The Zayed Future Energy Prize, an annual $4 million prize which recognises achievements in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability, has opened submissions and nominations for the 2016 award.

The award honours individuals, organisations and schools for advancing solutions that will meet the challenges of climate change, energy security and the environment.

The prize accepts submissions across four of the five categories: Large Corporation, Small and Medium Enterprise, Non-Profit Organisation and Global High Schools and nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, director-general of the Zayed Future Energy Prize said: “Innovation is a driving force for change – we need clean energy innovators to find sustainable solutions to the pressing global challenges facing the world today. The Zayed Future Energy Prize recognises leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs and students who strive for change and rewards them for their achievements.

“In seven years the Prize and its ambassadors have positively impacted the lives of more than150 million people around the world. The Prize invites the world most brilliant minds to join a growing network of international alumni,” said Dr Al Jaber.

Six months ago the Zayed Future Energy Prize received a record number of entries for this year’s awards with a total of 1,111 submissions and nominations from 84 countries. Nine winners collected the 2015 Prize at an awards ceremony on Monday, 19 January 2015, during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

In seven years, winners and finalists of the Zayed Future Energy Prize have touched the lives of over 150,000,000 million people – generating 190,000 MWh from renewables, reducing 800 million tonnes of carbon emissions, providing safe drinking water to 6 million people and introduced 350,000 people to sustainable solutions and management best practices. – TradeArabia News Service