased the amount of data available. From smart buildings and efficiency applications to smart mobility, there are so many data-driven solutions to be devised to develop a sustainable energy system.
RED lab is an annual "data and energy acceleration" program that aims to accelerate the energy transition and turn the notion of a sustainable smart city into reality, by encouraging the creation of collaborative, innovative projects.
The program was launched in 2020 by eqlosion, in collaboration with the NTN Innovation Booster Living Labs for Decabornisation and with the support of numerous partners: the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the Energy Directorate of the canton of Vaud, SEIC, SEFA, Romande Energie, B&G, the commune of Montreux, E-nno, EPFL, CREM, the energy living lab, CleantechAlps and Alp ICT. Held annually, the program will be repeated in 2022 and beyond.
Smart city and energy transition
The aim of RED lab is to accelerate the energy transition by opening up and making available data in the energy and mobility sector. To accelerate the energy transition, we need to move from a hierarchical, compartmentalized (and uncoordinated) "system of systems" to a distributed system where the various players in the energy sector interact efficiently with end-users: individuals, businesses and public authorities. This requires the pooling of cleaned, anonymized and processed data, which implies a digital transformation. To achieve this, we need to multiply collaborative projects between different stakeholders.
Connecting players
In a fragmented energy sector with numerous stakeholders, "being able to bring players together around the same table in order to understand each other's vision" is one of the program's strong points. Start-ups, researchers, private companies and public administration representatives are invited to identify the challenges and opportunities together, and to move a complex ecosystem towards a necessary reinvention.
- Use collective intelligence to create innovative solutions between players
- Involve academic, public and private stakeholders, as well as the general public, in developing solutions.
- Extracting the intelligence hidden in data to build a sustainable smart city
- Develop a common vision and increase exchanges between stakeholders to foster collaboration
A 4-part program
To achieve the various objectives, the RED lab program comprises a number of stages: analysis of the situation and formulation of challenges, hackathon and set-up and follow-up of the projects developed. A fourth cross-cutting theme involves communication to inspire people beyond the first circle of stakeholders. In particular, a report compiling feedback, recommendations and presentations of projects initiated during the hackathon will be published in September 2021.
The 5 challenges of Hackathon 2021:
- Energy and climate policies
- Large and medium-sized consumers
- Heating networks
- Collaboration between players
- Good citizenship
Involvement of Alp ICT
- Recommendation of partners and participants
- Attendance at meetings and project follow-up
- Selection of hackathon challenges
- Promotion, communication relays