The recent 10th CBC Anniversary Black-Tie Gala #TogetherWeAreStronger, held at the iconic Künstler House in Munich, Germany. This prestigious event featured the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards (WCSA2024) Ceremony, recognizing the most innovative and disruptive CleanTech and Clean Hydrogen startups, along with their visionary founders, investors, and highly effective accelerators. Honorees included ROSI, Hydrogen Intelligence, Xin (Jimmy) Cai, and Ege Teknopark.
Building on the success of its inaugural WCSA2023 edition, WCSA2024 has evolved into a more specialized awards program, now featuring four distinct categories:
The WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award: Awarded to the startup demonstrating the most impactful, visionary, and disruptive technology innovation. It recognizes groundbreaking contributions to the CleanTech sector that have the potential to significantly alter industry standards and practices.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Founder Award (Dr. Charlie Gay Award): Recognizes a founder who has significantly advanced clean technologies from niche to mainstream markets, driving transformative change in the industry.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Accelerator Award (Prof. Eicke R. Weber Award): Recognizes an accelerator that has effectively nurtured groundbreaking innovations in the CleanTech sector, helping to bring disruptive technologies to the forefront of the global market.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Investor Award (Paddy Padmanathan Award): Presented to an investor who has played a pivotal role in scaling clean technologies globally, supporting startups that catalyze sustainable development.
During the Awards Ceremony in Munich, the winners in the first three categories were unveiled. They are presented below.
WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award
Powered by ACWA Power and in strategic partnership with the CleanTech Business Club and the New Energy Industry Association for Asia and the Pacific (representing SNEC, the flagship event series in the solar, energy storage, and hydrogen fields), the The WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award featured a judging panel comprised of industry experts and leading CleanTech entrepreneurs.
Recognising Outstanding Entries
The Jury received 33 outstanding entries from 14 countries, necessitating additional time for careful evaluation. After an extensive jury review process, involving a two-step approach and an additional jury call, the Awards Jury, composed of 46 distinguished members, selected the 10 finalists. Among these finalists, four are led by women entrepreneurs, showcasing the diversity and inclusivity within the CleanTech sector:
Dual-functions shading screens for energy generation and sustainable food production by Mirai Solar from Saudi Arabia
High value recycling of end-of-life PV modules by ROSI from France
Enhanced durability solar panels with new packaging materials by N5 Solar Inc. from the USA
RienLIGHT Water Box by Schrödinger Technologie from Nigeria
Busbar-free Technology (0BB) by Cannnovation Low Carbon NET from China
Revolutionizing Urban Mobility: The Pixii Motors Smart Scooter Initiative by Pixii Motors from Tunisia
OnePlastic by OneGrid Energies from Nigeria
Off-grid Solar Powered Cold storage solutions by Solaristique Nigeria Limited from Nigeria
Hydrogen Hybrid Powertrain by HTM Hydro Technology Motors from Germany
Development of hydrogen ecosystem for three-wheelers in India by Hydrogen Intelligence from France
... and the Winners are:
WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award: ROSI for High value recycling of end-of-life PV modules
Description: ROSI provides cutting-edge solutions for recycling and revalorizing raw materials in the photovoltaic industry. Utilizing advanced technologies, ROSI recovers high-purity silicon and other metals that are typically lost during the production of photovoltaic cells and at the end-of-life of solar panels.
Problem Statement: A significant amount of old solar modules are awaiting proper recycling. Effective recycling and revalorization not only reduce industrial waste but also supply valuable raw materials for industries such as photovoltaics, semiconductors, and batteries.
Proposed Solution: ROSI focuses on the development, industrialization, and operation of high-quality raw material recycling, including silicon, silver, copper, glass, and aluminum, from end-of-life PV modules. Its innovative technologies have achieved the highest purity levels of raw materials ever obtained from end-of-life PV modules.
Learn more about ROSI on their website HERE and from the below video:
WCSA2024 Special Distinction in Hydrogen & eMobility: Hydrogen Intelligence for Development of hydrogen Ecosystem for three wheelers in India
Description: A company specializing in developing fully integrated energy systems combining batteries and fuel cells, in partnership with OSM, one of India's leading three-wheeler manufacturers, has created the first hydrogen-powered three-wheeler. This innovative vehicle will be showcased at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans competition, aiming to set a record by achieving over 900 km of range without refueling. This demonstration underscores the immense potential of hydrogen as a viable and efficient energy source for transportation.
Problem Statement: The project tackles the limitations of battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) in India, particularly three-wheelers. Despite the growing adoption of EVs, significant challenges remain in the transition to electric mobility. These challenges include a limited range, typically under 300 km, and the underdeveloped state of the electric charging infrastructure in India, compounded by a weak grid that hampers infrastructure deployment.
Proposed Solution: The low-power fuel cell is ideal for the Indian market due to its simplicity, robustness, and cost competitiveness. By integrating a fuel cell and a hydrogen tank, the system aims to achieve a range of 400 km with a charging time of less than 5 minutes using less than 2 kg of hydrogen. The infrastructure is extremely lightweight, with a filling station requiring just a 5m² footprint. With no need for cooling, minimal storage, and pressures not exceeding 350 bars, low-cost refueling stations can be developed and deployed anywhere. By establishing a network of small refueling stations, the project facilitates the large-scale deployment of zero-emission solutions.
Learn more about Hydrogen Intelligence and its innovation in the below video:
WCSA2024 Visionary Founder Award (Dr. Charlie Gay Award): Xin (Jimmy) Cai, Founder & Managing Director, Jiangsu HuaDe Hydrogen
Xin (Jimmy) Cai, Founder and Managing Director of Jiangsu HuaDe Hydrogen, was born in 1989 and holds dual Master's degrees in Communication Engineering and Business Administration.
Leveraging three years of technical development in signal processing, Jimmy has established himself as a leader in project management and team direction. Driven by a profound dedication to environmental sustainability, he embarked on an entrepreneurial journey in the new energy sector, specifically focusing on hydrogen energy and fuel cells.
Over the past six years, Jimmy has spearheaded strategic collaborations with international technology partners, fostered the growth of a domestic team, and led the independent development of cutting-edge technologies and products. His company now boasts a comprehensive portfolio of fuel cell stacks, fuel cell power generation systems, and electrolyzer systems, with a focus on hydrogen energy storage applications. These products have gained significant traction in global markets, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, India, and various domestic regions, attracting several rounds of investments from leading private equity funds.
Jimmy remains firmly committed to the advancement of hydrogen energy, aiming to contribute significantly to the development of a hydrogen-based economy and the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
Learn here about his company Huade Hydrogen HERE
WCSA2024 Visionary Accelerator Award (Prof. Eicke R. Weber Award): Ege Teknopark, Izmir, Turkey
Ege Teknopark is a leading innovation and technology hub based in Izmir, Turkey. It fosters the growth of startups and innovative companies by providing a dynamic ecosystem for research and development. With a focus on CleanTech and renewable energy solutions, Ege Teknopark supports entrepreneurs through comprehensive incubation programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and access to a network of industry experts and investors. Their commitment to sustainable innovation has made Ege Teknopark a pivotal player in advancing Turkey's technological landscape and promoting green energy solutions globally.
We are thrilled that EGE Teknopark is coordinating the Investment Network for Sustainability Focused Startups (IN4SFS)) under the prestigious HORIZON Europe, the EU Research & Innovation Program. The CleanTech Business Club is proud to be one of the seven partners in this initiative, furthering our commitment to advancing sustainable innovation.
Learn about Ege Tecnopark on their website HERE
Last but not least, Sincere Congratulations on behalf of the entire CBC Community!
Congratulations to the finalists and winners on behalf of the entire CBC community. To accelerate the transformation in CleanTech, Clean Hydrogen, and Clean Water, we need increased collaboration among industry leaders, investors, and startups to bring innovative solutions to market. The WCSA2024 finalists and winners prove that there are many promising innovations out there. We just need to connect them with the right investors and partners to help them grow and scale up, benefiting the entire community.
See Pictures Gallery from the CBC's 10th Anniversary Black-Tie Gala HERE
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