Eight winners have been announced in the 2012 Ideas Energy Innovation Contest for the Caribbean, following a selection process that considered a total of 189 proposals.
According to a press release, awards of up to US$200,000 are being offered to the following winning projects and enterprises which promote energy efficiency and access to renewable energy in the Caribbean: Caribbean Biogas Project, Echos Consulting; Community hydroponic farming with solar energy, The Family Garden; Energy efficient hybrid solar agro-products dryer utilising alternative renewable energy and liquid desiccant technologies, Caribbean Esco Ltd, all of Jamaica.
Two entrants from Suriname also won: Collect and recycle used vegetable oil to bio-diesel, NV VSH Foods and Rural solar acceleration project, NV Guguplex Technologies Sac. Two from Haiti: Fuel efficient and clean cooking stoves, Prakti Designs and Electrification for rural Haiti, B2D along with a project for the Optimisation of the energy efficiency of a bagasse co-generation project, GSR Energy Limited in Belize
These proposals will be granted a total of US$1,486,000 to develop innovative energy efficiency or renewable energy solutions that have local or regional benefits, provide jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to grant funding, winners will receive technical and business development support to implement or scale up their ideas, as well as access to other experts, policy makers, institutions and potential financial partners. “The goal is to enable the winners to turn their ideas into financially sustainable businesses, helping solve the energy problems facing the region,” the release said.
This round of the competition was targeted at the Caribbean, with financial support provided by UKAid from the Department for International Development. The wider contest is also sponsored and supported by GVEP International, the government of South Korea and the Inter-American Development Bank.
