Internationally renowned sustainable energy expert delivering public talk

Speaker, author, and award-winning innovator Søren Hermansen will deliver a public talk on building an energy positive Island.

“Hermansen won the Goteborg award - known as the environmental version of the Nobel prize - for his work with sustainable energy and he inspired  Samsø Island to collectively build a community energy project,” said Environment, Energy and Climate Action Minister Steven Myers, who will join Hermansen for the talk. “Since 2020, we have been building on lessons learned from sustainable energy models in Samsø and other jurisdictions to inform our nation-leading Net Zero goals.”

Samsø is a carbon-neutral island in Denmark. It produces more energy than it uses. The people of Samsø have reduced their heating costs by 40 per cent and created local energy businesses that don’t rely on imported oil. 

Hermansen is visiting Prince Edward Island and will host a day-time event for energy transition professionals and stakeholders.  There will also be a public event on 

February 6, 2023, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Florence Simmons Performance Hall. This includes a catered reception that will feature discussion on some innovative energy project ideas.

Hermansen’s talk will also be streamed live on the provincial government’s YouTube channel.  

“From my island Samsø in Denmark, we are looking for network partners who are willing to commit to the global challenge of climate change with innovative local efforts. I see PEI as a frontrunner island in the Canadian effort to achieve carbon neutrality,” said Søren Hermansen. “The energy transition can meet local evolving energy demand while directly benefiting community members and stakeholders in a number of ways. There is much more to it than climate change. PEI will enter a global family of climate communities, and together we can accelerate the change.”

Media contact:

Katie MacDonald

Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action

902-314-3996

katiemacdonald@gov.pe.ca