Alkmaar reflects and looks towards the future during POCITYF and REFORMERS meeting

POCITYF, which focuses on smart and sustainable energy solutions in European cities, is in its final stages. In Alkmaar, concrete innovations have been implemented in recent years, including energy solutions at the De Meent sports complex and the sustainability upgrade of the Noordertogt apartment building. These projects demonstrate how locally generated energy and smart systems contribute to a more sustainable city.

While POCITYF is nearing completion, REFORMERS is in the second year of a five-year project. The focus of this project is the development of the so-called flagship valley in Alkmaar and Heiloo, with a special focus on the Boekelermeer business park. Here, efforts are underway to establish local energy systems that fully meet energy needs through renewable generation and the production and integration of sustainable energy carriers such as green gas and hydrogen. During the event, participants visited InVesta and other locations, receiving an overview of planned and ongoing innovations in Boekelermeer, including the development of four energy hubs on the site.

Bold City Vision

In addition to reviews and current developments, the municipality also presented its vision for the future: the Bold City Vision. This vision builds on lessons learned from the projects and outlines a course for 2050 and 2100. The ambition extends beyond energy and also encompasses issues such as water, food, and building materials. The goal is to move towards complete self-sufficiency in all these areas in the region while simultaneously drastically reducing the carbon footprint.

The Bold City Vision is based on ten building blocks ranging from centralized and decentralized flexibility to multifunctional spatial planning, circular resource flows, and digital governance. Alkmaar aims not only to address current challenges like grid congestion but also to use them as an opportunity to develop local, flexible, and sustainable ecosystems within the chosen themes.

Visit to the energy innovations

After lunch at the Kapelkerk in the city center, the group split into two groups to visit the various energy innovations being implemented in the projects. One group toured the De Meent sports complex and the Noordertogt flat, part of the POCITYF project, to see and learn more about the modifications made to the buildings. The other group visited InVesta at Boekelermeer to learn more about the four different energy hubs being developed there, and to learn about DOPS's waste processing innovations and Sustenso's reuse of CO₂ from the site's green gas digester for algae cultivation.

Alkmaar continues to focus on innovation

With its combination of completed results, ongoing projects, and a clear long-term vision, Alkmaar is emphatically positioning itself as a testing ground for innovation. The city underscores its ambition to actively shape the energy transition in the region while simultaneously building a carbon-neutral future.

Want to learn more about POCITYF and REFORMERS? Visit the project pages: