Thuringian climate protection award 'The blue dragonfly' goes to Kettmannshausen solar village

The association Solardorf Kettmannshausen from the Ilm district was awarded the Thuringian climate protection prize „Die Blaue Libelle“ 2023 in Jena today. Since 2001, the association has been offering educational programs to introduce primary school children in the Free State of Thuringia to the importance of sustainable energy supply, resource conservation and climate protection through specially developed teaching units.

The prize, initiated by the Jena-Thuringia Climate Protection Foundation, aims to raise awareness of climate protection in Thuringia and support pioneering ideas in the field of climate protection. The prize was presented by Bernhard Stengele, Thuringia's Minister for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation: "I would like to congratulate the Kettmannshausen solar village association, winner of this year's climate protection prize! Its innovative educational concept empowers young people in particular to actively and creatively tackle the challenges of climate protection and the energy transition. Knowledge acquired through play will be very important for our future.

Matthias Stüwe, CEO of the Climate Protection Foundation: „As part of our long-standing cooperation with the Solar Village, we are targeting the youngest with our educational offer. Because this generation is confronted with the effects of climate change. We want to prepare as many schoolchildren as possible to take the best possible countermeasures and mitigate climate change by using energy wisely. We would like to thank the solar village for the many aha moments that we and, above all, the pupils have already been able to experience during our project days.

Background Solardorf Kettmannshausen e.V.

The project days of the Kettmannshausen solar village are characterized by the combination of science and fun. Chairman Prof. Berthold Bley has continuously developed the various formats. While the initial focus was on resource conservation and solar energy, the project days are currently also focusing on the potential of hydrogen. Since this year, secondary schools have also had the opportunity to book the teaching units. The Solar Village supervises the practical implementation in the schools and provides the staff and the necessary technology. The costs are covered in part or in full by the Climate Protection Foundation and Stadtwerke Energie Jena-Pößneck as donors. So far, over 320 project days have been carried out throughout Thuringia in cooperation with the Jena-Thuringia Climate Protection Foundation. The educational program will also be continued in Thuringian schools in the coming year.

For 20 years, the Jena-Thuringia Climate Protection Foundation, founded and financed by Stadtwerke Energie Jena-Pößneck, has been actively campaigning for climate protection. Since 2003, the nationwide foundation has been pursuing the goal of counteracting man-made climate change through the efficient use of energy and the expansion of renewable energies in municipalities, companies and private initiatives. Since 2016, the foundation has been awarding the Thuringian Climate Protection Prize „The Blue Dragonfly“. The choice of name refers to the upland moor mosaic dragonfly, a dragonfly species that, along with amphibians and snails, is particularly affected by climate change in Thuringia.

More information at

www.klimastiftung-thueringen.de