EUROSOLAR

European Solar Prize 2009

Laureates of the European Solar Prize 2009

Created by EUROSOLAR in 1994 the European Solar Prize has since rewarded towns, companies, individuals, architects and also organisations for outstanding service rendered to renewable energy utilization and applications every year. The recipients are celebrated for exemplary contributions, excellence, innovation, initiative and commitment. This year’s European Solar Prize is awarded in the following subject categories:

Cities, municipalities and municipal utilities • Morbach / • Geovest S.r.l. /

Industrial and commercial companies or farmers • KWB – Kraft und Wärme aus Biomasse GmbH /

Owners or users of installations utilizing renewable energy • grab architekten ag / Switzerland

Local or regional associations promoting renewable energy projects • Terra Foundation / • DAÇE – East Mediterranean Environmental Association /

Media • “Here Comes the Sun” – Rob van Hattum / Netherlands

One-world cooperation • Solartaxi / Switzerland • INFORSE- /

Special achievement prize for outstanding individual commitment • Claude Turmes / • Dr Wolfhart Dürrschmidt / Germany

A judging panel made up of experienced experts has chosen the winners from nearly 100 applications. Its members are: Philippe Bovet, ; Gallus Cadonau, Switzerland; Wolfgang Hein, Austria; Rosa Hemmers, Germany; Wanda Kleihues van Tol, architect; Henri Kox, Luxembourg; Dr Preben Maegaard, Denmark; Dr Wolfgang Palz, WCRE; Dr Josep Puig, Spain; Francesca Sartogo, Italy; Dr Hermann Scheer, MdB; Milan Smrz, ; Dr Ingrid Wagner, Austria; Olaf Weber, KfW Bankengruppe; Prof Dr Tanay Sidki Uyar, Turkey; Irm Pontenagel, Germany

EUROPEAN SOLAR PRIZE 2009

Morbach / Germany Cities, municipalities or municipal utilities

around the world who come to see its energy produc - tion landscape every year. An information centre and The Morbach way of going an “energy educational trail” are currently under con - energy self-sufficient struction.

Morbach’s public buildings such as the school and the town hall are equipped with photovoltaic systems The community of Morbach has defined its mission too. A cadastral map to identify and analyse the roof - statement as follows: To be energy self-sufficient on top potential for solar energy use is in progress. The the basis of renewable energy by the year 2020 and planning for a local heat supply network to be fed by to cut CO 2 emissions by over 50 per cent as against a large wood-fired power plant and managed by a the year 2000. community-owned company has also taken definite shape. Together with partners in science and economy it has developed the concept and created the „Energy Land - The town’s consistent approach to involve local play - scape of Morbach“ on a former US munitions site. ers from different disciplines in the planning and rea - 14 wind turbines of 2 MW each, a field of 10,000 m² lisation of the variety of measures is exemplary. The photovoltaic plant and a biogas factory generate more unique “Energy Landscape of Morbach“ has achieved electricity there than the 11,000 community residents ecological and economic success and shows how require. The waste heat from the biogas factory, local communities can have a part in acting on cli - which is operated on renewable raw materials from mate change. the region, is used for drying woodchips, which then are transformed into pel - lets in a largely carbon Contact: neutral process. Morbach community Bahnhofstr. 19 The community of Mor - 54497 Morbach bach has succeeded in Germany attracting several thou - www.morbach.de sand visitors from all

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Geovest S.r.l. / Italy Cities, municipalities or municipal services

citizens in financing and installing solar thermal de - vices and photovoltaic systems. It enables the resi - Cross-community projects in dents and companies in the 11 communities to install the field of renewable energy those systems at favourable prices.

Two more projects have been started in order to in - crease energy efficiency. On the one hand, the plumb- Geovest S.r.l is a municipality-owned company with ing and heating systems of public buildings have been corporate headquarters in the Emilia-Romagna re - examined and replaced as necessary. On the other gion in northern Italy between the provinces of Bo - hand, a programme has been introduced to improve logna and Modena. Established at the end of 2002 as energy efficiency of public lighting. a community project by 11 communities, Geovest's main activity is urban waste management. The company takes action against climate change on a local level, involving as many stakeholders as poss- Recently, Geovest has expanded its scope of business ible and thus developing a portfolio of different in - to include providing services for the spread of rene - itiatives. Geovest is a fine example of cross- wable energy use and energy efficiency. The first step community work and exemplary for other municipa - was the installation of 18 photovoltaic systems on the lities as well. roofs of municipality buildings. Altogether, the installed photovol - Contact: taic systems have a Geovest S.r.l. power rating of over 750 Via dell’Oasi, 373 kWp, producing around Località Beni Comunali 850,000 kWh per year. 40014 Crevalcore (Bo) Italy Geovest also backs an www.geovest.it initiative to support the

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KWB - Kraft und Wärme aus Biomasse GmbH / Austria Industrial and commercial companies or farmers

houses to regional networks for local heat supply. Over 40,000 customers throughout Europe rely on Specialist for pellet, wood chip KWB biomass heating systems, which stand out for and log-wood heating systems their ease of use and excellence in energy efficiency.

A total of some 350 employees and numerous part - ners are offered high quality education and training KWB – Kraft und Wärme aus Biomasse GmbH spe - at the KWB Academy. The energy supply for towns cialises in biomass heating solutions. The Austrian in rural areas and commercial facilities counts among company based in Styria has been a manufacturer of the new priorities in the company’s activity. modern CO2 neutral biomass heating systems since its establishment in 1994. KWB is engaged in inten - We look to KWB as an example to be imitated in as - sive research and development to accelerate the tran - suming ecological, economic and social responsibi - sition to renewable energy in heat supply. In Europe’s lity. Through its progressive ideas, intensive research largest private biomass research centre the KWB spe - and continued efforts to build up the company and to cialists continually work on finding new and efficient advance its products and service KWB has grown to solutions to generate energy from the combustion of become one of the market leaders in the field of bio - solid biomass. mass heating systems.

The company’s range of Contact: products includes fully KWB - Kraft und Wärme automatic pellet fired, aus Biomasse GmbH wood chip fired and Industriestraße 235 firewood fired heating 8321 St. Margarethen / systems ranging from 10 Raab to 300 kW. They are Austria built to meet the energy www.kwb.at needs from low energy

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grab architekten ag / Switzerland Owners or users of installations utilizing renewable energy

A 32 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof not only “Kraftwerk B” – produces the electricity to power the entire building a multi-family building itself, but also excess electricity, which is fed into the ‘energy plus’ public grid. A solar thermal system over nearly 150 m² integrates into its south facing façade and supplies all the energy needed for heating and also provides hot water for the building next to it. grab architekten ag is one of the pioneers of sustain- able building in Switzerland. Achieving a high degree Apart from the building’s ideal energy supply, energy of energy efficiency and solar energy utilization at efficiency and a respectful use of natural resources most optimal level is a fundamental quality the firm has been a central focus of the architects’ approach. demands of its work. It is achieved and exemplified The building is equipped with A++ rated energy to perfection in “Kraftwerk B”, a building located in saving appliances and a toilet-flushing rainwater fed the Swiss town of Bennau. The project was done with system. the backing of like-minded real estate company sanjo group. “Kraftwerk B” is a fine example of how full solar energy supply in combination with ecological and In “Kraftwerk B” photovoltaics and solar thermal col - energy efficient building design can easily be realised lectors are integrated directly into the building enve - in multi-family buildings as well. lope. Thanks to its optimal thermal insulation the apartment block produces 10 per cent more energy than it needs and thus is Switzerland’s first Contact: multi-family building grab architekten ag ‘energy plus’. The use of Bahnhofstrasse 1 natural construction and 8852 Altendorf building materials also Switzerland satisfied demanding www.grabarchitekten.ch ecological criteria.

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Terra Foundation / Spain Local or regional associations promoting renewable energy projects

nels can directly and easily be plugged in at home. The electricity thus produced can directly be used in Guerrilla Solar: the house or fed into the public grid, if not needed. Plug in to the sun The Guerrilla Solar campaign’s primary aim is to en - courage the citizens to efficiently use, save and pro - duce energy, since their consistent behaviour and “Small changes are powerful“. The motto adopted by action can effect crucial changes to environmental Terra Foundation indicates both the way and the and energy policies. ”Guerrilla Solar” is intended to means this organisation has chosen to fight against make them realize that besides being users of house - climate change. With small “plug in” photovoltaic pa - hold appliances, which consume energy they can be - nels its initiative “Guerrilla Solar“ enables every sin - come producers of electricity themselves with simple gle citizen to become an environmentally conscious photovoltaic panels. More actions are planned as part energy producer. of the campaign already. The “Guerrilla Solar“ initia - tive demonstrates that thanks to decentralized renew- “Guerrilla Solar“ is aimed at making the citizens be - able energy use the boundaries between consumer come aware of efficient energy use and renewable and producer of electricity steadily blur. energy applications. To this end Terra Foundation is offering as much as 150 photovoltaic pa - Contact: nels of 120 Wp each, Terra Foundation integrated micro in - Avinyo, 44 verter and control - 08002 Barcelona ling system included. Spain What makes them www.ecoterra.org special is that the pa -

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DAÇE – East Mediterranean Environmental Association / Turkey Local or regional associations promoting renewable energy projects

DAÇE informs about the threats, problems and con - flicts arising from nuclear and fossil fuel power ge - Regional network inspired neration. It has made renewable energy integration in others to follow suit Turkey and the promotion of energy efficiency a focus of attention. In this spirit, DAÇE has helped for example plan and implement many solar thermal in - stallations in the east Mediterranean region. DAÇE, the “East Mediterranean Environmental As - sociation”, is a network of local grass roots environ - Through its commitment and high degree of convic - mental NGOs. Established as a communication and tion DAÇE has inspired other Turkish regions to fol - solidarity network in Turkey in 1991, DAÇE today re - low suit. It's work has led to an awakening of public presents some 25 organizations and initiatives in this environmental consciousness and influenced the ci - region. tizens' motivation to engage in activities for renewa - ble energy. The regional network's contribution is of The association coordinates the regular exchange of great value, especially given the energy policy frame - information about national, regional and local envi - work in Turkey. ronmental issues and in - teraction between the organizations aiming to Contact: protect nature and the Dogu Akdeniz Çevreci - environment. DAÇE's leri (DAÇE), work has triggered the East Mediterranean inception of a further six Environmental Associa - environmental and na - tion, ture conservation net - Çukurova Üniversitesi works, now active also Tıp Fakültesi Dekanı in other Turkish regions. Balcalı / Adana Turkey www.dace.8k.com

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„Here Comes the Sun” - Rob van Hattum / Netherlands Media

fic energy policy framework conditions. It documents the great economic potential the emergent photovol - Model documentary on the taic industry has. Thanks to the booming production solar energy revolution of increasingly cheaper solar cells the electronics in - dustry is well on its way to outranking the fossil energy sector in the future.

It is not kept a secret that photovoltaics have develop- Rob van Hattum picks up on this inexorable trend in ed into a steadily growing branch of industry over the the documentary’s motto: we are shifting to a solar past few years and that there is an ever-increasing economy; the only thing is you don’t know it … until share of renewable energy in the energy mix. Yet, the now! solar economy seems to remain an idea that is utopian for most people, in face of apparently existent depen - Rob van Hattum’s “Here Comes the Sun” makes a sig- dencies on fossil and nuclear fuels. nificant contribution, wide in range and effect, to changing our ideas of future energy supply. “Here In his documentary “Here Comes the Sun” Dutch di - Comes the Sun” is more than a documentary. It shows rector Rob van Hattum shows that the alternatives to how an idea assumed to be utopian is steadily being the present methods for energy extraction are viable realised. options a long time al - ready. The film proves impressively that the Contact: solar industry has mean- VPRO Backlight while developed into a PO Box 11 prospering branch of in - 1200 JC Hilversum dustry in Germany and Netherlands Spain because of speci - www.vpro.nl

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The solar taxi / Switzerland One-world cooperation

work Convention on Climate Change. During the en - tire trip the vehicle attracted enormous media atten - World tour powered by the sun tion.

Two battery packs have been the solar taxi’s source of power. These were recharged equally from electri - city from its solar trailer covered with 6 m² of solar To go around the world running on solar power has cells and by plugging in. The equivalent amount of been Louis Palmer’s vision since his childhood days. power to offset the electricity consumed was genera - Enlisting the help of several universities of techno - ted by a photovoltaic system in Switzerland and fed logy and 200 volunteers, the tireless enthusiast from into the grid. Switzerland constructed the solar taxi, a small three- wheeled solar powered electric vehicle to fulfil his Louis Palmer has shown that sustainable technologies dream. can be relied on in everyday life already today. His aim was to persuade not only influentials among po - Louis Palmer and his team started the round-the- liticians and scientists but as much people as possible, world trip of 54,000 km in Lucerne in summer 2007. both from the industrialized world and from the de - The solar taxi arrived in Lucerne again some 18 veloping world. He has succeeded in providing con - months later in December 2008. Stops included the vincing evidence for mobility from renewable sources global summits on climate change in Bali and Poland. of energy as a viable alternative to oil-based fuels. Time after time on the way Mr Palmer invited others to give them a lift. Contact: His passengers included Solartaxi Ban Ki-moon, the secre - Technopark Luzern tary-general of the Uni - D4 Platz 4 ted Nations and Yvo de 6039 Root Längenbold Boer, executive secre - Switzerland tary of the UN Frame - www.solartaxi.com

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INFORSE-Europe / Denmark One-world cooperation

World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johan - nesburg in 2002 and the COP 15 in Copenhagen in Renewable energy 2009. network excelled Its quarterly newsletter “Sustainable Energy News” has been published since 1993. INFORSE assists its members in defining and realising national and re - INFORSE, the International Network for Sustainable gional visions as well as strategies for making the Energy, is a global network of independent non-go - transition to renewable energy systems. INFORSE- vernmental organizations working for sustainable Europe reviews EU energy and climate policies, as energy solutions to protect the environment and re - well as comments on relevant parts thereof, based on duce poverty. inputs from its members.

The Network was established in Rio de Janeiro in INFORSE has pursued the ambitious goal of making 1992 to secure following up the political decisions at the global transition to renewable energy from the the United Nations Conference on Environment and very beginning. High membership testifies to Development (UNCED). Today more than 160 NGOs INFORSE's excellent contribution as a network in the are members of INFORSE. The network is organized field of renewable energy. by region. The Secretariat is headquartered in Den - mark at INFORSE- Europe. Contact: International Network INFORSE follows and for Sustainable Energy, influences sustainable INFORSE-Europe energy issues in interna - Secretariat tional negotiations. As Gl. Kirkevej 82 observer, INFORSE has 8530 Hjortshoj been involved, among Denmark other things, in the www.inforse.org/europe

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Claude Turmes / Luxembourg Special achievement prize for outstanding individual commitment

Having drafted the initiative report on the share of re - newable energy in Europe and as the Parliament’s Dedicated champion of rapporteur on the directive on the promotion of European renewable energy energy from renewable sources Claude Turmes’ role in withstanding the EU Commission’s attacks against the Renewable Energy Sources Act has been pivotal. The improved framework conditions for renewable Claude Turmes has been Luxembourg Member of the energy in Europe in the heating and transport indu - European Parliament for the Green Party since 1999. stries are his signature also. He presses the case for tackling climate change and for renewable energy with more intensity and success The importance of renewable energy would clearly than nearly any other Member of Parliament. He has be much less significant in today’s European energy earned respect for his vision for an energy policy policy without Claude Turmes’ commitment, efforts throughout Europe as the Parliament’s rapporteur on and tenacity. Impressively, politicians like him make the directive on the liberalisation of the European us experience sustainable policymaking connected to energy market. Claude Turmes has become Vice-Pre - citizens in the European Parliament. sident of the Green Group since and is its co-ordina - tor on energy issues. Contact: With a view to decentra - European Parliament lization of the electricity ASP 08G108 market he fights the big Rue Wiertz European energy com - 1047 Brussels panies with determina - Belgium tion and has, together www.claudeturmes.lu with the EU Commis - sion, also originated a funds to promote world - wide measures to com - bat climate change.

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Dr Wolfhart Dürrschmidt / Germany Special achievement prize for outstanding individual commitment

chor the concept of granting priority to renewable Long-standing commitment energy to the German federal building code and de - to renewable energy in the velop the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). He Ministry of Environment built up the BMU Division on ‚General and Funda - mental Aspects of Renewable Energies’ whose head he is to this day. Worthy of special attention are the practical experience reports he supervised related to Dr Wolfhart Dürrschmidt is Head of Division in the the EEG and which served as the foundation for the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Con - amendments to the EEG. servation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) in Berlin. He has been an enthusiastic promoter of the expansion He also supported the increase of staff and functions of renewable energy for 30 years, and nearly 20 years for renewable energy within the BMU. Meanwhile a thereof in the Ministry of Environment. special Directorate together with five associated Di - visions are in place for Renewables. Holding a PhD degree in physics, he was one of the experts in the German parliament’s Enquete Com - Dr Dürrschmidt, whose expertise, capacity to con - mission “Preventive Measures to protect the Earth’s vince others, tact and stamina have made Renewables Atmosphere” from 1988 – 1990. His assignment with- become firmly established in the Ministry of Envi - in the study group included the provision of scientific ronment despite considerable opposition, merits huge knowledge on the issues of climate and energy. The praise. final report was the basis for Germany’s subsequent energy policy. With his work he succeeded in Contact: extracting the very signi - Federal Ministry for the ficance of renewable Environment, Nature energy for acting on cli - Conservation and mate change. Nuclear Safety (BMU) Alexanderstraße 3 Dr Dürrschmidt joined 10178 Berlin the BMU in 1991. His Germany expertise has helped www.bmu.de amend the Electricity www.erneuerbare-ener - Feed-in Law twice, an - gien.de

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