Ursula Sladek

Ursula Sladek (born 1946) is a German environmentalist, founder and former president of Schönau Electricity Works that provides electricity from renewable sources, founded following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Background Sladek was born in 1946. She suggested to the mayor of Schönau that the Schönau Power Supply take over control of the local grid.

The Schönau Power Supply uses a decentralized approach to power generation and renewable energy sources, including solar, hydroelectric, wind power, and biomass. The company is operated as a cooperative; while the cooperative owners receive dividends, the majority of the profits are re-invested in renewable energy sources. Total revenues reached €67 million in 2009.

Awards and recognition Sladek has won a number of awards for her work in the fields of energy conservation and renewable energy production. These include the German Federal Cross of Merit, the Henry Ford European Conservation Award, the German Founder of the Year Award, the International Nuclear-Free Future Award, the German Energy Prize, the European Solar Prize, and in 2011 she won the Goldman Environmental Prize. In 2008, Sladek was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship.