Downloads:
- Rules of contest incl. evaluation criteria Vs 2.0
- Application Form – Category Outstanding Projects
- Application Form – Category Female Innovators
- Application Form – Category Young Talents
APPLY THROUGH THE ONLINE SUBMISSION SYSTEM
Open for submissions from 15th of May 2024, 17:00 CEST, to 1st of Sep. 2024, 24:00 CEST
ABOUT
The Net-Zero Industries Award recognises and celebrates outstanding contributions to industrial decarbonisation. It shines a light on the people and projects that are revolutionising energy-intensive industries and driving substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
To celebrate the trailblazers spearheading this transformation, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Industries Mission established the Net-Zero Industries Award as the first global competition for outstanding work on industrial decarbonisation.
CATEGORIES
In its second edition, the Net-Zero Industries Award 2024 again recognises the extraordinary efforts made by individuals and organizations in three categories:
Outstanding Projects
We are seeking projects that revolutionise industries, disrupt the status quo, and set new benchmarks for decarbonisation in energy-intensive industries.
Female Innovators
Women play a pivotal role in shaping our society and have immense potential to lead the change towards a net-zero future. We want to honour exemplary women who have broken barriers and are driving change in industries. Your contributions are invaluable, and this is your moment to be acknowledged for your remarkable achievements.
Young Talents
We firmly believe that the power to drive change lies within 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 recognised as a driving force in the fight for industrial decarbonisation.
SPECIAL PRIZE FOR INTERNATIONAL ADVANCEMENT IN INDUSTRIAL DECARBONISATION
The transition to net-zero emissions demands concerted efforts from every corner of the globe. By acknowledging outstanding contributions from the global south, the Net-Zero Industries Mission (NIM) recognizes that this challenge is a collective endeavor. Encouraging and highlighting innovation and progress in industrial decarbonization across diverse regions ensures a more equitable and effective transition. The Special Prize for International Advancement in Industrial Decarbonization not only celebrates achievements but also catalyzes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy alignment. It reinforces the idea that our collective journey toward net-zero emissions knows no geographical boundaries and requires global collaborative efforts.
The best submission from the global south across all categories will be awarded the Special Prize for International Advancement in Industrial Decarbonisation.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
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 your performance, not that of your employer or company. The award recognises women working on breakthrough innovations to decarbonise heavy industry and it celebrates 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 not older than 35 years (the age of 36 must not be reached by 31 December 2024).
RESUBMISSION OF ENTRIES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR
It is permitted to resubmit entries from the previous year. This excludes the overall winners in all three categories and the national winners in all categories. Companies and organisation that have already submitted a project in the Outstanding Projects category in 2023 and have thus become the overall winner or national winner can still submit other projects in 2024.
AWARD CRITERIA
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 decarbonisation 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/applicant is a role model and or frontrunner, who inspires others (only applicable for the ‘Female Innovators‘ category)
A more detailed description on the award criteria can be found in the document “Rules of Contest”
HOW TO APPLY
Applications open at 15th of May 2024, 17:00 CEST and close at 1st of Sept. 2024, 24:00 CEST
Applications must provide all required information and supporting documents in the online submission system:
- Online user account — Create an account and complete information about the applicant
- Application Form — Technical description of the submission. Differs for every category. To be downloaded from this website (see above), completed and re-uploaded to the online submission portal.
- The number of characters given at the end of the questions in the application forms must not be exceeded. Evaluators will not consider any additional text.
- Attachments — Applicants can support their application by providing additional documents. Details of mandatory and optional attachments for each category can be found in the Rules of contest document.
AWARD CEREMONY
After the evaluation of all submissions by an independent expert jury, all applicants will be notified of the results.
The winners in each category of the Net-Zero Industries Award 2024 will be announced in a ceremony. It is currently planned to hold the award ceremony at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) 11– 22 November in Baku, Azerbaijan. However, please note that this is subject to final confirmation.
Winners and all other submitters will be informed about the outcome of the evaluation at the latest 3 weeks before the award ceremony.
NATIONAL NET-ZERO INDUSTRIES AWARDS
The best project submission from each Net-Zero Industries Mission core mission member country will be awarded: Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Net-Zero Industries Award will showcase the outstanding innovations in each country.
For further information, please check out the Net-Zero Industries Mission webpage.
