Ashden has launched its call for entries for the 2017 Ashden Awards, offering the chance for sustainable energy pioneers in developing countries in Asia to receive global recognition for their efforts.
Entry to the awards is free, with seven international winners receiving awards totalling £130,000 at a prestigious ceremony in London on 15 June 2017.
The Ashden Awards aim to uncover the most exciting sustainable energy trailblazers in Asia and elsewhere which are breaking new ground in increasing access to clean, safe energy.
Since the Awards were established in 2001, some 44 enterprises and programmes in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, China and other countries across Asia have won one of the internationally renowned awards, including 28 from India. The Indian winners have even formed their own organisation, the Ashden India Renewable Energy Collective, aiming to eradicate the vicious cycle of energy poverty in India and act as a unified voice for the sustainable energy sector.
Frontier Markets in Rajasthan, India, won an Ashden Award this year for its unique distribution model that provides high quality solar lamps and other solar systems to hard-to-reach villages using a network of trained women called Solar Sahelis.
Ajaita Shah, Frontier Markets’ Founder and CEO, said: “The Ashden Award has helped us be recognised among an exquisite group of entrepreneurs, providing us a platform to connect with donors, partners, policy makers, and the larger global community. With the Ashden Award, we forsee an incredible ability to scale our work and truly empower women in energy.”
In addition to the six existing Ashden International Awards, there is a new Powering Business Award for 2017 recognising efforts by enterprises or programmes which provide or use clean energy or energy efficiency in the provision of goods and services through business activities, for example in the agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors.
As well as the financial award, Ashden also provides winners with a wide-ranging package of support, tailor-made to their needs which could include business mentoring, sales and technical training, introductions to investors and help with communications.
The deadline for entries is 8 November 2016 at 11.59pm GMT. For further information and to apply for a 2017 Award, visit www.ashden.org/apply/international
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