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Appeal: Climate change mitigation now!

An appeal from the Alpine municipalities and their inhabitants to the participants of COP 21

Sustainable building from the Arctic circle to the Mediterranean

Attractive public buildings, built of wood and stone to passive house standards: this is how the schools and community centres of the future will look. With its 35 pilot buildings the MountEE project is putting sustainable building into practice in different climate zones.

AlpStore Projects - Case Studies

In AlpStore, 19 partners from all 7 Alpine countries investigated the short, medium and long term requirements for both stationary and mobile energy storages. They tested storages that need to be available all the time as well as others such as the batteries of electric vehicles, which may be disconnected from the power grid for a while. They used a wide range of technologies, such as biogas and hydrogen. They tested second life batteries and developed communication strategies and actively involved local citizens. This set of 12 case studies shall give an insight in the technologies, their availability and potential use cases. Partners of the local pilot applications share their findings, results and experiences. That shall allow a broad range of practitioners and planners to gain better understanding of how energy storage systems work and how they can help secure the prosperity of the Alpine Space.

White Book - Smart Storage and Mobility (STORM)

The Whitebook builds on the results of Alp-Store at about half time of the project. At the time of its publication AlpStore partners are in the midst of their research and deployment activities. Final guidelines of the project will be published in early 2015. They will describe the ultimate findings and give guidance to local and regional authorities, regional energy utilities and Investors. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile to use the information given in this Whitebook to structure the discussion process. Moreover, chapter 9.3 contains “Short-term non-regret options for players in Alpine regions”.

Smart Storage and Mobility - Guidelines for Regional Decision Makers

In AlpStore, 19 partners from all 7 Alpine countries investigated the short, medium and long term requirements for both stationary and mobile energy storage. They tested storage that needs to be available all the time as well as others such as the batteries of electric vehicles, which may be disconnected from the power grid for a while. They used a wide range of technologies, such as biogas and hydrogen. They tested second life batteries and developed communication strategies and actively involved local citizens. Now, it is time to share their findings, results and experiences from the implemented pilot applications to contribute to a better understanding of how storage works and how they can help secure the prosperity of the Alpine Space.

The real treasure of the Alps

A Swiss energy producer is to receive a prize for finding a successful compromise between the protection and use of water: while the head of the Upper Allgäu district authority has approved the building of a small power plant in a protected area over the head of his own officials. Two examples of the tension existing between conservation and the energy transition.

Energy & nature in the Alps: a balancing act. - Perpetual Calendar

This perpetual calendar explains the main project findings, in particular to decision-makers from local to Alps-wide level. It takes readers through the decision-making process that the fictional town of “Alpine Vale” goes through when discussing the potential use of renewable energy.

Victory for landscape protection

The controversial application to build a wind farm on the Sattelberg near the Brenner Pass was rejected in a final appeal heard by the Italian Council of State in Rome.

Youthful ideas for “My Green Alps”

What will it take for residents of the Alps to take responsibility for their own habitat? Participants of the Youth Parliament of the Alpine Convention provided some answers at Kamnik in Slovenia.

Energy and nature in the Alps: a balancing act

How do we manage the balancing act between renewable energy production and nature conservation in the Alps? The final conference of the recharge.green project can provide the answers. Organised by CIPRA, it will take place from 20 to 21 May 2015 in Sonthofen, Germany.

Sustainable building and renovation in practice

Energy-efficient building methods and renovation are by no means utopian. How will such projects look? What needs to be done? A workshop in Idrija, Slovenia in October 2014 will provide the answers.

Express tourism on the Eiger

The North Face of the Eiger in the Bernese Oberland is an inspiration for every mountaineer. A new railway project is now intended to make the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains even more accessible. Swiss environmental groups are, however, critical of the project.

Strange but true...

... a white complexion, slim, almost dainty – truly a feast for the eyes. And, most important of all, very well developed.

Service as the key to success

Numerous mountain communities in Europe would like to build or renovate their kindergartens, schools or community centres in an energy-efficient way so as to save costs and energy. Implementation is a major challenge, however, as know-how and experience are still lacking. A service package can now provide further help.

Workshop in Lucerne (CH), October 2013

Living simply - with fewer resources

(08.04.2014) The Alps are coming under increasing pressure with developments such as the energy transition, the growth of tourism and urban sprawl. But we can offset the limited nature of their natural resources with the help of cultural resources – changing our values to focus more closely on an environmentally-friendly way of life. What this entails is the subject of CIPRA’s 2013 Annual Report.

"Landscape is not renewable"

Must the Alps really be squeezed to the last drop so they can contribute yet more to the energy transition? The CIPRA annual conference on "The Alps as a Water Trough" saw more passionate debate on this topic than any other.

CIPRA viewpoint: for an environmentally friendly and participative energy transition

The energy transition is one answer to the threat of global warming and the explosive risks of nuclear energy. Erwin Rothgang, President of CIPRA Germany, speaks about the minimum requirements for the Bavarian Alps.

Green winter sports

Ski areas are constructing climate-friendly lift facilities and France has now introduced a new law that obliges lift operators to provide information on CO2 consumption. A report on how ski areas are attempting to be environmentally friendly.

Sustainable Buildings: contribute to the EU consultation!

Sustainable construction means not only energy efficiency but takes environmental, social and economic aspects into account on a long-term vision.

Energy discussed between mountain and lake…

The Alpstar mid-term conference took place from April 25th to 26th 2013, in the city of Grassau in the beautiful region of the Achental.

Kick-off for recharge.green project: connecting energy and nature

Concrete dams, wind turbines, tree plantations: there is often a conflict between energy production and nature conservation. The recharge.green project, now being implemented throughout the Alps, intends to give landscapes a value. A solution to the dilemma?

Bolzano sent the proposal for FP7-Smartcities-2013

The participation to the FP7 call for proposals might represent an opportunity to further enhance the activities of Bolzano towards carbon neutrality.

Climate action plan of Bressanone

With beginning of 2013 the city of Bressanone (20.000 inhabitants, located northern Italy in the Alps) will issue its climate action plan.

Liechtenstein is Europe's top energy country

All of Liechtenstein's municipalities have now been presented with the European Energy Award. The honour of being Europe's top energy country is a reason to celebrate - and a call for an effective climate policy.

Out for gigantic Brenner wind farm

It was supposed to have been the highest wind farm in the Alps. Now a court has revoked the building permit for the wind turbines on the Sattelberg Mountain - referring also to the Alpine Convention in the grounds for its decision.

MountEE Project starts: sustainable public construction in Europe

Municipalities have a duty to act as models, especially as regards construction and renovation work. The MountEE Project makes it possible for municipalities in five European mountain regions to optimise their construction and renovation strategies.

Sustainable building in europe’s mountain municipalities

The house of the 21st century is nice and cool in summer, nice and warm in winter, hardly uses energy and – being built of local wood – stimulates the regional economy. The MountEE project explores ways in which municipalities in Europe’s mountain areas can create such a building culture. Seven partners in European mountain areas – among them CIPRA – work together, learn together and jointly improve their strategies and construction methods.

CIPRA's point of view: Alpine Convention must produce results

The renewal of the Alps needs youth. This was recognised by AlpWeek. The parties to the Alpine Convention are now being challenged to follow up their words with deeds - including as regards the energy question.

In summer cool, in winter warm

The European Union Directive on the energy performance of buildings takes effect from July. Low-energy buildings will be mandatory as from 2021. The community centre of Saint-Jean-d'Arvey already meets these criteria. The building, made of regional wood, will open at the end of June - a first.