Two Indian firms, Abellon CleanEnergy and Husk Power Systems, have won the prestigious Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, considered the ‘Green Oscar’. A cash prize of £20,000 each were given to the two firms at a ceremony held here last night.
Pankaj Patel, chief of Abellon CleanEnergy, Gujarat, received the International Award and a cash prize of £20,000 on behalf of the company for producing biomass pellets from crop waste fuelling Gujarat’s industries and giving farmers a market for their waste products.
Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder director of the Ashden Awards and chair of the judging panel said: “Abellon has devised a system that relies on a local clean source of energy to reduce carbon dioxide, by replacing dirty industrial fuels, drive economic growth, improve crops yields and support farmers...This is a showcase example of how the use of local, clean energy can provide effective and commercially viable solutions to local challenges. We hope others can learn from this exciting and successful initiative.”
Gyanesh Pandey received the award and cash prize on behalf of Husk Power Systems, Bihar, which built 65 power plants across the state fired by gasified rice husks, embedded local grids and hired local people to help run the operations. They now supply electricity to around 180,000 people. “There is bound to be great demand for our project as our plant is the cheapest capital intensive plant,” Pandey said. Asked if the firm got any other support, he said the ministry of new and renewable energy is subsidising to the extent of 40 per cent of capital cost.
