Conceived by the Eurosolar association, this event not only honoured outstanding projects but also issued a compelling call to action for Luxembourg to intensify its commitment to fulfilling the Paris Climate Agreement’s objectives.
In the “Education and Training” category, Marcel Barros received the Solar Prize for his remarkable decade-long campaign aimed at fostering awareness of renewable energy among both young and adult populations. Barros himself highlighted one of his achievements, the transformation of the ‘House of Nature’ in Kockelscheuer, where a greenhouse was converted to remain frost-free throughout winter. This feat was accomplished by an environmentally friendly solution that harnessed the sun’s heat, eliminating the need for wood or gas. The captured heat was intensified through a hot air collector and then stored in the ground.
Paul Kauten, a representative of the Eurosolar Association, asserted that Luxembourg currently enjoys “optimal conditions” for the generation and distribution of renewable energy. He highlighted the convenience introduced by Luxembourg’s new electricity law, enacted in June 2023, facilitating the seamless sharing of surplus electricity among residents and businesses.
To combat the looming climate crisis, Professor Volker Quaschning, an expert in renewable energies, emphasised the critical need for a “climate revolution.” He elaborated on the climate crisis’s perils and potentials, championing the heat pump in particular as a “game-changer,” as it significantly reduces reliance on gas by utilising electricity, ideally sourced from renewables. This innovative solution, he argued, could alleviate a substantial portion of the climate challenge, especially if adopted widely to replace gas heating systems.
Regarding CO2 emissions, Professor Quaschning noted that combustion engines are not the primary culprits behind the climate crisis. Above all, we as a society need to reconsider our relationship to air travel and meat consumption, which alone contributes to one-sixth of global CO2 emissions, he stressed.
In addition, Professor Quaschning warned that for Luxembourg, the European nation with the highest per capita CO2 emissions, it is no longer possible to achieve climate neutrality by 2044 within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement.
