Two recent British inventions have been shortlisted in a global search for the best new sustainable technologies capable of improving the lives of people in developing countries. The Jompy Boiler, a Scottish plumber’s stove-top water purifier that allows water to be boiled during cooking, and the Score stove, a University of Nottingham project to encourage clean cooking through the addition of electricity generating materials to power lighting or charge mobile phones, are amongst the 23 finalists for The Siemens Stiftung “empowering people. Award”.
All the finalists are in with a chance to claim their share of prize pot worth 100,000€ which will be split between the top three winners at an Award Ceremony in Nairobi at the end of October. The final shortlist was chosen from over 800 entires from 90 different countries by an international jury of experts. They were judged not only on their technical quality and environmental impact, but also on their economic and social potential.
Rolf Huber, managing sirector of the Siemens Stiftung, said: “The entries on our shortlist impressively illustrate how simple technical solutions can dramatically change living conditions for the better. They provide access to water, energy, health, education and communication in a practicable and cost-efficient manner. They also create opportunities for the establishment of small businesses, new ways of generating income and improvements in daily life. We will therefore support the further development of selected technical solutions and we hope that partners from around the world will join us in this initiative.”
Regardless of their final position, both the Score stove and the Jompy Water Boiler will be permanently listed on a new database set up by the Siemens Stiftung and containing details of all submitted technological solutions which have been classified by experts as best-practice solutions. Developers and users of interesting products and solutions as well as potential investors and development organisations are to benefit from this database by receiving information on useful applications and technical possibilities as well as the varied experiences of their implementation on site.
Details on the shortlisted finalists can be found on the website, where votes can now be cast: www.empowering-people-award.siemens-stiftung.org.
