UN-DESA Under-Secretary General Liu Zhenmin stands with the winners of the 2017 DESA Energy Grant, a prize worth $1 million (USD). The Bangladesh team was recognized for their work in providing sustainable energy to rural villages. Photo: United Nations
New York (People’s Daily) - Bangladesh companies Grameen Shakti and ME SOLshare won this year’s United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) energy grant in recognition for their work in solar innovation.
The UN-DESA grant, worth $1 million (USD), was presented to company representatives at UN headquarters in New York City on November 22.
The team was recognized for their efforts in providing rural residents with greater access to solar power while slashing expenses through flexible energy use, plus creating revenue streams in trading electricity.
UN-DESA Under-Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin explained that Powering the Future We Want program is a, “Creative partnership that connects the intergovernmental work at UN Headquarters to action on the ground.”
Zhenmin added, “Over the past years, the energy grant has proved to be valuable in raising awareness, building capacity, and recognizing ingenuity in promoting sustainable energy.”
Through their winning design, rural villagers in Bangladesh will have the opportunity to learn about solar entrepreneurship with an interconnected platform will allow them to trade electricity with those who do not use solar power.
Today, over a billion people live in rural areas, and without electricity. Providing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable energy is crucial for health services, economic growth and education. Modern methods also safeguard against indoor air pollution resulting from deficient cooking technology.
Clean energy is vital to achieve the goals necessary for sustainable development, and requires energy access to those in need so nobody is left behind.
Through specially designed mini-grids, solar home systems will become income-generating units. The approach leverages existing resources to create a platform powered by solar energy, thus providing revenue opportunities through replication. This will not only be available to those in Bangladesh, but will eventually spread to all rural region across the globe.
The UN-DESA grant will provide necessary funding for 100 smart-grids, benefiting 15,000 homes. The impact is expected to increase as it will inspire future solar initiatives.
“Grameen Shakti and ME SOLshare are deeply honored that our innovative idea of creating a countrywide platform where villagers can share their solar electricity among each other and become smart entrepreneurs has been selected as the winner of the 2017 Powering the Future We Want Grant Challenge by UN DESA,” read an official statement from the winning team.
“This not only recognizes our innovation and contribution to the path of sustainable Access to Energy for all Bangladeshis, but also entrusts us to excel it to the next level to create the platform for greater leaps of success. We believe this award also underlines the transformation the global energy sector is undergoing to a decentralized, decarbonized, democratized and digitalized one, where Bangladesh, through the great efforts taken by the Bangladesh Government through the Infrastructure Development Company Limited, has already set a great example," their statement read.
The grant will increase and replicate peer-to-peer solar mini-grids, and leverage an electricity sharing infrastructure providing power for battery-operated rickshaws, solar water pumps, and kitchen appliances.
“Energy is the golden thread that connects all the Sustainable Development Goals,” UN Deputy-Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said in a statement, read on her behalf during the ceremony.
“Achieving SDG7 on energy and transition to sustainable energy can unlock vast economic growth in all regions and for all people, while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she emphasized.
Energy Grant Initiative
The UN-DESA Energy Grant is a capacity building initiative launched and managed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) in collaboration with the China Energy Fund Committee, a Hong Kong-based NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC.
This year’s theme, “Powering the Future We Want,”
The grant is awarded to an individual, institution or partnership based on achievements in leadership and innovative practices in advancing energy for sustainable development.
This year’s theme was “Sustainable Energy for Eradicating Poverty and Promoting Prosperity in a Changing World.”
UN-DESA received 235 grant applications. The winner was selected after rigorous review and objective assessment conducted at multiple stages and overseen by a high-ranking guiding committee and advisory council.
The UN-DESA energy grant was first awarded in 2015 and will give its final award in 2019.
Winner
Winner of the US $1 million 2017 UN-DESA Energy Grant: The partnership of Grameen Shakti and ME SOLshare Ltd. with the title: The Energiewende 3.0 - Smart Peer-to-Peer Solar Grids for Rural Electrification and Local Empowerment
Finalists
The 13 finalists of the 2017 Grant Cycle, in alphabetical order:
· AMPERES (Australia-Mekong Partnership for Environmental Resources and Energy Systems), in partnership with GreenID, WWF-Vietnam, Vietnam Womens Union and RAEL;
· CONA Entwicklungs- und Handels GmbH;
· Devergy;
· Environmental Technology Centre – Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (PTL-BPPT);
· Grameen Shakti / ME SOLshare Ltd. – Partnership;
· Gujarat Mahila Housing SEWA Trust;
· IEEE Foundation, Smart Village initiative;
· Insolar Assessoria Empresarial e Social Ltda.;
· Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas Foundation Inc. (aka World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines);
· One Earth Designs;
· SunCity;
· Swimsol GmbH;
· University of New South Wales