VE – Vedvarende Energi (directly translated into ‘Renewable Energy’, however the organization names itself Sustainable Energy in English). The organization started in 1975 under the name OVE – Organisationen for Vedvarende Energi (Organisation for Renewable Energy) – with the objective to support the change of the Danish energy system to be 100 % renewable energy, demonstrating the alternatives to fossil fuels and nuclear power. At the same time energy efficiency and changed energy behaviour would be advocated for. VE has been an important part of creating an environment that is essential in relation to the actual development of renewable energy technologies, especially the development of wind turbines. The environment attracts people who are interested in developing the technology, especially in the 1970ies and 1980ies. It is also the basis for the development of new ways of organizing and financing renewable energy projects, for instance via wind turbine cooperatives in the 1980ies and the beginning of the 1990ies. Apart from demonstrating that the different renewable energy technologies actually worked in practice, VE has taken part in developing alternative energy plans for Denmark, illustrating that it is possible to base society on 100 % renewable energy, if renewable energy is combined with energy efficiency. VE has experimented with different ways of involving citizens in energy savings in their homes, especially through the local environment and energy offices that are related to VE. One of these offices is KMEK – Copenhagen Energy and Environment Office, now VE-CPH, was established in 1987. The main purpose was to make the citizens of Copenhagen interested in sustainable energy, energy savings and in a number of other environmental issues. In order to reach 100 % sustainable energy supply it is essential to reduce energy demand. The main effort is to inform citizens about reducing their own energy consumption in their home in a very practical way, inspiring them to change behaviour and to invest in different energy saving technologies. After a few years in a small shop, placed in the basement of a building in a street with only few people passing by, KMEK had the chance of renting an old industrial building in a courtyard near the city centre. It was possible for KMEK to rent some of the rooms to other ‘green’ organizations, creating an ‘ecology’ house.
VE becomes a professional local actor when the local Environment and Energy Office in Copenhagen KMEK is established.
VE goes global and participates in the NGO-forum in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 - and Inforse is established
Scenarios for a 100 % sustainable energy future is developed by VE - first for Denmark, later for a number of countries.
No national Funding after the election - the organization strugles for survival, finding other sources of funding
VE working for finding new Funding - leading to an increased focus on energy savings
Young Energy is established as an attempt to renew VE - the original VE members had become old and fresh blood was needed
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