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Renewable energies: European Solar Prize 2018 awarded to eight winners at the Kunstmuseum Bonn

Bonn, 17.11.2018. Eight ground-breaking projects for the energy revolution: Today EUROSOLAR awarded the European Solar Prize 2018 to actors from six different nations at the Kunstmuseum Bonn. The prize winners from the fields of education, urban planning, architecture, social affairs and industry are making a contribution to the regenerative and decentralised energy supply in Europe with forward-looking projects. The prize was awarded, for example, for a production hall in Switzerland with a perfectly integrated photovoltaic system to meet the energy needs for the airplane production, a solar electric car ferry operating on the Mosel on the German-Luxembourgian border and for the Israeli-Palestinian NGO Comet-ME. It supplies around 4,000 people in Palestine who have no access to the supply grid with renewable energy and clean water.

For EUROSOLAR President and Chairman of the Jury, Prof. Peter Droege, the award-winning projects are examples of a functioning energy system transformation in a wide variety of application areas. „The consequences of climate change are now more visible than ever and the urgency to combat it is at its peak. Therefore I am glad that today we were able to honour people who are working on solutions for local and regional energy system transformations. Whether it is a community, industry or student competition: all prize winners have innovations in common that are practical and sustainable. Their projects serve as forward-looking examples of renewable energies in Europe,“ said Prof. Droege.

In his welcoming address Reinhard Limbach, Deputy Mayor of the City of Bonn, emphasised the significance of cities and regions to achieve the climate targets in Europe. “If we want to reach the goals as laid down in the Paris Climate Agreement, we need a successful and sustainable energy transition. But the agreement cannot be implemented by nations alone. Cities and regions have an immensely important role to play. They have been drivers for innovation in the past and will continue to be in the future”, Limbach said.

In a panel discussion Dr. Barbara Hammond, CEO of Low Carbon Hub, EUROSOLAR Vice-President Stephan Grüger, member of state parliament of Hesse, and Yunus Arikan, Head of Global Advocacy and Policy at ICLEI, discussed opportunities and challenges of the energy system transformation at local, national and transnational level. Among others it was concluded that local governments and stakeholders as well as civil society must be involved in an ongoing dialogue on national and European energy and climate policies in order to promote acceptance and social cohesion.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary EUROSOLAR awarded the European Solar Prize in its hometown Bonn. The award ceremony also was the closing event of the annual partnership with the Federal City of Bonn. In previous years the award ceremony took place in Vienna, Barcelona and Prague. Since 1994, the prize has been awarded annually to municipalities, municipal companies, associations and organisations, architects, journalists and private individuals in cooperation with the national sections of EUROSOLAR. The award recognises the dedication and inventiveness of regional players and provides new impetus for a regenerative and decentralised energy revolution in Europe.

More information: www.eurosolar.org

The European Solar Prize 2018 was awarded to eight laureates:

Category: Towns, municipalities, council districts, public utilities

• Le Mené, France
Outstanding commitment and holistic approach to covering the community’s energy needs with 100 % renewables generated on a local scale.

Category: Solar architecture and urban planning

• Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Switzerland
Architecturally perfect integrated solar plant on an industrial hall to meet the energy needs of the aircraft production.

Category: Industrial and commercial companies or farmers

• S&H Connect GmbH, Austria
Successful concept for exploiting the potential of using solar energy on the roofs of municipal facilities and industrial buildings.

Category: Local or regional associations / organisations

• Low Carbon Hub, United Kingdom
Pioneering model of a citizen-driven, social enterprise that enables a community-owned renewable energy supply in Oxfordshire.

Category: Owners and operators of renewable energy installations

• Plus-Energy-Settlement Zentrum Tobel, Switzerland
Trend-setting example of the social and economic integration of tenants into the use of solar energy.

Category: Transport and Mobility

• Ostseestaal GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Solar Electric Car Ferry ‘Sankta Maria II’ as visionary example of emission-free water transport and wakeup call for the European ship industry.

Category: Education and vocational training

• Energy Endeavour Foundation, Netherlands
Stewarding the Solar Decathlon Europe, the far-reaching student competition to raise awareness in the field of innovative and resource-responsible architecture with a political effect in Europe and the U.S.

Category: One World Cooperation

• Comet-ME, Israel
Outstanding commitment in the sustainable electrification of marginalized communities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Members of the Jury
Prof. Peter Droege, President of EUROSOLAR (Principality of Liechtenstein)
Dr. Axel Berg, Chairman of EUROSOLAR Germany
Gallus Cadonau, Solar Agency Switzerland
Joaquim Corominas, President of the Association Energy Congress of Catalonia (Spain)
Hermann Fellner, Executive board of EUROSOLAR Germany
Stephan Grüger, MdL, Vice president of EUROSOLAR (Germany)
Wolfgang Hein, Vice president of EUROSOLAR (Austria)
Andre Langwost, EUROSOLAR France
Jennifer McIntosh, Executive Secretary of ISES – International Solar Energy Society (Germany)
Prof. Livio Sacchi, University of Pescara (Italy)
Prof. Jürgen Sachau, University of Luxembourg


Notes for press editors

The detailed appreciations and pictures of the award winners can be found in here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v39cf87rmni3m4q/AAAgwDk43wB34rYvXiFa4rS3a?dl=0

Pictures of the event are available by Saturday, 17 November, from 8 p.m. at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eurosolar/albums/72157692335600674