Competition starts today: new prize to reward islands for local renewable energy production - Hoofdinhoud

The European Commission is launching the first edition of the RESponsible Island Prize, which is dedicated to islands with innovative and sustainable local renewable energy production for use in electricity, heating, cooling and transport. The three winners will receive a cash prize of €500,000, €250,000 and €100,000, respectively.

The competition was launched by Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, coinciding with the “OCEANS the future of the blue planet” conference on 19 March in Brussels. Commissioner Moedas said:

Islands are perfect test labs for the deployment of innovative energy technologies. I hope this new prize will encourage many islands and other small communities to re-think the way they produce and consume energy. Europe needs all communities, big and small, to contribute to the clean energy transition.

The prize is funded under Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme (2014-2020). Successful applicants will also need to demonstrate how their energy system engages the local community as responsible consumers.

Through the prize, the Commission will contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the Political Declaration on Clean Energy on EU Islands and the Smart Islands Initiative. It will also help the EU to advance on one of the eight innovation challenges defined under Mission Innovation, a global initiative working to accelerate the clean energy transition.

The deadline for applications is 26 September 2019. More information, including the Rules of contest, will be available in the coming days on the RESponsible Island Prize website.