Rome/Bonn, 22 February 2023. The increasing effects of the fossil-fuel induced climate destabilization seen and felt world-wide – droughts, fires, drying rivers, floods, storms, crop failures and many more), but also our dangerous dependency on fossil fuels make it clear that decentralised renewable energy solutions are needed more urgently and ubiquitously than ever before.
Each year EUROSOLAR awards the European Solar Prize to internationally important role models and pioneers in the practical application of renewable energy, bringing a wide variety of energy transition actors from all parts of society into the public eye.
This year’s award winner’s ceremony will be held on February 23, 2023 at the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Architecture at the Sapienza Università Di Roma – with the possibility to also experience the event live online.
The European Solar Prize is awarded annually since 1994 by EUROSOLAR in cooperation with the national sections of EUROSOLAR to municipalities, companies, associations and organisations, architects, journalists and private individuals. Within the award, the vigour and inventiveness of local and regional actors are appreciated and new impulses given for a regenerative and decentralized energy transformation in Europe.
The event will start at 14:00 with an official welcome ceremony and greetings and opening speeches by EUROSOLAR President Prof. Peter Droege and EUROSOLAR Vice President Prof. Eliana Cangelli. This will be followed by an introductory panel discussion on Rome’s and Italy’s path to energy transition. Guests will include Alessandra Capuano, Director of the Institute of Architecture and Design at Sapienza University, Rome; Luciana Castellina, politician and journalist; and Federico Butera, Professor Emeritus at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
After the opening and the content-related warm up, the award will be presented from around 16:30 onwards to eleven projects in ten categories, with the winners presented to the audience through interviews, presentations and movies.
A cosy get-together will complete the event and will provide the opportunity to talk to winners and guests. The event is free of charge. Online participation is possible under: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a1C4jDqrR-i3r67zwPKmZw
More information and free registration for the livestream are available at: https://www.eurosolar.org/solar-prizes/european-solar-prize/
The European Solar Prize 2023 will be awarded to eleven laureates:
Category: Towns, municipalities, council districts, public utilities
- The Primiero Vanoi energy community project (Italy)
for their successful transformation of an area into a more livable and resilient place in the face of climate change.
Category: Solar architecture and urban planning
- The Guiseppe Fent AG – Architektur im Klimawandel SIA (Switzerland)
for the renovation of an apartment building in Fahrwangen with a solar roof and façade. - ECOTEN s.r.o. (Czech Republic)
for their innovative revitalization of a school building in Prague into a smart, sustainable energy and carbon negative building.
Category: Industrial and commercial companies or farmers
- Loccioni (Italy)
for their Loccioni Leaf Community project – the living lab of the ecological transition.
Category: Local or regional associations / organisation
- The Bath & West Community Energy Project (United Kingdom)
for their collective installation of photovoltaic systems on municipal roofs.
Category: Owners and operators of renewable energy installations
- The Services Industriels de Genève (Switzerland)
for their new solar power plant on the site of “En Chardon”
Category: Transport and Mobility
- Sono Motors (Germany)
for their pioneering self-charging e-cars to accelerate the revolution of mobility.
Category: Media
- The Centre national de l’audiovisuel (Luxembourg)
for their movie project: “Eng Aerd” and their portrayal of new ways to live in a sustainable future.
Category: Education and vocational training
- The Solar Team Eindhoven (Netherlands)
for their students who invented a solar powered motor home as a combination of electromobility and self-sufficient cottages.
Category: One World Cooperation
- The Transforming Energy Access – Learning Partnership
for their cooperation with African universities aiming for a sustainable energy transition in Africa.
Category: Special prize for personal achievement
- Deepak Gadhia (India)
for his decades of work and commitment to renewable energy projects in India.
Proudly supported by the C&U Baumeister Foundation for Sustainable Technologies
Members of the Jury
Peter Droege, EUROSOLAR President, Jury Chair
Gallus Cadonau, Solar Agency, Switzerland
Eliana Cangelli, EUROSOLAR Italy
Stephan Grueger, EUROSOLAR Germany
Johannes Hegger, HHS Architects, Germany
Wolfgang Hein, EUROSOLAR Austria
Panos Mantziaras, Fondation Braillard Architecte, Switzerland
Jennifer McIntosh, International Solar Energy Society (ISES) Germany
Carol Olson, EUROSOLAR The Netherlands
Josep Puig, EUROSOLAR Catalonia and Spain
Milan Smrz, EUROSOLAR Czech Republic
Notes for press editors
Detailed appreciations of the award winners can be found here: https://www.eurosolar.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Appreciation_Brochure_ESP2023.pdf
Press contact
EUROSOLAR – The European Association for Renewable Energy e.V.
Phone.: +49 228 / 289 1449
Mail: sp@eurosolar.de