Expert bringing solar, wind and hydrogen power to coal-dominated region of Poland announced as a finalist in the 2023 European Sustainable Energy Awards
Agnieszka Spirydowicz, sole woman member of a Counselling Board in the National Chamber of Energy Clusters, combines both social and technical know-how to effect change in a traditionally men-driven energy sector.
‘We are creating as much green energy as we can. My goal is to set an example of the best energy community working across borders in Europe and have it replicated in other regions in the EU,’ says Agnieszka Spirydowicz.
As President of Polish energy community Zklaster since 2021, Agnieszka couples her technical experience with multi-level government cooperation models to initiate innovative and sustainable energy projects in Poland’s Turów region and beyond.
‘We are in a three-border region with Czech Republic, Poland and Germany. Because all three countries have coal-based power plants and coal mines, we face similar issues with regard to the energy transition,’ explains Agnieszka. ‘To address this, Zklaster has developed an ecosystem based on solar and wind power, with the use of hydrogen, and engages stakeholders in the cross-border region.’
Under Agnieszka’s leadership, Zklaster has grown to become one of the best-developed energy communities in Poland. In a region where energy communities can be notoriously difficult to establish and few women are involved, Agnieszka is proud of this accomplishment. Proving her expertise as a woman in a highly gender-biased industry has been one of her main challenges. To change this, she often participates in local, national, and international events to share best practices, raising the visibility of women as leaders in the green energy transition.
‘Agnieszka’s presence is really inspiring for other women in the coal mining energy transition process because she knows how to talk to politicians and decision makers for a sustainable and social transformation,’ says her colleague Franziska Stölzel, Research Associate at the United Nations University-FLORES in Dresden, Germany.
This ability to influence and unite has resulted in almost 100MW of installed solar PV, as Agnieszka was responsible for bringing the team together on the RePower Turów project. This is not only important for clean energy but also for a just transition, spurring job creation and fostering the green economy of Lower Silesia.
‘In Poland, it is very important to understand how energy clusters work and how they can contribute to reducing the energy crisis,’ explains Ewa Nowak-Iskra, Regional Director of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. ‘Agnieszka inspires the team with her knowledge and new ideas,’
Since 2016, Agnieszka has been actively engaged in transforming the region and today holds several additional roles. These include Energy Policy Expert at the Covenant of Mayors, and Head of Business Development of the Lower Silesian Hydrogen Valley, which she helped initiate.
Energy communities such as Zklaster are a pillar of the EU’s renewable energy directive and also directly support the European Green Deal and REPowerEU Plan.
Agnieszka Spirydowicz is one of three finalists shortlisted for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2023 in the Woman in Energy category. The award recognises women who lead outstanding activities that, if replicated, help to advance the clean energy transition in Europe. Particular attention is placed on efforts to drive the gender mainstreaming agenda and support equality and equal opportunities in the energy sector. The other finalists are Anastasia-Maria Moschovi, from Greece, and Silke Wesselmann, from Germany.
Anastasia-Maria is a materials engineer bringing energy innovation to Greece. Silke is driving 24 municipalities in the District of Steinfurt, Germany to climate neutrality.
Europe’s best clean energy projects and leaders celebrated in the EUSEW Awards
The European Sustainable Energy Awards (EUSEW Awards) recognise outstanding individuals and projects for their innovation and efforts in energy efficiency and renewables. Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Innovation, Local Energy Action, and Woman in Energy. Winners are announced during the EUSEW Awards Ceremony in June 2023 in the presence of European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and a high-level jury.
The winners will be decided by an online public vote, which is open now until 11 June.
EUSEW 2023
The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the biggest annual event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe, takes place on 20 - 22 June under the theme 'Accelerating the clean energy transition – towards lower bills and greater skills'. The event will bring thousands of sustainability stakeholders together to explore policy topics related to protecting European consumers from price volatility and sharpening their skills to produce and save energy within the current energy context.
Registrations for onsite attendance in Brussels and online participation are now open.
For interview requests with the EUSEW Awards finalists or additional media information, please contact media@eusew.eu