The European Commission has announced a call for applications for the first edition of the RESponsible Island Prize Contest dedicated to islands with innovative and sustainable local production of electricity, heat, cooling and transportation energy. The prize winners are worth 500, 250 and 100 thousand euros.
"This award is another confirmation that islands and renewable energy sources are high on the list of European priorities. The island communities that have decided for "renew" and involved their citizens in the process, have made a good decision. Five Croatian island communities have joined the energy transition project of the Island Secretariat and I believe that their success, as well as this award, will be an additional incentive for the islands across the Adriatic to join", said Croatian MEP Tonino Picula on the occasion of the announcement.
The competition was presented by Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, on March 19th, 2019, at the date of the conference "The Ocean - The Future of the Blue Planet" in Brussels. The award is funded through the Horizon 2020 program, the European Research and Innovation Program. Successful applicants will have to show how their energy systems encourage community members to responsible spending.
Through award, the Commission plans to contribute to the fulfillment of the goals of the EU Clean Energy Policy Statement as well as the Smart Island Initiative's goals. It will also help the EU to respond to one of the eight innovation challenges defined through the Innovation Mission, a global initiative geared to transition to clean energy. The deadline for submissions is September 26, 2019. More information, including the rules of the contest, will be available soon on the link.
