New: The WISE Power project awarded the Best Community Project Award!
The Winner of the Best Community Award Project has been officially announced in the ‘Yes in My Back Yard’ WISE Power final event that took place in Hamburg, today 29 September 2016, during the WindEurope Summit 2016. The winner is the Bürgerwindpark Südliche Ortenau in Baden-Württemberg. This award acknowledges the strong commitment to wind power and the approach of including local people in wind projects.
Projects and communities across the EU could take part with operational wind energy projects commissioned since 2010 and projects currently under construction. The winner was selected from a number of 12 projects from Croatia, Spain, Belgium, France, United Kingdom (Scotland) and Germany.
“The Bürgerwindpark Southern Ortenau has convinced us with an innovative concept,” said jury member Oliver Frank, Head of Renewable Energy and Energy-efficient mobility in dena. He adds “the example shows how wind energy can become an inclusive community project in and for a region.”
Winner of the Award!
@ credit: WindEurope
Nominations are now closed
The awarded project will be soon communicated. The final price will be given during the final event of the WISE Power project in Hamburg on 29 September 2016! More information will follow soon!
Benefits for the awarded project
The selected project will win the WISE Power “Best Community Project” award and will be promoted and celebrated across the WISE Power network of 13 countries. This award provides recognition and commitment towards wind energy power, raising awareness around the importance of including local people in decisions.
Background information
WISE Power is seeking to award the title of Best Community Project in Europe, and we want to hear from you if you know an onshore wind project which has shown:
- Innovative engagement and participation methods
- Community ownership and financial involvement in a commercial scheme
- Collaborative partnership approaches to project delivery
- Transformational impact on a local area
- Positive reception and local acceptance of a wind project
Who can apply?
Nominations can be made by anyone, for an onshore wind project which has shown exemplary community involvement.
The award is open to:
- Projects and communities across the EU,
- Operational wind energy projects commissioned since 2010, and projects under construction.
Selection criteria
Projects will be shortlisted subject to the judges’ (committee) decision, based on the following criteria:
• The project has proactively used information measures to inform local people (see WE Engage toolkit for more details),
• The project has proactively used engagement measures to seek views from local people,
• An effective engagement strategy was delivered throughout multiple stages of project development, i.e. scoping, planning, construction, operation (where relevant),
• Where appropriate: an innovative financing / benefit sharing mechanism has been used to maximize local impact.
Awards ceremony
The 2016 Awards ceremony will take place during the WISE Power final conference in 2016 on 29 September during the Wind Europe Summit.
Deadlines
- 31 July 2016: Deadline for submissions
- 09 September 2016: Final evaluation