Cambodian water filter initiative wins coveted green energy award

30 May 2012 – London – An energy-saving water filter that saves users time, fuel and money has won a coveted Ashden Award. The joint venture between iDE and Hydrologic was awarded some £20,000 in prize money at a prestigious ceremony in London this evening after joining other Award winners at a meeting with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at Clarence House.

The NGO iDE and its for-profit subsidiary Hydrologic Social Enterprise’s ceramic water filters mean rural families have safe drinking water without using wood to boil it – so protecting health as well as Cambodia’s precious forests. With over 226,000 of the water filters sold so far via NGO programmes, shops and rural sales agents, some 420,000 people are benefiting, and so far 41,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions are currently being saved every year.

The Ashden Judges said: :"This is a wonderful small business that’s bringing huge health and environmental benefits to Cambodia. Instead of having to continue to destroy the country’s precious forests to make their water safe, people now have access to a desirable consumer product that protects health and Cambodia’s trees."

Said Michael Roberts, iDE's Cambodia Country Director: "In establishing Hydrologic, iDE set out to deliver clean water solutions to base-of-the-pyramid customers, creating social and environmental benefits while at the same time being financially self-sustaining."

“Our aim is not only that Hydrologic reaches this goal but to prove a concept that entices other market players to replicate and improve on what we have done. Winning this Ashden Award gives us a significant boost toward ensuring Hydrologic's success and a magnificent platform for sharing our experience more broadly."

The Award was presented by Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of UNIDO and Chair of UN-Energy, who in his keynote speech urged governments around the world to use the opportunity of Rio+20 in June increase their support for clean energy pioneers like iDE/Hydrologic.

Said Dr. Yumkella: “The decisions that will be taken at Rio will carry consequences for generations to come. Governments around the world must act urgently to agree the right policies and investment incentives that nurture these and other sustainable energy champions, before it’s too late."

Detailed information, a film and photos.

Key facts
• 20% of Cambodia's forest cover has been lost in the last 20 years.
• 90% of the population relies on wood for fuel.
• Diarrhea kills 10,000 Cambodians a year, most of them children and young people.

Notes to editors

1. The Ashden Awards were founded in 2001 to encourage the greater use of local sustainable energy to address climate change and alleviate poverty. Since then they have rewarded over 140 green energy champions across the UK and the developing world lives of 33 million people worldwide, saving over 4 million tonnes of CO2 every year.  Ashden’s Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales.

2. This year’s four international winners and a Gold Award winner were awarded a total of £120,000 in prize money to help them scale up their work.

3. iDE/Hydrologic have been recognised with the Award for Avoided Deforestation, supported by the Waterloo Foundation.

4. The UN has designated 2012 as the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All. In response, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has launched a new global initiative – Sustainable Energy for All – which aims to achieve three major objectives by 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

5. Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella is the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) as well as Chair of UN-Energy, a UN umbrella body dealing with energy-related issues. He plays a key international role in raising awareness of the need for universal access to energy, increased energy efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources of energy – the three major goals of the UN Sustainable Energy For All campaign.