The visit took place around the building paying special attention to the geothermal installations.

"Vitoria-Gasteiz will lead the green revolution, so we are very proud to finally pick up this award, that accredits the work over three decades," the mayor said during his speech in the hemicycle of the European Parliament minutes before receiving the Green Book, "I'm going to show it to all the citizens, because this award belongs to everyone and is for all," he added before making a family photo with the delegation of Vitoria.

Immediately after this formal ceremony, Maroto has officially opened its new green charge and has used his stay in Brussels to meet with Mercedes Bresso, President of the Committee of the Regions and Evelyne Brouyhek, Minister of Environment of Belgium.

The third of the capitals that can show its environmental trophy with proud, after Stockholm and Hamburg, has received the green reign witness from the hands of the Secretary of State of this German city, Holger Longe, at a ceremony in which first Bresso, chairwoman of the Committee of the Regions has not hesitated to invite Vitoria to lead a new "generation" of green capitals "that allows this award impose a higher standard for the cities, citizens and institutions ". Therefore has proposed both in plenary and then in a private meeting Maroto to lead a community of European Green Capitals, "in which all candidates are included as well as cities that work on sustainability criteria." For these reasons it has committed itself and the Committee of the Regions to release these new practices because "the EU budget for 2014-2020 should consider this award as it combines economic, social and green policies."

During the 50 minute-long ceremony, as part of a plenary session of the Committee of the Regions Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for the Environment, responded to President Bresso highlighting the role of Vitoria-Gasteiz, as an ambassador of the systems sustainable urban and involvement in the summit meeting in Brazil, Rio + 20, which will take place in a few months. It has also highlighted the performance of the capital of Alava in energy and water management, and recovery of green areas. For its part, the Secretary of State of Hamburg, after to congratulate Vitoria-Gasteiz, showed a video of this German city to highlight their care for nature and green areas and energy management in common with the capital of Alava.

The mayor, from the top table of European central hall of the Chamber and to the full Committee of the Regions, plus various guests office Green Capital and representatives of Hamburg, Stockholm and praised Nantes, has lauded, in Euskera, Vitoria-Gasteiz and thanked for this opportunity for the city. After watching a video on which the audience has been shown Vitoria to be worth the European Green Capital award, the municipal councilor in English has highlighted the importance of this award as it makes Vitoria-Gasteiz an example of European cities. "2012 will be a year to share ideas and take responsibility for building the future," said the Mayor, while making reference to the context of crisis, opportunity to improve the future of cities to take up the challenge of introducing nature in cities.

To end the European day, Javier Maroto will meet with the Minister Brouyhek, of Brussels, as being candidates for European Green Capital 2014, wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the fundamental issues of climate change and find solutions to the challenges of sustainable mobility.

The Governing Council approved today the Basque Country Energy Strategy 2020 (3E2020), the document that will mark the Basque energy policy over the next decade. The strategy is based on three main areas: the firm commitment to energy saving the promotion of renewable energy and developing the Basque industrial sector linked to energy.

The councilor of Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism, Bernabé Unda explained together with the government spokeswoman, Idoia Mendia, the lines to follow in the energy sector over the coming years. The objectives outlined in the 2020 energy policy strategy have the following objectives:

- Intensify action on energy efficiency in all consumer sectors, with annual savings of 1,050,000 toe in 2020, and final energy intensity improved by 22%. By these measures, Euskadi can save between 4,000 and 5,000 million euro in the next decade.

- Reduce final consumption of oil in 2020 by 9% compared to 2010, promoting dissociation from the transport sector (37 100 electric vehicles) in order to make the alternative energy in road transport was 15%.

- Increase renewable energy use by 87% to reach in 2020 the 905,000 toe, which would mean a share of renewables in final consumption of 14%.

- Promoting 8 priority areas of industrial and technological development in the energy field, and increase the turnover of companies in the energy sector by 25%.

- Mobilize investments amounting to 10,710 million euros in 10 years by a committed and exemplary institutional policy to provide 16.5% for the promotion, support and public investment.

The European commitment to energy storage and electric vehicles consolidates the Basque Government's strategies in science and technology as well as the strategic focus on value-added sectors associated with the energy sector.

The Basque Country is one of Europe's most active areas in research and development of electrochemical storage resources (high-capacity battery) and infrastructure for the deployment of electric vehicles.

For this it has a strong business network in the energy sector, research centers such as the CIC energiGUNE specialized in energy storage, the research units of Basque University, and the manager of electric vehicle charging IBIL.

CIC Energigune will hold next 20-21 March 2012, the 1st  International Forum on Progress and Trends in Battery and Capacitor Technologies. This two day conference will showcase the latest research and development in electrochemical power storage technologies critical for a sustainable energy future,with the following presentations:

- M.Armand : Electrochemical Energy Storage: Past, Present and Future

- Patrice Simon: Nanostructured carbons for supercapacitors

- Wladek Wieczorek: Development of novel  room temperature sodium electrolytes for application in portable devices

- Stefano Passerini: Ionic liquid electrolytes for high-energy batteries

- Marca Doeff: The search for titanate anodes for aqueous sodium ion batteries

- Petr Novak: Oxygen, Nano, and Others: Future or Buzzwords of Lithium Batteries?

- Kristina Edström : The role of nanostructuring of anode materials in Li-ion batteries

- Steve Visco:  Next generation Batteries based on Water-Stable Lithium Metal Electrodes

- Anton Van de Ven:  Understanding kinetic properties of Li battery electrodes from first principles

- Khalil Amine:  Advanced  electrodes for next generation lithium  ion batteries

- Bor-Yann Liaw:  From Battery Modeling and Simulation to Diagnosis and Prognosis

The registrations rates for this conference are the following:

* Regular fee: 250 €

* Students: 125 €

 For further information please visit: www.cicenergigune.com/power-our-future-2012

 Abstract submission for this meeting is now underway.  Submission deadline is January 20, 2012.

CIC Energigune will hold next 20-21 March 2012, the 1st International Forum on Progress and Trends in Battery and Capacitor Technologies. This two day conference will showcase the latest research and development in electrochemical power storage technologies critical for a sustainable energy future.

The meeting abstract may not exceed ONE PAGE of text, references, tables and figures. For further information please visit: www.cicenergigune.com/power-our-future-2012.  Abstract submission for this meeting is now underway.  Submission deadline is January 20, 2012. Please save your article as yourname-surname.doc

Attached you can find the template for submission