Three individuals and projects have won the 2026 European Sustainable Energy Awards for their innovation and achievements advancing the field of energy efficiency and renewables in Europe and beyond.
The winners were chosen by an online public vote in three categories: Local Energy Action, Women in Energy and SMEs Driving Energy Efficiency. They received their awards at the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Awards Ceremony on 9 June 2026 in Brussels.
The prizes reward achievements that contribute to the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and encourage others to adopt best practices in building a clean energy future.
The winners of the 2026 European Sustainable Energy Awards are:
Local Energy Action category- 100 Projects Phasing Out Gas
100 Projects Phasing Out Gas, a pioneering clean energy initiative led by the City of Vienna’s climate and innovation agency UIV Urban Innovation Vienna and its Energy Planning Department, won in the Local Energy Action category, recognising its impact in driving the transition towards a 100 per cent renewable energy supply in the Austrian capital by 2040. While the initiative’s participants have replaced over a thousand gas boilers with renewable energy systems in two years, the project has translated this experience into a curated learning programme, transferring lessons on how to tackle the practical, legal and procedural challenges in renovating multi-storey buildings.
Women in Energy category- Donna Gartland
Donna Gartland, the head of Dublin’s Energy Agency Codema, won in the Women in Energy category, rewarding her role in driving Ireland’s transition to low-carbon heat. Donna has been instrumental in leading a landmark district heating project using waste heat from a nearby data centre to supply municipal and residential buildings, as well as securing major EU funding under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme. At the same time, she has transformed workplace practices, mainstreaming gender equality and progressive policies at Codema, including a four-day working week on full pay and a gender-neutral family leave policy.
SMEs Driving Energy Efficiency category- RE-LEAF: Affordable Renovation
RE-LEAF: Affordable Renovation, a project in the Belgian province of Limburg, funded under the EU’s LIFE programme, won in the SMEs Driving Energy Efficiency category, rewarding its efforts in pioneering an innovative financing model to tackling energy poverty by linking mortgage planning with renovation advice. The project brings together social lender Onesto with local renovation consultants in the Energiehuis Limburg, allowing buyers to assess and include energy renovations before they take out a mortgage. Such renovations can reduce energy use by 40-60% while increasing property values by up to 15%.
Join EUSEW 2026 online and in person today!
The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) is the biggest annual event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe and is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).The 20th edition of EUSEW is taking place in a hybrid format, onsite in Brussels and online, on 9-11 June 2026. The European Sustainable Energy Week consists of a three-day Policy Conference, the European Sustainable Energy Awards Ceremony, the Energy Fair, and the activities dedicated to the Young Energy Ambassadors.
For updates on the agenda and location of the events, please refer to the EUSEW Programme and the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) page on Linkedin. You can still join the event, either in person or online by registering, and then the platform opens up the possibility of networking with other participants.