The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation have announced a $2 million prize to support innovators and entrepreneurs providing access to green energy in Africa, the institute said on Thursday.
“Our ultimate goal would be to see a dramatic breakthrough change that's going to allow millions or more people to have access, in this case, to green energy,” Emily Musil Church, senior director of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at the Milken Institute, told The National in Abu Dhabi before its Middle East summit.
“Somebody is going to transform the lives of people, not just in Africa, but beyond,” she said.
The Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize programme is a series of competitions to help meet UN Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on Africa. The first round, launch in 2021, was focused on AgriTech, and will be awarded next year.
“We believe that testing in Africa and making sure that things work for African communities will also allow us to see what sort of solutions people can then scale into wherever they are in the world and adapt to whatever they need in their particular communities,” said Ms Church, who has previously worked with the X-Prize.
Non-profit Milken Institute, founded by former bond trader Michael Milken, said the winners of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy would receive $1 million, with an additional $1 million disbursed throughout the competition as finalists progress and test ideas.
Registration for the prize is open now. “There is no cost to apply, and anyone, anywhere in the world is eligible to submit their idea for consideration,” it said.
South African mining billionaire Patrice Motsepe and his wife, Precious Moloi-Motsepe, created their eponymous foundation in 1999 to help improve standards of living across Africa.
“We want to see the Sustainable Development Goals reached. We want to have as much reversal of any sort of emissions. We want to see a thriving economy. We want to see more entrepreneurs who are successful. But most importantly, we want the outcome from these technologies to be able to transform the lives of people who need them,” said Ms Church.
Leaders at the Cop27 climate summit, being held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, are working to increase funding for clean energy projects to help support the push to net zero and reduce global warming. The summit has been billed as one for Africa, which has experienced an outsized impact from climate change despite being one of the lowest emitting regions in the world. An abundance of solar and wind resources could help countries on the continent increase clean energy to provide greater access to electricity and close the demand gap.
Ms Church said grassroots efforts from entrepreneurs would support top-down measures.
“This particular competition is saying, 'How can we make sure that these green energy sources are working well, are sustainable, are affordable, reliable, all of those things',” she said. “So, while this is [about] green energy, what the bigger picture [is] and the debate around how businesses can support their own economy, is not what we're here to displace.”
One of the aims of the Milken-Motsepe competition is to help develop infrastructure in remote areas.
“We're actually pushing people … to have significant amounts of green energy, not just for light, which is great [but] we want people to have lots of different sources”, especially for those in areas which are off grid, Ms Church said.
“This has to be serious power for people to start a business, even off the grid that they can have access to serious energy [and] not [just] a small amount.”
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Astra%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdallah%20Abu%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%20investment%20and%20development%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Result
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Brraq, Ryan Curatolo (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m; Winner: Bright Melody, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Naval Crown, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m; Winner: Volcanic Sky, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Zainhom, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
More on Quran memorisation:
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
