Energy Innovation Lecture Series?Søren Hermansen: Renewable Energy and Community Action in Denmark

The Energy Innovation Initiative at the University of Colorado Law School, the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), and the Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs present Søren Hermansen as the kick-off speaker for the 2013-14 Energy Innovation Lecture Series. Hermansen is the director of the Samso Energy Academy, a Time magazine "Hero of the Environment," winner of the Gothenburg Award for sustainable development, and an international expert on community action and renewable energy. Hermansen is well known for spearheading a transition to energy independence on the small Danish island of Samso. In 1997, Denmark held a contest to select a community that would eventually be run entirely on renewable energy. Samso, an island of 4,100 people, won the contest and spent a decade investing in wind turbines, district heating plants, solar panels, and biofuels. Born and raised on Samso, Hermansen led the charge. Today, Samso's carbon footprint is negative as the island produces more energy than its residents consume. Before the transition, Samso imported coal-fired electricity through an underwater cable from the mainland. On October 7, Hermansen will discuss how Samso's community engagement, cultural values, and innovative cooperative financing model contributed to the island's transition away from fossil-fuel dependence. He will discuss Samso's efforts within the contexts of national and international renewable energy and climate landscapes.

The following two articles provide more information about Hermansen's work on Samso:  
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/03/25/25climatewire-if-you-build-it-tourists-politicians-and-the-10276.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/europe/30samso.html?_r=0

Event Details

Website	https://cuboulder.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3kiHR65TKWPrZS5
Sponsored By	The Energy Innovation Initiative at the University of Colorado Law School, the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), and the Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs.
CLE Credits	General: 1 Ethics: 0