People we Support

This section presents the different projects that IPF has decided to support because they share the objectives of the Foundation.

DROBEN s.a.

Renewable energies become an increasingly important sector in the economy, and solar energy is freely available, non-polluting and permanent. DROBEN S.A. aims at becoming one of the Belgian key players in photovoltaic solar energy, thereby encouraging a diversification of power sources.
Energy and Environment Awards

The Belgian prize for Energy and Environment aims at rewarding innovative actors in the fields of energy and environment.

The objectives are to: Highlight the achievements of corporations, communities, townships, citizens in the field of environment and energy, encourage positive and repeatable initiatives, present success stories and reward all participants of our society moving towards a more sustainable world

Candidates are judged by leading institutions and companies in the fields of environmental protection and good use of energy. There is a special International Polar Foundation prize which rewards the positive impact of a candidate on climate change related issues.
Ghent University’s E-Cube at Solar Decathlon 2010

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2010 will challenge 20 collegiate teams from all over the world to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The bi-annual event will take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in fall 2011.

For the Belgian Team, it is the project of the University of Ghent that will go to the contest with the support of the International Polar Foundation’s Johan Berte, who provided feedback on the design, planning, transportation, assembly, and operation of the project house as well as on the integration of renewable energy technologies and waste recycling systems. With its E-Cube project, the team (Toon Vermeir, Michael Arens, Emelie Demasure, Peter Trappeniers, Pieterjan De Loof, Thomas Delameillieure, Ruben Rottiers, Dietwin Vandewalle, Steven Van Dessel, and Arnold Janssens) offers an affordable do-it-yourself building kit for a solar-powered house that is pre-engineered, factory-built, and easy to assemble.

From the basic starter kit, the owner can upgrade his house with various enhancements and extensions to the living space, which will allow him/her to personalize his/her house while spreading the costs. Although not intended as a single solution for all people and lifestyles, the E-Cube will provide Solar Decathlon 2011 visitors unique insight into Belgian sustainable building design. After the preliminary tests, the houses will be opened to the public for ten days.
Ice People

ICE PEOPLE takes a radically new look at Antarctica – showing the human face of this continent that belongs to no one. In this film, Emmy-award winning filmmaker Anne Aghion, conveys the sense of really being among the people and in the landscape – on this magnificently frozen continent that defies, not so much our imagination before we go, but our vocabulary once we've been.

ICE PEOPLE follows a couple of seasoned geologists (Allan Ashworth from North Dakota State University and Adam Lewis from the Byrd Polar Research Center) and two NDSU undergraduates (Kelly Gorz and Andrew Podoll) throughout their season on the Ice. The film goes back and forth between the mountain camps, where the foursome are gathering evidence of ancient plant life with fossils dating back 14 million years, and McMurdo, to follow the adventures of the rear guard – the armies of people who work in support of science on the largest US station on the continent.

To find out more about the film, which will be ready in Fall 2007, about the filmmakers, and to sign up for regular updates about events surrounding the project, you can go the the film's official website.

Director : Anne Aghion
Producers: Benoit Gryspeerdt & Anne Aghion
La décision: entre passion et raison

A book co-written by Jean Mossoux and Alain Hubert on "decision, between passion and reason". This is a collection of experiences from various decision makers in various situations and aims at helping readers to take the right decision, whatever the circumstances.
Solar team

These people constructed a car powered by solar energy and participated in the World Solar Challenge during the summer of 2005. Many countries participate in this race every year but they were the first Belgian team to compete.

In 2005 they completed the total distance of 3021 kilometres at an average speed of 62 km/h in a total time of 48 hours and 4 minutes. On top of reaching Adelaïde in 12th position, they also won the Hans Tholstrup Adventurer Award.
Sun-H2, the smart energy airplane

The construction of an aircraft that doesn't require too much energy, doesn't emit CO2 and that works with renewable energy sources is an initiative which should certainly be encouraged by an International Foundation concerned with climate change.

Interlinked scientific, technological, educational and environmental disciplines are encouraged by the IPF whose objective is to take on the challenges in the energy field.

In this context, we wanted to spread the message on this initiative which acts as a tool to bring together science and society.
Venturi Global Challenges

Venturi will show its advance in the field of electric propulsion through a series of technological and human challenges: the "Venturi Global Challenges".

Each challenge is presented as a specific mission and will allow to establish new records, underlining the qualities of Venturi's electric vehicles in extreme conditions.

After tackling, in partnership with the Ohio State University (OSU), a new world speed record with an electric vehicle; and a journey of more than 8300 miles (14 000 km) from Shanghai to Paris with an electric vehicle, Venturi will set foot on Antarctica. This last mission consists of designing a green vehicle able to operate in Antarctica's extreme conditions. Once operational, the vehicle will be used by the scientists of The Princess Elisabeth Station to move on their different research sites.