Generation Solar are real stories from across Europe showing how solar is powering our lives today.
From Belgium to Romania, Austria to Norway solar is powering the lives of millions of citizens in more ways than ever before. This is Generation Solar – We are Generation Solar.
Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President of the European Commission and in charge of the Energy Union has installed solar on his family’s home in Bratislava, Slovakia.
“Thanks to these solar panels we have clean cheap electricity, which can cover more than 30% of our consumption. The benefits of solar is that you are your own master, you have your own source of energy, you are really a prosumer, meaning that the energy you produce is coming from your source and it also gives that good feeling to know that you are producing clean energy,” says Maroš Šefčovič.
MEP Bendt Bendtsen installed solar panels on his house in Denmark in 2012 and enjoys high return from his solar PV system. Bendtsen and his wife wanted to build a house that was good for the environment and solar was an integral part of this aim.
“It is important that the EU creates long-term certainty for solar PV owners and makes sure there are no changes to taxation when you invest in a solar PV system,” says Bendtsen.
Since the beginning of 2018 Le Verseau International School in Brussels, Belgium has been getting its electricity from more than 350 solar panels placed on the school’s rooftops. The panels produce the equivalent electricity for 30 Belgian households and the renewable energy will generate more than €180,000 in savings for the school. The cost savings mean the school can reinvest their money into other education initiatives and equipment for the students.
Solar is being used all around Europe in many surprising ways. Share your story of how solar is powering your home, work and life.
The Cartierul Solar Neighbourhood in Bucharest represents the first residential complex in Romania equipped with solar panels for green energy generation and the largest assembly in South-East Europe built to this scale. With 15 residential buildings, 14,000 square metres of green space, 120 solar panels, and a total investment of €45 million, the Neighbourhood aims to create a new housing standard to become the reference point for the real estate market and eco-friendly lifestyle in Bucharest.
The “Sun Mobility” project is an initiative by Møller Mobility Group to make Oslo city cleaner and greener in the lead up to Oslo being Europe’s Green Capital in 2019. The Sun Tree is a social meeting place where you can charge anything from mobile phones and computers to electric grills, guitar amps or food truck equipment – all powered by the sun. Each solar tree can charge 1,500 mobile phones per day. The solar trees show how effective solar energy is, even in the Nordic climate, contributing to meet the increased demand from Oslo’s citizens towards environmentally friendly, alternative mobility solutions in the city. The project is driven by a new way of thinking around urban life and mobility, and exemplifies a greener, emission-free and sharing-based mobility.
“The benefit of solar power is that I’m saving money with electricity bills and I can spend more time with my family having a little more money.”
Andreea Bordea
Resident of Cartierul Solar, Romania
‘We Drive Solar’ is a car-sharing scheme that drives on 100% solar power. In Utrecht, Netherlands there are 30 solar powered charging stations, providing clean and zero-emission electricity. This car-sharing scheme allows for flexible and smart mobility in the hustle and bustle of city life – while reducing air pollution and car traffic. Solar power will undoubtedly help facilitate the clean energy transport revolution!
The Wilhelm family farm in Puch, Austria is 27 hectares and has 80,000 apple trees. Solar powers nearly 100% of the farm’s energy needs – it is used to process fruit (apples, pears and plums), to cool it in cold storage barns, for the juicer, and for lighting in the shop. The farm uses around 85% of the solar energy it generates, while the rest is fed onto the grid. In the future, even the Schnapps production could be done using solar power, and the Wilhelm family hope to pass on sustainable farming to the next generation.
Solar is being used all around Europe in many surprising ways. Share your story of how solar is powering your home, work and life.
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