Potsdam. Europe’s best endowed environmental award was presented for the eighth time. Federal President Johannes Rau presented the German Environmental Award, given by the Federal German Environment Foundation (Osnabrück), to the Freiburg environmental medic Professor Dr. Franz Daschner (60) and the Aurich entrepreneur Aloys Wobben (48) in Potsdam today. According to the foundation Mr Wobben - in his knowledge about the finite nature of the conventional energy resources coal, gas and oil - pushed the technological development of wind energy plants against a considerable opposition as a serious ecological and economic alternative and reduced its potential effects on man, animals and environment to a minimum. Professor Daschner smoothed the way for modern environmental protection in hospitals and clinics - often accompanied by a strong headwind.

Addressing an audience of some 1,300 in the "Filmpark Babelsberg", Professor Dr. Hans Tietmeyer, former President of the Deutsche Bundesbank and Chairman of the Board of the foundation, underlined that the foundation turned its particular attention to the pioneers of innovative environmental protection, who helped new ways of environmental protection to the road of success by discovering visionary and comprehensive solutions. In doing so Aloys Wobben succeeded in bringing his outstanding technological developments to environmentally-friendly products in demand and was rightly regarded as a pacesetter in his field. Professor Daschner also followed new ways as a scientist and consequently reduced ecological damage in hospitals by using practical concepts.

Following the welcome address of Dr. Manfred Stolpe, Prime Minister of Brandenburg, who underlined the foundation’s work in Brandenburg and Eastern Germany, Member of the Jury Dr.-Ing. Nils F. Zorn, Management Speaker of ERM Lahmeyer International, appreciated in his eulogy the scientist Professor Daschner. Like no-one else he advanced the development of systematic environmental protection in health service. In doing so he had to surmount the opposition of his professional colleagues and to convince the hospital management that neither the service would increase in price nor the nursing standard would decline.

Daschner introduced comprehensive solutions to his Freiburg clinic - from buying, kitchen, laundry, energy supply, use of detergents and disinfectants to disposal and avoidance of hazardous waste, use of re-usable materials and composting of biological waste. This concrete saving of resources and the cost reduction involved had convinced and made the name of Daschner a synonym for environmental protection in hospitals. Freiburg had become a prime example for Germany, already adopted by 100 German clinics.

A "green medicine" as an integral part of health service and medical education, a new job outline of a clinic ecologist, an academy for environmental protection in medicine - Professor Daschner mentioned these personal visions he associated with today’s award and which were the destined purpose of the prize money. The Jury for the environmental award were convinced that the prize winner would carry on showing commitment for the cause of environmental protection and prevention and hoped that awarding him would contribute to a further increase in sensitisation for the topic of environmental protection in health service.

Dr. Friedrich Heigl, physicist and freelance environmental consultant on the fields of energy technology and economy and also member of the Jury, went on to honour Aloys Wobben. He outlined the importance of wind energy in previous centuries as a decisive support for man to cope with life circumstances which left its mark on the development of whole regions like the Netherlands or the Iberian Peninsula. For a period of 100 years it had been forgotten and had only enjoyed a gentle revival in the early seventies of the 20st century when environmental awareness started to grow and led to a recollection of ecological technologies.

The society immediately was divided into followers and opponents, responsible for an atmosphere with an unfavourable influence on the realisation of practical and up-to-date solutions. A clear vision, irrevocable convictions, a high steadfastness and a considerable willingness to make sacrifices was necessary for those who refused to be pushed to the background of the agitators and who agreed completely to attend with all their undivided knowledge to a qualified use of wind energy.

Aloys Wobben had declared his absolute belief in wind energy and showed resolute commitment and entrepreneurial engagement to advance technological matured solutions for wind energy plants. Meeting with an occasional smile of the establishment he developed "the well-known" into "the up-to-date". He was successful in achieving technological and entrepreneurial progress in favour of himself and the whole economy by creating 2,300 new jobs. He passed the "triple jump of ecological commitment, engineering technological imagination and entrepreneurial feel".

Federal President Rau described environmental protection as a main task of politics, economy and society which should not only remain the topic of specialists. Other topics dominated the political agenda but in ecological and economic respects environmental protection led to considerable advantages. We could take a bath in the Rhine and the sky above the Ruhr was blue again. Environmental protection decreased costs and created new jobs. Searching for consumption reduced cars, everyone would look at Germany or Japan. And looking for filter plants or integrating production technology or intending to build up a wind energy plant somewhere on earth, there were no way to miss German innovations.

Economy and ecology were "no enemy brothers" but a pair of brothers and sisters being able to safeguard the future. Today the environmental economy offered jobs for more than one million of people. In view of the emerging countries’ ecological conditions the world market for environmental technology products would continue to grow. Wind energy was a global sunrise industry. Rau: "There are no alternatives to regenerative energies if we want to safeguard the future." If today forward-looking enterprises asked for more state environmental protection and intelligent environmental policy, that had to be an example for traditional manufacturers to act effectively by combining ecological, economic and social aspects.

In his speech of thanks, Franz Daschner stressed that he was very pleased being awarded with this prize. He expressed his thanks to the members of his team who had accompanied him with an enormous engagement on his path of trial and tribulation. His strong hope was that the prize would be a signal for the German health service to change "white" into "green" medicine.

Aloys Wobben expressed his thanks to all who trusted in the future of wind energy and supported him at a time when the development of wind energy plants was still in its infancy. The award was not only a symbol for his company’s future but also for the whole industry of regenerative energies.

Fritz Brickwedde, Secretary General of the foundation, took up this point of view in his concluding speech. Especially the use of wind energy could achieve a considerable national and international market share. Mainly for the countries of Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain but also for the North and Baltic Sea coastal areas emerged a strong growth in using wind energy. Brickwedde: "We have to show our commitment to a future worth living for our children and grandchildren."