The US-based companies GivePower foundation and Zero Mass Water won the first and third place, respectively in the Innovative Projects Award – Small Projects category, at the 2nd cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award. 

 

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, has awarded the winners at a special event held in Dubai.

 

GivePower Foundation won first place in the Innovative Projects Award – Small Projects category that is worth $120,000. Give Power's project, Blu Drop Solar Water Farm, is a solar-powered desalination unit that fits into a container. 

 

It requires 4 watt-hours per litre of water, and can provide access to clean water for up to 20 years. Each unit runs on 50 kW of solar power and 6 solar inverters, and stores 120 kWh in 9 Tesla Powerwalls.

 

Zero Mass Water in partnership with the UAE's International Business Ventures (IBV), won Third place in the same category (worth $48,000) for implementing Zero Mass Water's Source hydropanel technology, which extracts water vapour from the air to condense, mineralise, and deliver clean drinking water in the Platinum Heritage Resort in Dubai, UAE. 

 

The resort has 100 Source hydropanels installed on site, with each hydropanel producing 5 L/day of water (at a relative humidity 40 per cent and 30oC), even at lower levels of solar energy.

 

"The Award affirms the UAE's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Suqia UAE is committed to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE's position as a hub for innovation and excellence," said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Suqia.

 

The award with prizes totalling $1 million- encourages research centres, individuals, and innovators around the world to find sustainable and innovative solutions for scarcity and pollution of water that use solar power. -- Tradearabia News Service