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dena Energy Award

dena Energy Award honours completed projects and concepts that have notable impact on the energy transition and climate protection.

Learn more about our competition categories here

Register now for the 2027 dena Energy Award!

Das neue KeyVisual des dena Energy Awards zeigt die vier Wettbewerbskategorien.

News

Climate Day 2026

Hinweis auf die Veranstaltung Klimaschutztag der Klimaschutz-Unternehmen am 14.10. in Berlin.
© KST

17 August 2026 | How can businesses safeguard their competitiveness whilst paving the way for a climate-neutral and sustainable economy? The association “Klimaschutz-Unternehmen e. V.” will be addressing this question on 14 October in Berlin as part of Climate Protection Day. Information and registration

dena conference programme

Grafik für die Bewerbung vom dena Kongress am 9. und 10.11.2026 in Berlin mit dem Titel Wachsen im Wandel zu lesen.
© dena

13 July 2026 | The dena Congress will take place on 9 and 10 November at the bcc Berlin Congress Centre. The key themes are growth, efficiency and resources. Registration is now open. The dena Energy Awards ceremony will begin at 6 pm on the first day of the congress. View the congress programme

More than 100 projects

© Getty Images/Westend61

1 July 2026 | With over 100 entries from 14 countries, the response to our 2026 anniversary edition has been very positive. The projects come from a wide range of industries, including mechanical engineering, the chemical industry, food production and the rubber industry. Details of the nominees will follow in September.

Since 2007, dena has been recognising projects that deliver energy and CO₂ savings, as well as corporate concepts that demonstrate how climate neutrality and industrial transformation can be achieved, through the dena Energy Award (formerly the Energy Efficiency Award).

An independent expert jury comprising representatives from politics, business, academia, and the media selects the nominees and winners. The winning projects in the three competition categories are honoured with a winner’s film, which companies can use for their own communications. The SME Audience Award ("Pioneer") carries a total prize of €5,000. 

Nominees and winners are publicly announced and honoured at the award ceremony on 9 November 2026 as part of the dena Kongress. More information: Terms and Conditions and Factsheet

The dena Energy Award is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).

Award categories

  • Zwei Windräder stehen neben einer Produktionshalle mit Solarpanels auf dem Dach. Ausschnitt aus dem Key Visuals der Wettbewerbskategorie Move forward.

    Move forward!

    Systemic thinking and integrated solutions for the energy transition are needed here. This includes, for example, the use of renewable energies or systemic measures.

  • Eine Frau und ein Mann geben sich die Hand. Ausschnitt aus dem Key Visuals der Wettbewerbskategorie Act together.

    Act together!

    Honours exemplary cooperation in energy efficiency and climate action projects. The focus is on cooperative project developments, contracting solutions, and sustainable infrastructures

  • Ein Mensch überwacht die Daten für die Produktion eines Maschinenelements per Tablet. Ausschnitt aus dem Key Visuals der Wettbewerbskategorie Go smart.

    Go smart!

    This category focuses on energy efficiency, e.g., through digitalisation measures.

  • Zwei Menschen schauen durch ein Teleskop. Ausschnitt aus dem Key Visuals der Kategorie Pioneer, der Sonderpreis für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen.

    Pioneer

    The commitment of small and medium enterprises who, despite limited resources, recognise the challenges of the energy transition as an opportunity and lead the way, are at the forefront in this...

The jury

The nominated projects and the award winners are selected by a jury of experts with representatives from politics, business, science and the media. The jury members receive all submitted applications for review. They are obliged to comply with the statutory data protection regulations and to maintain confidentiality. In a joint meeting, the jury makes its decision in a professional debate.

  • Corinna Enders, CEO, dena
  • Astrid Evert, Head of Division II A6, Policy and Legal Issues on Energy Efficiency; Heat Transition in Industry and Commerce (BMWE)
  • Dr. Carsten Rolle, Director Energy and Climate Policy, Federation of German Industries (BDI)
  • Klaus Stratmann, Handelsblatt GmbH, Chief Climate and Energy Correspondent
  • Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Kfm. Alexander Sauer, Director Institute for Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing (EEP) – Stuttgart University, Director Fraunhofer-Institute for Manufacturing and Automation IPA
  • Dr. Anna Gruber,  Managing Directors, FfE
  • Prof. Dr. Katharina Reuter, Executive Director of the German Association for Sustainable Business (BNW)
  • Jochen Schwarz, Director of SME Banking – Product Management, KfW Banking Group

Frequently Asked Questions about the dena Energy Award