San Francisco, July 2010. Ashoka and Canopus Foundation, founders of the Solar for All initiative, today announced the winners of the Solar for All Design Contest. For the past six months, Solar for All has been running a Contest to find the best innovations in delivering affordable solar photovoltaic power to low income communities without access to electricity, combining both affordable technical solutions with a developed market approach.
The Award Ceremony was hosted by Intersolar North America. “With over 3.5 billion people lacking reliable access to electricity, the growth potential of the solar PV market in developing countries is immense.” remarks Markus Elsaesser, CEO Solar Promotion International GmbH “We’re delighted to be part of an initiative aiming to unlock that potential”.
From a diverse and impressive field of 58 companies and organizations from 29 countries, Greenlight Planet has been awarded the First Prize of the Solar for All Design Contest, an investment of $250,000 from the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation. “We are impressed by their focus to develop a sustainable business serving the base of the pyramid in India, explains Gary Hattem, President of the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation. “Greenlight Planet’s approach combines both affordable products together with a truly innovative approach to reaching the poorest residents of the most rural communities.
The runner up Kaïto Energie AG receives €10,000 from Good Energies Foundation. Prof Eicke Weber, Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy and chairman of the jury, adds: ”Kaïto’s long-term vision of electrifying Senegalese villages and their step-by-step approach of reaching the goal is impressive.”
Promethean Power Provider received the ERM Award. “We are pleased to be able to support the Solar for All Design Contest with a pro bono technical prize to Promethean,” explains Emma Caddy Director of the ERM Foundation.
The fourth finalist, Phaesun was recognized for using an innovative, well-adapted technology- the Sundaya Ulitium Kits.
The Contest has brought forward a wide range of applications that would be suitable for consideration for potential investment from the Solar for All Investment Fund to be launched in 2011.
