In 15 June 2014, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launching of the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Water Award with total prize of USD 1 million.
The global award aims to encourage leading corporations, research centers, institutions and innovators from across the world to compete to find sustainable and innovative solar-energy solutions to water problems.
Award Categories:
• Innovative Youth Award: The project submitted by the applicant must present an innovative technological solution to address water scarcity exclusively using solar energy to produce safe drinking water in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The project presented must be a practical, proven solution with measurable results in operation for at least 3 months prior to the date of submission of the application. Applicants must be below the age of 40.
• Innovative Youth Award: Project presented by the applicant must be a practical, proven solution with measurable results in operation for at least 12 months prior to the date of submission of the application. The project must clearly demonstrate the use of solar energy to produce safe drinking water in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, along with production capacity, technical limitations, disinfection systems, operation and maintenance requirements, and any innovative solution to improve efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
• Innovative Research and Development Award: Project submitted by the applicant must demonstrate workability or measurable results by means of a prototype or pilot in operation for at least 6 months prior to the date of submission of the application. The project must be developed and executed in-house with the aim of extracting safe drinking water from natural sources in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, providing necessary water treatment and purifying the product water from possible anthropologic and natural pollutants, while relying exclusively on solar energy. The project should preferably be a solution that can easily be installed, operated and maintained without the need for specialized manpower and equipment in different and harsh ambient conditions using low cost and maintenance friendly technology.