Speaker, author, and award winning innovator

During a time when there is a lot of focus on sustainable projects in the outskirts of Denmark, it may seem absurd that there is a man living on the island of Samsø, who is practically unknown among the Danish population, and yet praised in the rest of the world. TIME magazine boldly named him one of the world’s 10 largest ‘environmental heroes’!

Søren Hermansen won the Goteborg-award in 2009, as the first Danish person ever, for his work with sustainable energy on Samsø. The award, also known as the environmental version of the Nobel prize, was won by Kofi Annan in 2011. Earlier winners include Al Gore and Gro Harlem Brundland.

In November 2011 he received the Svend Auken price from the prime minister, and in December he released the book ’fælledskab – om fællesskab i praksis og om samarbejdets teori’
 (Community – On community efforts in practice and collaboration theory)

Søren Hermansen is the manager of the energy academy on Samsø, which has since 1997 created such significant results that CNN, CBS, The Observer, The New Yorker and a number of other international media have visited the island. Ever year 6,000 people visit the Samsø Energy Academy, including many politically funded delegations from all over the world.

Søren Hermansen is an international keynote speaker, presenting his methods and results from his work on Samsø. Since 2007 the island has been self-sufficient and carbon-neutral. Furthermore, the island supplies surplus energy to Jylland, the mainland of Denmark.
The key to success is local change
. It is the people of Samso that own their own production machines, and the income the island will get for their surplus energy in the future means that the island will in a far less degree be dependent on subsidies from the state.

Søren Hermansen's project has created positive results far beyond Samsø’s own borders. Politicians and companies stand in line to hear about Søren’s theories and methods, and how in the world he has gotten an island society to stand so strong and collectively in a project, as is the case of Samsø.

Søren Hermansen is an extremely inspiring speaker, with lots of commitment, attitude and an intelligent humor which hits all types of participants.