15 Years of Impact: Reflections from ESEIA Director and Co-Founder Brigitte Hasewend
On 19 November 2024, as part of ESEIA’s 15-Year Anniversary celebrations in Brussels, Brigitte Hasewend, ESEIA Director and Co-founder, delivered a compelling presentation reflecting on the organization’s journey and accomplishments since its inception in 2009. Her address celebrated ESEIA’s significant impact on sustainable energy innovation, capacity building, and collaboration across Europe and beyond.
How It All Began
ESEIA was officially established on 19 November 2009, in Graz, Austria, during its first General Assembly following the EIT KIC Energy proposal. Founding members from TU Graz, including Hans Sünkel, Harald Kainz, Franz Stelzer, Michael Narodoslawsky, and Brigitte Hasewend, envisioned a cross-sector alliance addressing the energy transition systemically from research to governance.
Achievements Over 15 Years
A Strong Alliance
In the past 15 years ESEIA is proud to have built a strong reliable network of members and partners. ESEIA had 28 member organisations on average in 15 countries. 64 member organisations, one third from business, paid 1,2 Mio € in membership fees. ESEIA funds 5 Working Groups and 7 Focus Groups with 300 active experts from all fields of the energy system. In addition, ESEIA has worked with 300 partner organisations from all EU countries and from abroad, one third from business, industry, and public agencies, two thirds from higher education and research organisations.
R&I Coverage
ESEIA covers the entire innovation ecosystem. As such ESEIA spots R&I gaps in a wide range of fields including in circular economy, bioresource utilization, sustainable urban regions, smart mobility, sustainable built environment, advanced computing, smart grid services, new business models, sustainable governance and legal frameworks, as well as education and training.
- Firstly, over the past 15 years, ESEIA has led sustainable energy research and innovation with 15 EC funded R&I projects for a total of 17.7 Mio € of which more than half for external partners. The ESEIA success rate is 25% overall and even higher in strategic projects.
- The second major impact was created by training 1,750 students and professionals in 42 ESEIA training courses.
- Thirdly, global projects like EMERGE have extended ESEIA’s impact beyond Europe by diffusing knowledge, exporting best practice, and enabling market access to 150 partners outside Europe.
Vision for the Future
Under the theme “The Way Forward,” Brigitte Hasewend presented the 3M Model of Co-Creation, emphasizing:
- Members: A reliable and engaged membership driving ESEIA’s mission.
- Mindset: A performance-driven approach led by a coordinated team.
- Mechanisms: Effective systems for collaborative innovation.
Key Takeaways
ESEIA’s impact over the past 15 years underscores its role as a trailblazer in sustainable energy innovation. Its collaborative approach, dedication to capacity building, and commitment to driving impactful solutions position it as a key player in achieving Europe’s Green Deal targets.
Learn More
See the full presentation on 15 Years of Impact and visit ESEIA’s website to explore our initiatives, and join the movement toward a sustainable energy future.
Contact ESEIA Team: office@eseia.eu
