The EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), is an annual event organised by the European Commission, to bring together public authorities, private companies, NGOs and consumers initiatives to save energy and move towards renewables for clean, secure and efficient power.
In 2019 activities it was focused around the theme ‘Shaping Europe’s Energy Future’. In its 14th edition, EUSEW, included over 90 policy sessions, and more than 4,000 registered participants, 380 speakers and 100+ unique networking opportunities.
SOCLIMPACT participants (Carmelo León, ULGC; Ulrike Lehr, GWS; Hugo Costa, FCiencias and Miguel A. Gaertner, UCLM) choose different sessions, covering the green revolution at home, energy storage solutions, the shipping sector, eco labels and eco design and many more. The event was brought to an end at the closing session with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President and European Commissioner for Energy Union, Julien Guerrier, Director of Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) and Dominique Ristori, Director-General for Energy, European Commission who offered their insights on the state of play of the sustainable energy transition and the future direction of Europe’s energy system.
Dr. Lehr analyzed the economic effects of renewable energy deployment, and the transition to the green economy applying economic simulation models developed by GWS. The analyses have a focus on employment effects detailed by economic sector and by Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency technology. Dr Lehr is a principal investigator for H2020 SOCLIMPACT project. See at: https://www.eusew.eu/node/23169.
From the presentation by Dr Ulrike Lehr of GWS on the experience of the Island of El Hierro in the use of renewable energies, it has been possible to contact the people in charge of the UE Responsible Island Award, which is dedicated to islands with local production of innovative and sustainable renewable energy for use in electricity, heating, cooling and transport.
SOCLIMPACT can be a perfect test laboratory for the deployment of innovative energy technologies and this new award may encourage many islands and other small communities to rethink the way they produce and consume energy.