The European Union has announced the winner of the EU Sustainable Energy Award for the Eastern partnership at the Awards Ceremony in Brussels on 18 June. The winner of the first edition of the Award is the energy efficient Shilda winery from Georgia.

The first edition of EU Sustainable Energy Award for EaP received more than 50 entries from 6 countries covering an impressive range of creative high-impact solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energy use for the benefit of communities and business. The jury selected 6 finalists among which: Biomass Heating Solutions for Rural Development (Armenia), Development of Renewable Energy Sources in Novogrudok District (Belarus), Biomass and energy efficiency at Prichindel kindergarten in Busila (the Republic of Moldova), Georgian Vine and Wine Company LTD - Shilda Winery (Georgia), Reducing Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Dolyna (Ukraine), Higher Engineering Training for Environmentally Sustainable Industrial Development (Ukraine).

The selected 6 finalists participated in a public vote that was held online over the course of two weeks from 28 April – 9 May 2019. All the votes have been counted and verified. The valid votes were combined with the votes of the jury to determine the final winner.

The EU Sustainable Energy Award for Eastern Partnership Countries is part of EU Sustainable Energy Week 2019 (EUSEW) and was, for the first time, extended to the 6 Eastern Partner countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine). The award recognises inspiring EU-supported energy efficient and renewable energy projects that directly help citizens and communities save energy or switch to sustainable sources.

Founded in 2014, the Shilda winery is located in Kakheti – the principal region of viniculture in Georgia. By participating in the Caucasus Energy Efficient Program (Energocredit Georgia), supported by the European Union and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the company started using an energy efficient eco-friendly wine production process making it the first environmentally friendly wine producer in the region. Nowadays the winery consumes 60% less energy and saves more than €60,000 annually on its energy bills.