Nominees - Sustainability Innovation Award 2010
"We know that humanity is facing significant challenges, what we want to know is what to do about them... Innovators from around the globe see this challenge as an opportunity. They are tackling the world's most difficult problems head on - finding sustainable solutions that represent significant opportunities for people, planet and profit. The jury of noted experts from across the world faced a daunting challenge - choosing finalists from among the incredible applicants to this year's Globe Award for Sustainable Innovation. Careful deliberation of each candidate led to the identification of six semifinalists that stand out as exemplars of sustainable innovation – Beakon Technologies, Danone, Marine Current, MAS Intimates, Plantagon, and Southwest Windpower. On behalf of the jury, I extend our gratitude to all of the innovators who applied for this year’s award and our thanks for their participation. For the finalists who stood out among this crowd of exemplary candidates, the jury extends its congratulations for their leadership and inspiration." Philip DesAutels, Director, Microsoft, Researcher, Bentley University
The winner will be announced the 7th of April and the Award Ceremony will take place the 29th of April in Stockholm.
The full criteria for this category can be found here.
Beakon Technologies AB, Sweden – "Beakon Technologies is putting a patented Swedish breakthrough physical invention in the field of thermoelectric on the market converting waste heat, wherever it occurs, back into useful electric energy. The technology can also be applied to more energy efficient cooling and heating, replacing compressors wherever they are used." www.beakontech.com
Danone Sp z o. o., Poland – "Danone presented the calculation of emissions at each stage of product manufacture - including the production and delivery of raw materials and packaging, the usage of packaging by the consumer, as well as the determination of a goal for the company in the CO2 emission reduction area." www.danone.pl
Marine Current Turbines Ltd, UK – "SeaGen is a World First. It is the first commercial-scale tidal turbine, a novel technology where tidal currents can be used as an energy resource to drive submerged rotors, much like an underwater windmill but driven by flowing sea water. The SeaGen prototype was installed in May 2008 in Ireland. Hence the SeaGen prototype is unique in being the first machine to deliver energy from the sea on a commercial scale and as such it will be the starting point for a huge new clean power industry." www.marineturbines.com
MAS Intimates (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka – "MAS Intimates Thurulie is the world's first purpose-built eco-manufacturing plant for apparel. The company acclaimed sustainability plan. Transforming the supply chain towards sustainability was one of its targets. M&S teamed with MAS Intimates to design and construct a model green factory for apparel as part of Plan A. As a model, it was intended to demonstrate feasibility and technology as well as inspire other manufacturers to follow suit." www.masholdings.com
Plantagon International AB, Sweden – "The core of the Plantagon solution to a vertical greenhouse is a spiral-shaped transport mechanism that slowly moves thousands of soil-filled planting boxes upward as the plants grow. The Plantagon automated greenhouse is estimated to be 5–10 times more efficient than traditional ones when it comes to staff, and 2–4 times when it comes to profit per square meter. Compared to existing greenhouse technology, the Plantagon Greenhouse produces up to than 10 times more crops per ground area used." www.plantagon.com
Southwest Windpower, Inc., USA – "Southwest Windpower has always been about providing low cost energy to the people in order to better the planet. Its products are by no means the solution to the world’s energy challenges but they are the first to demonstrate on a micro scale that distributed renewable energy can be cost-effectively owned by the consumer. Their products are used to produce electricity for applications such as remote home/cabin lighting, water pumping & desalinization, telecom, remote clinics & schools, sailboats and village communication systems." www.windenergy.com