Your innovation, our sustainable future

The 18th edition of the European Sustainable Energy Week, themed ‘Net-zero energy solutions for a competitive Europe’, promises to be a catalyst for transformative ideas and initiatives. Mark your calendars for 11-13 June 2024, and join us in Brussels or online as we celebrate the pioneering advancements shaping a greener future for Europe.

Do not miss your chance to be part of this journey: the call for EUSEW Awards submissions is open until 1 February 2024.

Categories that spark inspiration 

The EUSEW Awards spotlight outstanding individuals and collective initiatives driving Europe towards a sustainable future, recognising excellence in three categories:

• Innovation
• Local Energy Action
• Woman in Energy

The call is open to anyone in the EU with a recent or ongoing project, or an individual profile, contributing to the EU Green Deal objectives. From grassroots initiatives to large-scale programmes, every effort toward a sustainable future counts.

Make sure to review the comprehensive guidelines and explore our guide to the EUSEW 2024 Awards. These resources serve as your compass, ensuring your application aligns with the criteria for each category.

Celebrating impactful EU projects

The EUSEW Innovation Award acknowledges outstanding or recently completed EU-funded projects, which show original work together with tangible real-world results that pave the way for the clean energy transition. The goal? To generate social, economic, and environmental benefits that resonate far beyond the projects themselves.

Past Award winners shaping tomorrow

Discover the previous recipients of the EUSEW Innovation Award. As we gear up for the EUSEW 2024, we invite you to explore their impactful stories and achievements, and let their success fuel your ambition.

Both projects tackle climate change and support the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan.

2023: Alqueva Floating Solar Farm

A floating solar park based at Alqueva in central Portugal combines solar energy, hydropower and battery storage to reduce emissions and conserve nature using sustainable, scalable technologies. The Alqueva Floating Farm initiative produces 5MW of energy from 12,000 floating solar panels, covering 4 hectares on an existing hydropower reservoir. Installing the solar park on the reservoir means the visual impact is limited and avoids using land that can be used for agriculture. In addition, the panels are cooled by the water, which increases their efficiency, while reducing evaporation in the heat and providing shelter for fish. The result of this hybrid approach is enough clean, reliable and affordable energy to power 30% of the energy usage of households in the region.

2022: MUSE GRIDS

The EU-funded MUSE GRIDS project uses a smart energy system to bring renewable energy to isolated communities in Belgian and Italy. Now up to 90% of their energy needs are supplied by residents’ own local energy production, benefitting the local economy as well as improving air quality and decarbonising the local energy system. The MUSE GRIDS controller identifies production and consumption across the whole community. For example, when there is an excess of production, such as on a sunny day, residents can charge their vehicles. Later that evening, when energy demand is high, they can discharge that energy back to their homes.

Awards Ceremony

The online public vote, open from 30 April to 2 June 2024, ensures that everyone has a say in this process. The finalists will receive invitations to the Awards Ceremony on 11 June 2024, where the winners will be revealed. A professional film crew will capture the finalists’ work in promotional videos.

The journey does not end with the Ceremony; all finalists get more than recognition – they become part of a larger narrative. Their stories and videos will travel across EUSEW communication channels and beyond borders, reaching pan-EU and local media outlets.

Click here to explore other opportunities for getting involved in EUSEW 2024.