The European Sustainable Energy Awards (EUSEW Awards) competition highlights the success of recently completed or ongoing projects and activities as well as individual and collective actions in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy. There are four Awards categories: Innovation, Local Energy Action, Woman in Energy and Young Energy Trailblazer.
The EUSEW Local Energy Action Award recognises an implemented sustainable energy action, driven by a group of citizens or consumers (associated to a municipality or other stakeholders), which contributes to the clean energy transition at the community or local level. It also inspires and motivates others to implement similar steps for an EU-wide deployment, resulting in economic and environmental benefits.
CRITERIA AND EVALUATION
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The following eligibility criteria apply to all submissions. Meeting the eligibility criteria is mandatory. Applications that do not meet these criteria will be excluded from the evaluation.
Geographical scope
Activities, projects or actions must be carried out in at least one country located in the European Union or the European Economic Area.
Practical implementation
The EUSEW Local Energy Action Award highlights outstanding activities, projects, or actions carried out by associations, organisations, and groups of people. Academic studies and theoretical research projects without any long-term, real-scale application directly linked to sustainable energy are not eligible. Activities promoting commercial products already on the market are also excluded.
Timing
The activities, projects or actions must be ongoing or recently concluded (after 31 December 2020). Activities, projects, or actions that are still in the planning stage or have not yet delivered results are not eligible.
Previous winners and finalists
Activities, projects or actions that have previously been shortlisted as EUSEW Awards finalists are not eligible to re-enter the competition. Organisations or individuals that have previously been shortlisted are eligible if they present new activities, projects or actions.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
All applications will be checked against the eligibility criteria set out above, before being assessed. The evaluation process then consists of:
- an assessment by European Commission staff and an external technical committee
- a selection of three finalists per category by a high-level jury
The winner will be decided via an online public vote and announced at the Awards ceremony taking place in Brussels on 26 September 2022.
Applications will be scored on three criteria, with a maximum score of ten points each. An application can therefore receive a maximum score of 30 points.
Concept (10 points)
Applicants should explain why their activity is a best-in-class example in their field. Applications should focus on highlighting elements of originality that will drive change towards the clean energy transition.
Implementation (10 points)
Applications should elaborate on how the project translates the concept into action. All actions should be clearly described and show the feasibility of implementation. Applications should highlight if elements of the project are reproducible and scalable.
Impact (10 points)
Applicants should explain what the impact of the activities described is. Each winning activity carried out by the action or project should have a significant impact (relative to the size of the action) and make a positive contribution to the European energy and climate targets.
DEADLINE AND NEXT STEPS
- Closing of the call: 14 April 2022
- Evaluation period: May to June 2022
- Applicants informed: mid-June 2022
- Production of promotion material: June 2022
- Opening of the public vote: August 2022
- Closing of the public vote: 18 September 2022
- EUSEW Awards Ceremony: 26 September 2022
OBLIGATIONS OF THE FINALISTS AND WINNERS
By applying to the EUSEW Awards 2022 competition, the shortlisted finalists and winners agree to support the promotion of the Awards and its results by:
- providing additional information about the finalist to the EUSEW organising team for the development of promotional material including but not limited to being available for a filmed interview and providing photos and quotes;
- using promotional materials to promote the Awards voting on any available channels in a strategic and effective manner;
- participating in possible follow-up activities in the course of 2022 and beyond (e.g. meetings, events, video production, etc.);
- granting the European Commission the right to use, for its communication and publicising activities, information relating to the project/initiative.
The European Commission will promote the projects/initiatives through its regular and ad hoc channels. Photos and videos taken by the European Commission either in preparation of the Awards ceremony or during the Awards ceremony are the sole property of the European Commission.
QUESTIONS AND CONTACT
We invite you to read our FAQ section. Should you have any additional questions about the Awards, please contact the EUSEW Secretariat at awards
eusew [dot] eu (awards[at]eusew[dot]eu).