Net-Zero Industries Award

Eligibility

Submissions in all categories must address the decarbonisation of heavy industry in the iron & steel, cement & lime, chemical & refining or other energy-intensive and hard-to-abate sectors.

In the Outstanding Projects category, we accept submissions from companies, research institutes, universities, and project consortia on implemented projects and projects with secured funding, inspiring pilot projects and research work. This includes all technology readiness levels, from initial lab tests to prototypes to demonstrations and solutions available to consumers.

The Female Innovators category is open to women in all their diversity. We accept submissions from individuals. It is about their performance, not that of their employer or company. The award recognises women working on breakthrough innovations to decarbonise heavy industry and it celebrates those women innovators who are making a difference through their work, whether in research, corporate leadership, public administration, or an international initiative.

In the Young Talents category, we accept submissions of scientific works (e.g. thesis, dissertation, journal article, scientific publication) with thematic relevance for the above-mentioned sectors. Participation is limited to individuals who are not older than 35 years (=the age of 36 must not be reached by 31^st of December 2023).

AWARD CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be evaluated against the following award criteria:

• Breakthrough innovation – the project/solution or work of the applicant is pioneering a breakthrough and disruptive innovation for the decarbonization of heavy industries.
• Impact – the submission addresses a real need or challenge and contributes to enabling radical emissions reduction in heavy industries at lowest costs.
• Scientific excellence and overall quality of content
• Inspiration– the application/ the applicant is a role model and or frontrunner, who inspires others [only applicable for the category “Female Innovators”]

Summary

The Mission Innovation Net-Zero Industries Award honors the world’s best innovations for industrial decarbonization.

As energy intensive industries are responsible for around 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, RD&D over the next decade will be critical to develop and validate innovative industrial processes and technologies that enable radical emissions reductions at lowest costs. There is a need to accelerate the development of key technologies to become commercially available no later than 2030, to ensure that they can be taken up in the market in time for the next 25-year refurbishment cycle. Therefore, we have created these awards for “Innovations in Net-Zero Industries”.

CATEGORIES

The MI NZI Award recognizes the extraordinary efforts made by individuals and organizations in three distinct categories.

The first category is Outstanding Projects. We are seeking projects that revolutionize industries, disrupt the status quo, and set new benchmarks for decarbonisation in energy intensive industries.

The second category is Female Innovators. Women play a pivotal role in shaping our society and have an immense potential to lead the change towards a net-zero future. We want to honor exemplary women who have broken barriers, shattered glass ceilings, and are driving change in industries. Your contributions are invaluable, and this is your moment to be acknowledged for your remarkable achievements.

Last but certainly not least, we have the Young Talents category. We firmly believe that the power to drive change lies within our young minds, brimming with fresh ideas and unwavering determination. We want to celebrate the young trailblazers, the visionaries of tomorrow, who are already making remarkable strides towards a sustainable world. If you are a young professional or a student, this is your opportunity to be recognized as a driving force in the fight for industrial deep decarbonization.

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

Open for submissions from 15th of May 2024, 17:00 CEST, to 1st of Sep. 2024, 24:00 CEST

Applications must contain all the required information and supporting documents:

• Online user account and Application — administrative information about the applicant to be filled in directly online in the online submission portal
• Application Form —technical description of the submission. To be downloaded from this website (see above), completed and re-uploaded to the online submission portal
• Annexes – Applicants can support their application with additional documents to be uploaded in the submission portal (details on the mandatory and optional attachments for each category are to be found in the application forms)

AWARDING CEREMONY

After the evaluation of all submissions by a qualified jury of experts, we will get in touch with all applicants to notify them about the results.

The winners in each category of the 2023 Net-Zero Industries Award will be announced in a ceremony at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) 30 Nov – 12 Dec 2023, Expo City Dubai. Winners will be notified 3-4 weeks before the beginning of COP28.