EU Green Capital Valencia will host 2024 edition of European Urban Resilience Forum
Crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development and recovery will be under the thematic spotlight
In Dornbirn, citizens bought up all the municipally-issued shares in a photovoltaic project in just 10 days
Today, local authorities in Dornbirn, Austria, announced that all the shares in the city’s new photovoltaic project were sold in just 10 days. The project will involve setting up solar panels on municipal buildings like fire stations, schools and kindergartens, which will be financed through small scale citizen-driven investment.
The project also aims at helping people who lack the means to set up a solar farm themselves get in on the green energy transition. The new solar energy system should work to reach the city’s 2030 climate goals to triple sustainable energy production.
To help finance the green energy push, Dornbirn officials issued 499 low-cost investment shares that were available to the citizens. The shares were issued on 1 April and cost 500 euros each, with the city offering 600 euros as returns. According to a statement by authorities, though, the returns will be paid over the span of 10 years in the form of vouchers for groceries, worth 60 euros each.
This photovoltaic project should add panels to seven municipal buildings, including fire stations kindergartens and schools. They will add contribute to the city’s overall solar production capacity, currently at 23 systems.
When combined, the renewable energy output from the municipal systems is estimated to generate enough electricity to power 260 homes and save 265 tons of CO2 per year.
The citizen-driven renewable projects scheme in Dornbirn echoes similar projects that have been implemented in Vienna. According to local authorities in the Austrian capital, over 10,000 Viennese citizens have collectively invested over 38 million euros in municipal photovoltaic systems.
Currently, 28 ‘citizen-solar power plants’ operating in Vienna and Lower Austria produce 20.5 megawatts of electricity, powering over 8,400 households. Furthermore, they allow the city to save 12,000 tons of carbon emissions every year.
Opening up investment into the green energy transition from the side of local authorities is able to draw a lot of funds, as well as decentralise and democratise the energy sector – dividing ownership among citizens.
Dornbirn City Councilor Karin Feurstein explained that the city wants to involve citizens in environmental and energy programmes. She also said that this is supposed to inspire people to take action themselves.
The city was concerned about street noise and disturbances to residents
This, however, is likely to change soon
Crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development and recovery will be under the thematic spotlight
This is city twinning for the 21st century
You can find it in the capital Sofia, where it was installed upon the initiative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
People in both cities got to sit together both in person and virtually
The city was concerned about street noise and disturbances to residents
And the current administration plans to make Jardin del Turia Europe’s largest city green space by extending it to the sea
The aim is to have the public be able to admire the architectural design without distractions
The installation has been thought out with the concept of letting people “talk” to their dearly departed
It’s an urban space that has undergone several large-scale transformations throughout its existence
A US geologist claims to have solved the centuries-old mystery
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team