Young Energy Europe – a new project for the qualification of young professionals

How can energy efficiency and climate protection be implemented in practice? The new project Young Energy Europe, led by the DIHK Service GmbH, has been dealing with this question since November 1, 2017. Over a period of three years, young professionals are trained to become Energy Scouts in four European countries.

As Energy Scouts, they learn to reduce energy consumption, practice the use of measuring instruments and design their own practical project in their companies. Training partners are the CCIs in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece and Hungary.

The practical projects can e.g. identify optimization potential in cross-sectional technologies such as lighting, air conditioning and compressed air systems. Participants not only gain energy-related knowledge, they can also help reduce their company’s energy bill. It’s a win-win situation – and in addition it helps to protect the environment and climate through a conscious use of energy and other resources.

The concept of Energy Scouts has been part of the German SME initiative Energiewende and Climate Protection since 2013. More than 5,000 apprentices from more than 1,500 companies have already been qualified in this nationwide initiative. In the future, young professionals from companies active in Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece and Hungary will be trained to become Energy Scouts together with the Chambers of Commerce Abroad. Raising awareness for climate protection and energy efficiency will also strengthen the concept of Europe as one, as climate change and its consequences do not stop at national borders.

The project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.