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2009 PRESS RELEASES |
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HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES EXPECTED ON FIRST DAY OF 2009 ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE SUBMISSION OPENING
Award winner to receive $1.5 million (USD) to advance solutions for the future of energy
“We recognize that innovation will be a driving force to bring us closer to the widespread adoption of renewable energy. The Zayed Future Energy Prize aims to inspire this kind of innovation and honour contributions that help us solve our global energy challenges,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
The winner of the 2009 Zayed Future Energy Prize will be announced in Abu Dhabi on January, 19th, 2010. The winner will receive $1.5 million (USD) to take their ideas and ambitions forward. Last year’s winner, Mr. Dipal Chandra Barua, Founding Managing Director of Grameen Shakti, has had international recognition and has used the prize to set up a scholarship program through his organization in Bangladesh. He is training rural women to be solar technicians and enabling green entrepreneurs through a highly successful microcredit program.
“Winning the 2009 Zayed Future Energy Prize has been a great honor, and we have worked hard to ensure that this honor has been passed on to the people of Bangladesh who have demonstrated incredible ambition and innovation in adopting clean, renewable technologies to solve their daily energy challenges in the rural areas,” said Mr. Barua. “The support we have received from the prize will help support this essential work for generations to come.”
2009 candidate entries will be judged upon the key criteria of innovation, long-term vision and leadership. Innovation: presentation of cutting-edge concepts and solutions that solve today’s energy and sustainability challenges; Long-term vision: demonstration of ability to scale through a commercially viable or sustainable business model; and, Leadership: championing the vision in order to advance clean energy and sustainable solutions.
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About Zayed Future Energy Prize
The Zayed Future Energy Prize was created in honour of the legacy of the late Founding Father and President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The prize aims to inspire the next generation of global energy innovators to create solutions for the future. The Prize is awarded annually to individuals, companies or organisations that have made significant contributions in the global response to the future of energy, climate change and sustainable global energy resources.
ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS
Nominations open for award to honour innovators and leaders in the future of energy
May 6, 2009, Abu Dhabi, UAE: The Zayed Future Energy Prize announced today that it is now open for nominations. Nominations will be accepted online at www.zayedfutureenergyprize.com. Earlier this year, the inaugural winner was recognised, Mr. Dipal Barua, Managing Director of Grameen Shakti, for his innovative approach to scaling renewable energy for two million residents of rural Bangladesh. The winner of the 2009 award will be announced at an event on January 19, 2010 at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Zayed Future Energy Prize was launched in January 2008 at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi to honour the legacy of the UAE’s late President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Zayed Future Energy Prize recognises individuals, companies or organisations that have demonstrated innovation and leadership in their contributions to the global need for future energy solutions. Each year, a winner is selected for deploying real world solutions that are scalable and meaningful.
The call for nominations comes as the Zayed Future Energy Prize released the findings of a survey on the future of energy. The survey, which polled attendees of the World Future Energy Summit, suggests that solar technology and energy efficient buildings are some of the challenges that most need innovation and further research and development and that governments and small businesses have the biggest role to play in advancing the adoption of solutions.
“There is no question that innovative engineering and dedicated research and development of promising technologies will bring us closer to realizing future energy solutions. The Zayed Future Energy Prize is a distinctive honour that can bring many emerging solutions to light and help expand their adoption; the next generation of leaders must take an active role in solving our global energy challenges,” explains Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
“Since a change in the mix of different sources of energy supply is essential and urgent, innovation in this field would be critical for bringing about a transition to a truly renewable energy future,” said Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Chairman of the jury for the Zayed Future Energy Prize. “Consequently, visionary efforts and innovations need to be recognised and rewarded adequately. It is, therefore, with great honour that we open this year’s nominations, and we look forward to celebrating some of the great advancements being made across the world to ensure a sustainable energy future.”
Everyone is called to submit a viable candidate for the 2009 Zayed Future Energy Prize today. Once a candidate is nominated, he or she will be invited to submit their credentials starting June 9, 2009. All nominations and submissions for consideration will be open until October 16, 2009. Please visit www.zayedfutureenergyprize.com and nominate your candidate today.
The winner of the Zayed Future Energy Prize will receive $1.5 million (USD) and will be chosen by a panel of jurors who are champions in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability. The prize money will assist winners in expanding and scaling their innovations. In addition, Masdar, the supporting organisations of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, will offer winners access to a wide network of resources.
Nominations will be ranked using the following criteria:
- Innovation: proof of cutting-edge concepts and solutions that solve today’s energy and sustainability challenges.
- Long-term vision: demonstration of ability to scale through a commercially viable or sustainable business model.
- Leadership: championing the vision in order to advance clean energy and sustainable solutions.
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About Zayed Future Energy Prize
The Zayed Future Energy Prize was created to honour the legacy of the late President and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The prize aims to inspire the next generation of global energy innovators and to reward solutions for the future. The Zayed Future Energy Prize is awarded annually to individuals, companies, organisations and/or NGOs that have made significant contributions in the global need for future energy that is clean, renewable and sustainable.
For more information, please contact the media center.
ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE RECOGNIZES DIPAL C. BARUA.
Inaugural prize awarded to Barua for bringing renewable energy to rural communities
Abu Dhabi, January 20, 2009 – The first annual Zayed Future Energy Prize was awarded on January 19 by His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to Mr. Dipal Chandra Barua, Founding Managing Director of Grameen Shakti for his visionary efforts to bring renewable energy solutions to the rural population of Bangladesh.
The Zayed Future Energy Prize finalist, Dr. Martin Green, was also recognized at the award ceremony for his groundbreaking research in photovoltaic (PV) technology that will result in increased efficiencies, bringing solar energy closer to grid parity.
The Prize was launched in January 2008 at the inaugural World Future Energy Summit to honour the legacy of environmental stewardship of the UAE’s late ruler and founding father, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The award winner, Mr. Barua, and the finalist, Dr. Green will receive US$1.5 million and US$350,000, respectively, to accelerate the development of their innovations.
Mr. Barua’s organization, Grameen Shakti (GS), has installed more than 200,000 solar PV systems that currently provide power for more than two million rural people. Under Mr. Barua’s leadership, GS has developed a number of other innovative initiatives, including a biogas technology that converts cow and poultry waste into gas for cooking, lighting and fertilizer. GS has installed more than 6,000 biogas plants and plans to construct 500,000 more by 2012. In addition, GS has trained rural women to be solar technicians hereby enabling green entrepreneurs through a highly successful micro-credit program.
“It is a great honour to receive this recognition inspired by the vision of HH the late Sheikh Zayed,” said Mr. Barua. “I consider myself a global Ambassador of the Prize, and would like to carry forward the message of environmental sensitivity that is being championed by the leadership of Abu Dhabi.”
“We share this award with the rural people of Bangladesh who have demonstrated incredible ambition and innovation in adopting clean, renewable technologies to solve their daily energy challenges in the rural areas,” added Mr. Barua.
The finalist, Dr. Green is a leading researcher in the field of PV. He is currently developing “third-generation” solar cells that will help decrease costs to less than US$0.50/W, to potentially $0.20/W or better, which will drastically increase the economic viability of this technology.
“I firmly believe that many of our future energy needs can be addressed by photovoltaic technology,” said Dr. Green. “I’m proud that as one of the first recipients of this award, PV technology and its importance in the renewable energy mix is also being recognized as a commercially viable solution.”
“I am confident that the Prize will help boost our efforts to accelerate the development, and market entry of third-generation PV modules,” he added.
“It is quite inspirational to be a part of Zayed Future Energy Prize,” said Nobel Laureate Dr. RK Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Chairman of the jury for ZFEP. “The technologies and the innovative solutions that we’ve seen through the submission process are a good reminder of the ability of human innovation to solve our global challenges.”
Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted future energy initiative, is the prize’s founding organization. As one of its chief objectives, Masdar aims to be an open platform to bring together the world’s innovative solutions to energy challenges.
“These winners and their innovations embody the very qualities the Zayed Future Energy Prize aims to recognize – pioneering, ambitious ideas that provide us with a more sustainable future,” Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director General of the Prize and Chief Executive of Masdar.
“This prize encourages us to be bold, to innovate, to strive and to act. A quality that we inherited from our father, the late HH Sheikh Zayed who taught us to make a meaningful and sustainable impact on the world we live in,” added Al Jaber in the ceremony’s opening.
Submissions were received from more than 50 countries from every region of the world, including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, China, Bangladesh, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Canada and Spain. The pool of 204 total submissions was reduced to twenty by a selection committee of senior technical, commercial and energy policy experts.
The jury members – Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of the Republic of Iceland; Khaled Irani, Minister of Environment of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; H.E. Ahmed Ali Sayegh, Chairman of Masdar; Lord Browne,Managing Director of Riverstone Holdings; Lord Norman Foster, Chairman of Foster+Partners; and Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on New Economic Trends – selected the final two winners.
About Masdar
The Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted future energy initiative advancing the development, commercialization and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), and is wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company. For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit http://www.masdaruae.com.
About Zayed Future Energy Prize
The Zayed Future Energy Prize was created in honour of the legacy of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The prize aims to inspire the next generation of global energy innovators – creating solutions for the future. The Prize is awarded annually to up to three individuals, companies, organisations and/or NGOs that have made significant contributions in the global response to the future of energy, climate change and sustainable global energy resources.
For more information, please contact the media center.
ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE JURY SELECTS FINAL WINNERS Recipients To Be Announced at January 19 Ceremony
January 05, 2009 – The Zayed Future Energy Prize jury has selected two finalists to be the first-ever recipients of the award. The Prize – which was launched in January 2008 at the World Future Energy Summit to honour the legacy of the UAE’s late ruler, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – recognizes individuals, companies, or organizations that have made significant contributions in the global response to the future of energy.
While the Zayed Future Energy Prize is available to award up to three finalists; the seven-member jury, chaired by Nobel Laureate Dr. R.K. Pachauri, decided that there were two clear and distinguished winners from this select pool of applicants.
Submissions were received from over 50 different countries from every region of the world including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, China, Bangladesh, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Canada, and Spain. The pool of 204 total submissions, demonstrating innovative and inspirational leadership in presenting solutions to future energy challenges, was reduced to twenty by a selection committee of senior technical and energy policy experts.
The individuals and companies that submitted proposals represent a range of achievements including advancements in the commercialization of renewable technologies, effective policy advocacy of sustainable living, and innovative research in alternative energy technology.
“These two finalists represent the best from an exceptional group of forward-thinking individuals and companies. We wanted to ensure that the recipients in the inaugural year of this important award would be world-class ambassadors for our critical global energy challenges,” said Dr. Pachauri, Chairman of the jury for ZFEP and Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, who, with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to raise public awareness of the dangers of climate change.
Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative to advance the deployment and commercialization of innovation technologies in alternative energies, is the prize’s founding supporting organization. As one of its chief objectives, Masdar aims to be an open platform to bring together the world’s innovative solutions to future energy challenges.
The Zayed Future Energy Prize came to fruition to maintain and honour the environmental stewardship of the legacy of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The prize was announced in 2008 at the World Future Energy Summit by HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the UAE.
“Recognizing efforts through taking concrete steps to solve future energy challenges is of the utmost importance to us and answers directly to our strategic needs in the future. This can be achieved by driving the best minds to explore the industry and develop evolutionary solutions,” said Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize and Chief Executive of Masdar, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber.
The jury members -- Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of the Republic of Iceland; Khaled Irani, Minister of Environment of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Ahmed Ali Sayegh, Chairman of Masdar; Lord Browne,Managing Director of Riverstone Holdings; Lord Norman Foster, Chairman of Foster+Partners; and Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on New Economic Trends – selected the final two winners.
The winning submission will receive a $1.5 million (USD) award, and the runner-up will receive $350,000 (USD) at an evening ceremony on January 19, the opening night of the World Future Energy Summit. The prize money will assist the finalists to accelerate and deploy their innovations. In addition, Masdar, the prize’s supporting organization, will offer the winners access to its wide network of and technical expertise.
For more information, please contact the media center.
The Zayed Future Energy Prize– which was launched in January 2008 at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi to honour the legacy of the United Arab Emirate’s late ruler, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – recognizes individuals, companies or organizations that have demonstrated innovation and leadership in their contributions to the global response to the future of energy.
Zayed Future Energy Prize Receives Significant international Interest
Submissions for Zayed Future Energy Prize double in the second year
23 November, 2009: The 2010 Zayed Future Energy Prize has received significant increase in international interest, resulting in 633 nominations and 306 submissions compared to 2009 when 204 nominations and 150 submissions were received. The two fold increase demonstrates the USD 2.2 Million Prize’s penetration within the renewable energy community on a global scale.
Submissions flooded in from around the world, from a variety of sources, and covered a vast array of renewable solutions. Individuals, organizations and NGOs are all represented, and a large majority of the entries have been both deployed and demonstrated at large scale. Many of the submissions for the 2010 Zayed Future Energy Prize have already had an outstanding impact on the renewable energy sector.
“The increase in number of the submissions for the 2010 award, and the notable caliber of the entries are encouraging evidence of the growth in renewable energy-related industries and activities around the world,” commented Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Director General of the Prize.
“The recognition and support provided by this prestigious prize will advance global efforts to find solutions to the planet’s sustainable energy needs. It also provides a powerful incentive for entrepreneurs, sustainability organizations and others active in the area of renewable energy to renew their investment in and commitment to tackling the challenges of climate change and energy security.”
The submissions go through a three stage process. Firstly¸ the administration team reviews all the submissions and passes all the entries that fulfill the criteria on to the Selection Committee. Secondly, the Selection Committee votes through an online system to distill the entries down to a shortlist of five. Thirdly, the Jury members meet and decide on the top three entries and allocate the USD$1.5million prize to the submission that best supports the essence of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
The Jury of the Zayed Future Energy Prize includes; the President of the Republic of Iceland, the Minister of Environment for Jordan, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Chairman of Masdar, the Managing Director of Riverstone Holdings, the Founder and Chairman of Foster + Partners, the Interim Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that is to be located in Abu Dhabi, the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the President of the Foundation on Economic Trends .
This year, to increase the efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint improvements have been made to the submissions process to ensure that the finalists embody the spirit of the Zayed Future Energy Prize and the vision of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Including an online judging system for the Selection Committee to engage experts from around the world to review and rank submissions. The Zayed Future Energy Prize offers an open, transparent and fair process of evaluation, in which all candidates receive consideration and in which the selection criteria and rules are available to the public.
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Contacts:
Amira al Najjar, +971 2 653 6028
Susie Pagan, +971 50 550 7520
About Zayed Future Energy Prize
The Zayed Future Energy Prize was created in honour of the legacy of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Zayed Future Energy Prize aims to inspire the next generation of global energy innovators, creating solutions for the future. The Zayed Future Energy Prize is awarded annually to up to three individuals, companies, organisations and/or NGOs that have made significant contributions in the global response to the future of energy, climate change and sustainability.
About Masdar
The Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted future energy initiative advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), and is wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company. For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit; www.masdar.ae
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