EUROSOLAR established the European Solar Prize in 1994 to celebrate renewable energy pioneers across Europe – and world-wide. Since then, the European Solar Prize has been awarded to more than 400 local and international actors from all parts of society. The award recognises towns and municipalities, communities, associations or organizations, architects, journalists and dedicated individuals. The European Solar Prize connects people who are paving the way to a renewable future with their innovation, commitment and work to implement the rapid energy transition to 100% renewable energy.
Each year EUROSOLAR awards the most innovative renewable energy projects of Europe-wide and even global importance.
The Dawn of the New Energy Age: European Solar Prize 2023
International conference and award ceremony
February 23, 2023, Aula Magna Faculty of Architecture, Piazza Borghese 9, Rome
Start: 14:00
The European Solar Prize 2023 will be awarded to the next revolutionaries of this regenerative decade. EUROSOLAR awards the European Solar Prize in the categories Municipalities, Solar architecture, Industry, Regional associations, Mobility, Media and Education, One-World-Cooperation and special achievement for individual commitment. Persons or Institutions contributing themselves to the renewable and decentralised energy supply in innovative ways deserve a stage. And with this Award Ceremony they can show how progressive and dedicated their work is for the energy transition.
“The European Solar Prize celebrates living, resilience and prosperity building models in the peaceful international cooperation to defeat humankind’s greatest threat: fossil climate chaos. It is therefore also the flagship program in EUROSOLAR’s Regenerative Earth Decade initiative.” declares Professor Peter Droege, President of EUROSOLAR and Chairman of the Jury.
The Event 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 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. After the opening and the content-related warm up, the ceremonial awarding of prizes to all prize winners will take place.
The event is open to the public and can be experienced without prior registration. We look forward to your participation!
EUROSOLAR is looking forward to awarding forward-looking projects from all over Europe.
Program
14:00 Check-In
14:30 Institutional Greetings
Allesandra Capuano
Sapienza – Director Department of Architecture and Design
14:40 Opening Session
Peter Droege
Eliana Cangelli
President of EUROSOLAR
Sapienza/ Vice President of EUROSOLAR
15:00 Rome and Italy Towards Energy Transition
Eliana Cangelli
moderator
Luciana Castelliana
Federico Butera
Federico Cinquepalmi
Daniela De Leo
Francesca Sartogo
Massimo Serafani
Edoardo Zanchini
Sapienza/ Vice President of EUROSOLAR
Politician and Journalist (online greetings)
Emeritus Professor of Polytechnic of Milan
Professor in Building Production _ Sapienza
Pro- Rector to Public Engagement _ Sapienza
President EUROsolar Italia
Politician and Writer
Director of Rome’s Climate Office
16:00 Coffee Break
16:30 European Solar Prize
Peter Droege
moderator
President of EUROSOLAR
Category A Towns, municipalities, council districts, public utilities
Category B Solar architecture and urban planning
Category C Industrial and commercial companies or farmers
Category D Local or regional associations organizations
Category E Owners and operators
Category F Transport and mobility
Category G Media and communication
Category H Education and vocational training
Category I One World Cooperation
Category J Special prize for personal achievement
17:45 Introduction to the EUROSOLAR Rome Regenerative Earth Declaration
Renewable Energy Diversity
In order to celebrate the diversity of successful renewable energy applications, EUROSOLAR awards the ESP in ten categories from municipalities to One-World-Cooperation, mobility solutions, solar architecture, urban development, businesses as well as projects, organisations and individuals in education and the media. An international expert jury chooses the winners for each year.
European Solar Prize Applications and Nominations
All projects must be realized and show tangible results. The key part of the application is a presentation highlighting aims, figures and benefits. Depending on the category, details on the approach, technologies, users, renewable energy production, financial benefits, or other core information may be important. Further information on the application and the jury’s evaluation criteria can be found here.
The recording of the award ceremony 2021/22
The European Solar Prize 2021/22 – broadcast from Amsterdam on EUROSOLAR TV!
EUROSOLAR, the European Association for Renewable Energy, and EUROSOLAR Netherlands awarded the European Solar Prize 2021/2022 on 2 December 2021 to individuals and institutions who have made outstanding contributions of Europe-wide significance in the transition to decentralised renewable energy supply. An international jury of experts, drawn from disciplines across science and society, has selected the winners from a large pool of excellent nominations and submissions. The Prize is a flagship program in EUROSOLAR’s Regenerative Europe Decade.
The winner projects will be presented during the award ceremony through interviews, presentations and films. Speakers are expected to include Bas Eickhout, Member of the European Parliament, and Amsterdam Alderwoman for Sustainability and Spatial Development, Marieke van Doornick. Prof. Peter Droege will moderate the event. The European Solar Prize is sponsored by the C&U Baumeister Foundation for Sustainable Technology.
EUROSOLAR awards solar prizes in various categories that reflect the diverse areas of the energy transition.
a) Towns/municipalities, council districts, public utilities
b) Solar architecture and sustainable design
The Solar Prize is awarded to architects, planning offices, housing associations, cities or other institutions that develop innovative concepts for the use of renewable energies in individual buildings or districts. The focus is on design and structural implementation.
c) Industrial and commercial companies or farmers
The Solar Prize is awarded to industrial companies, cooperatives and farms that promote the market integration of renewable energies through their business model or cover their own energy needs through innovative regenerative concepts.
d) Local or regional associations and organizations
The Solar Prize is awarded to associations and communities with a local or regional focus that promote grassroots use and distribution of renewable energy in the region.
e) Owners or operators of renewable energy installations
The Solar Prize is awarded to operators or owners of decentralized renewable energy systems that supply private buildings, industrial enterprises, or educational institutions, or feed electricity into the grid. This includes solar parks and small wind farms.
f) Transport and mobility
The Solar Prize is awarded for vehicles and transport solutions with climate-friendly technology, as well as sustainable and integrated mobility concepts for public and private transport.
g) Media
The Solar Prize is awarded to journalists, publicists, agencies or filmmakers who discuss and promote renewable energies in their work on TV, radio, online or in print.
h) Education and vocational training
The Solar Prize is awarded to institutions, initiatives or individuals who provide education and training in the field of renewable energies and inform about it.
i) One world cooperation
The Solar Prize is awarded to projects, initiatives or organizations that use renewable energies to promote socially and ecologically sustainable development.
j) Special achievement
Members of the jury 2022/23
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
Antonio Riverso, Special Jury Advisor on Advanced Architecture and the Built Environment