Voting begins for EUSEW 2019 Citizens’ Award

Voting has begun to decide which of the 12 finalists in the EU Sustainable Energy Awards’ competition will receive the 2019 Citizens’ Award. The awards are part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), organized by the European Commission (Directorate General for Energy and EASME), which will take place from June 17 to June 21.

Apart from competing for the 2019 Citizens’ Award, the 12 finalists are also vying for one of the awards in the categories of Engagement, Leadership, Innovation, and Youth.

Each category is featuring three finalists.

Projects to have reached the finals relate to:

• Fossil-free travel, an innovative response to island challenges, and 100% renewable energy in the Engagement category;
• Net zero energy buildings retrofitting, ocean renewable energy, and hydrogen in the Innovation category;
• Energy transition, affordable mortgages for green homes, and a solution for heating cities in the Leadership category; and
• Schools paving the way to low-carbon economy, children’s fairytales for energy efficiency; and educating students about energy efficiency in the Youth category.

The only finalist from South-East Europe (SEE) is Smarter Finance for Families, run by the Romania Green Building Council. The innovative program involves affordable mortgages for green homes.

EUSEW is the biggest event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe, and this year’s tagline is ‘shaping Europe’s energy future’.

Balkan Green Energy News, as the EUSEW’s media partner, presented 3 out of 12 finalists in 2018  – Wisegrid, 300 schools energy retrofit program, and North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (REGEA).

Last year’s winners were Wisegrid, Bio.Energy.Parc.Saerbeck, Peace_Alps and Czech Sustainable Houses. Winners in 2017 were the Greek Tilos project, Home Energy Saving Kit, Europe-wide CELSIUS project, and SINBIO, while in 2016, EcoGrid EU, Pokupsko Municipality, and Green Brewery Göss received the awards.