51 Energy Scouts from twelve companies formed eleven teams, which competed for the national efficiency project of the year with their practical work at the hybrid event on October 6, as part of the Young Energy Europe project in Bulgaria.
With their idea “Turning waste into a resource”, the Energy Scouts from Zero Wave Ltd, Blajka Dimitrova and Denimir Dimitrov, convinced the jury and were chosen as the best Bulgarian project. In their project, the residual malt, also called spent grain, which is a waste or by-product of beer production, is recycled and used to make flour, crackers and now also 100% biodegradable disposable tableware. Malt spent grain contains a lot of protein, but also important trace elements, enzymes, vitamins and fibre. The possible uses are very versatile and the young company is experimenting with the options.
The special prize “Focused Approach” won the team from the 73rd school “Vladislav Gramatik” in Sofia. With their project “Sensitive Light” they plan to save 4,176 kWh of electricity and 2.9 t of CO2 emissions per year in their school. This is to be achieved by installing motion sensors in the individual zones of the school corridors.
The team of the vocational high school for electrical engineering and electronics in Plovdiv won the special prize in the category “Sustainability” with the project “Smart School”. The project aims to change several areas in and around the school. These include the replacement of old lighting modules with energy-saving LED panels, the installation of 50 new bicycle racks and the planting of 60 new trees in the school’s own grounds. Furthermore, simplified energy audits are designed that can be applied in the school administration, the school parliament and even in partner companies. The savings from the measures amount to 28.99 t CO2 per year and the jury praised the expected multiplier effect.
In the motivation category, the special prize “Impact on society and the public” went to the program “Innovative” of the public TV station BNT2. The weekly TV-Show will present the projects and good sustainable examples of the Energy Scouts in a reportage series. Ms Teodora Lapshova, the presenter of the programme “Innovative” and now an Energy Scout herself, also hosted the YEE award ceremony.
The German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DBIHK) is already implementing the project for the fourth year. Dr. Mitko Vassilev, DBIHK Managing Director, praised the successful implementation of the project in Bulgaria and gave an insight into the achieved project goals of the last three years in his speech: More than 13,000 t of CO2 were saved in Bulgarian companies through the concepts of 105 Energy Scouts in total.
Guest speaker at the event was Yordan Dabov, founder and CEO of DABOV Specialty Coffee. Dabov lays great importance on involvement in the whole product life cycle and direct exchange with coffee farmers. From single origin coffee beans grown without chemicals to modern roasting equipment, Dabov demonstrated to the Energy Scouts how careful attention to all details can improve a process and product. The combination of analysis and practical implementation also makes a good Energy Scout.
