“European Solar Days” – From a Successful National Initiative to a Europe-Wide Awareness-Raising Campaign
Brussels, 19 March 2009. In 2009, the “European Solar Days” will take place for the second time, from 15-22 May. Since 2002, a Solar Day has been celebrated in Austria, and later in Switzerland and Germany in order to increase public awareness of the use of solar energy. In 2008 this initiative was first staged as a Europe-wide campaign.
Based on the success of the national “Solar Day”, the first “European Solar Days” were celebrated in May 2008 in 13 European countries. The second edition will take place on 15-22 May 2009 in even more countries.
Coordinated by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) in close co-operation with the European Photovoltaic Industry Associations (EPIA), and supported by the Intelligent Energy–Europe Programme of the European Commission, the European Solar Days aim to increase awareness on solar energy in media and public opinion. This campaign – which highlights the new EU Renewables Directive’s objective to increase the share of renewable energies in Europe – wants to convince more people to choose solar thermal heating and cooling option.
In 2008, more than 4 000 events were staged in 13 different countries. Original activities such as bicycle excursions to solar plants, climate and solar quizzes, days of open-doors in companies and visits of houses equipped with solar installations were organised. A big “European” event took place at Brussels’ Parc du Cinquantenaire, bringing together school kids and policy-makers alike.
The first “European Solar Days” have attracted more than 250 000 visitors and were met with high interest by local communities, schools, tradesmen and companies.
The second edition of the “European Solar Days”, which are currently under preparation, will take place the week before the 4th European Solar Thermal Energy Conference (estec2009). The first results and attendance estimations of this year’s “European Solar Days” will be presented on 25-26 May at the conference in Munich.
The European Solar Days are a proud partner of the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign: www.sustenergy.org
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PR-090319-European_Solar_Days.pdf
