Nominations and Submissions Open for
2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize
Individuals and organizations with innovative solutions that address almost any aspect of the renewable and sustainability industry are invited to submit their applications online
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 14 June 2010: Nominations and submissions for the 2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize are now being accepted at www.ZayedFutureEnergyPrize.com. The prize awards $1.5 million dollars to the winner and up to two finalists receive $350,000 dollars each. The prize seeks to encourage innovation across a wide spectrum of renewable energy solutions, energy conservation and sustainability.
The prize follows a rigorous and transparent selection process that features two committees and a jury comprised of leading international figures in the field. The jury is headed by Dr. R.K. Pachauri – the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and current Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Submissions are judged on three primary 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 their vision in order to advance clean energy and sustainable solutions.
The three round consideration process ensures consistency and transparency. It begins with the Review Committee, responsible for evaluating all submissions and identifying those that fulfill the entry criteria. This group of entries then progresses to the Selection Committee for judging consideration and short-listing. Short-listed entries must receive the support of all Selection Committee members. The final winner and up to two finalists are selected unanimously by the Prize Jury.
“The Zayed Future Energy Prize is a tribute to the environmental legacy of H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates. His passion for environmental sensitivity and conservation is an integral part of Abu Dhabi, its leadership, and its economy. This tradition has perpetuated itself over decades and serves as the inspiration behind this annual acknowledgement and reward,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
“Recognizing that only a holistic and interconnected response to the challenges of global warming and energy security will be successful and that renewable energy solutions will emerge from a wide range of disciplines, this award has been structured to address that reality and encourage innovation across a wide range of activities” continued Dr. Al Jaber.
Dr. Pachauri, who chairs the jury for the third consecutive year, said “The continually evolving nature of our renewable energy challenges provides a fresh opportunity each year for those exploring innovative solutions in this field. Over the past two years, the prize has helped raise the profile of its winners, inspired thousands of budding innovators and focused attention on the promise of exciting renewable energy developments.”
Over the past two years, the prize has witnessed nominations grow from 204 in 2009 to 633 in 2010, with submissions being received from across 86 countries; a growth of 210 per cent.
The uniquely broad scope of the award means that in its first two years, it has honored such diverse winners as Toyota Motor Corporation and a Bangladeshi entrepreneur whose market-based business model has brought solar power to two million people in off-grid rural communities. Finalists have included an scientist from Australia, a businessman whose company, based in China, is the world’s largest maker of photovoltaic panels, and from India, a provider of a low-cost, low-energy irrigation technology for rural farmers.
For more information please visit www.ZayedFutureEnergyPrize.com
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Toyota Motor Corporation Awarded Zayed Future Energy Prize 2010
19 January 2010, Abu Dhabi, UAE:Toyota Motor Corporation has been awarded the 2010 Zayed Future Energy Prize, a prestigious award created in 2008 to honour of the legacy of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father and President of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and recognize and inspire innovators in renewable energy from around the world. Toyota was singled out for its ground breaking fuel efficiency system of the third-generation Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle.
The Prius was selected from over 300 entries and was awarded the Zayed Future Energy Prize 2010 in Abu Dhabi by H.H. General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Toyota was presented with the grand prize of USD1.5 million, while two runners up – Zhengrong Shi, Founder & CEO of Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd, China and Amitabha Sadangi, CEO of International Development Enterprises India (IDEI) – were also awarded USD350,000 each. All three finalists exuded the qualities associated with the Prize criteria, leadership, innovation and long-term vision, and are true ambassadors of renewable energy innovation.
The award is open to any individual, company or non-governmental organization (NGO) that can demonstrate a tangible clean energy solution.
The Zayed Future Energy Prize jury, which consisted of leading international renewable energy experts, cited Toyota Motor Corporation’s revolutionary technologies, which have set the global standard for fuel efficiency and innovation, as the key factor behind selecting Toyota as the 2010 winner. The original Prius was launched in 1997 and in the last 13 years has saved around seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide from polluting the atmosphere due to its fuel efficient technology. Toyota’s was the only entry received by the Prize which focused on hybrid vehicles, making it stand out from the other submissions due to the widespread application of its technologies globally.
The jury also cited the introduction and constant evolution of the technology as impressive elements of the entry as it demonstrated a continual desire to improve and fine-tune the technology. The Toyota Prius achieves 38 kilometres per litre, surpassing other fuel efficient vechicles and it is expected to be sold in over 80 countries around the world. The company is also looking into incorporating hybrid technologies into all its vehicles to further the cause of environmental preservation.
Commenting on the winning entry, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize said: “The calibre of entries has been phenomenal and the jury had tough choices to make in narrowing the selection down to three finalists. The chosen finalists are recognised for their dedicated efforts towards creating a sustainable future for the world, and we are delighted to support them by providing a platform for global recognition and further innovation.”
On receiving the Prize, Mr. Kazuo Okamoto, Vice Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “Winning this award is true recognition of the years of hard work that went into making the Toyota Prius a reality and I am honoured to receive it on behalf of Toyota Motor Corporation. I am confident that this will further increase awareness of hybrid vehicles and their environment-friendly features, thereby contributing to a sustainable future in the long run.”
All three finalists excelled when demonstrating innovation, long-term vision and leadership in addressing some of the world’s energy challenges and it is hoped that even more companies, NGOs, organisations and individuals will enter the 2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize when it opens in the spring.
IDEI was selected for its successful deployment of low-cost irrigation technology to farmers in India. The technology has been designed for small-scale farmers, rather than commercial entities, with over one million smallholders in India having invested in the energy-saving systems to date. This has resulted in over 500 million litres of diesel being saved, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.8 million tonnes.
The joint runner-up was Zhengrong Shi, Founder and CEO of Suntech Power Holdings Company. A Chinese national, Shi established Suntech in September 2001 and has since seen it grow to become the world's largest manufacturer of silicon solar modules. Shi has dedicated his efforts to making solar energy a viable alternative to traditional electricity and increasing its adoption across the globe.
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Contacts:
Amira al Najjar, +971 2 653 6028
Preeti Chhatbar, +971 50 355 6428
About Zayed Future Energy Prize
About Masdar
Masdar 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 |