During the last 20 years, there has been a growing understanding of the problems created by the traditional energy systems. These are the environmental problems, currently in focus, as well as resource-depletion problems, safety problems and problems of democracy of the highly centralized energy systems.

These problems are the background for the creation of a number of organizations of concerned citizens, that are working for more sustainable energy solutions.

These organizations, the sustainable energy NGOs, have not stopped the work by criticising the current systems, they have in many cases initiated development of alternatives: renewable energy and energy savings. They represent a new type of voluntary organizations: consisting of concerned citizens unhappy with the current unsustainable systems, and at the same time being in the front of technical and organizational development for new solutions. They also represent the ideas of a technological development close to the users, unlike the traditional industrial approach, where research and development is taking place in the closed circles of institutes and companies.

There have been remarkable results of the developments initiated by such organizations, the cases mentioned in this newsletter is only a few of them. In most cases the NGOs have left it to commercial companies to be producers of the technologies. They have after the initial phase of a new development concentrated on securing the organizational and economical framework for a successful large scale implementation. In these later phases the NGOs have been working with public education as well as lobbying.

If the world is going to follow a sustainable development path, there is a need for considerably strengthening of organizations working for sustainable developments in all sectors, and on all levels. And there is needed much more understanding of how to reach a sustainable development everywhere.

There is at present no international network, where the sustainable energy organizations have a voice, that can be heard from the international communities, and that can spread the ideas and knowledge of the results from these organizations. This is one of the reasons why there is very little understanding in the international communities for these ideas. And the lack of a network has also limited the exchange of ideas between the sustainable energy organizations from different parts of the world.

This is the background for our proposals of a sustainable energy network, as described in this newsletter. It is no easy task to set up a well-functioning network, able to support groups of the most different kinds, to speak up loud enough to be beard internationally, and to spread the ideas of sustainable energy development in practice.

But we feel that we have to start now !

Gunnar Boye Olesen

Soft Energy Europe/World-wide Published by:

OVE (Danish Organization for Renewable Energy)

Willemoesgade 14 2100 København Ø Denmark

Ph. +45-3142 9091 Fax +45-3142 9095

OVE has since 1975 worked for renewable energy in Denmark, and we are deeply involved in the Danish development of windpower, solar systems and other kinds of renewable energy.

The aims of our work are now further support for renewable energy and energy savings, development of energy plans for a sustainable future and to make energy questions into questions of public concern.

Editors:

Ann Vikkelsø

Gunnar B. Olesen

Deadline for seventh issue: August, 1, 1992

The newsletter is published 4 times a year. Next Issue September, 1, 1992.

If you want to receive the coming Issues of this newsletter please inform OVE. The newsletter will as long as possible be free. Later a subscription pries will be set.

This issue is supported by:

PlanEnergi, Arhus, Denmark. OVE, Denmark.

Plums Økologifond, Denmark.

SIMU, Danish Collaboration Intemational Environment and Development.

SEK, Denmark.