Photo: winner of green award 2006

London, June 22: A project in India to turn waste food into cooking gas was among the winners of environmental awards announced on Thursday.

Also honoured were a stove design from China that uses crop waste, affordable solar power projects in Laos and Tanzania, and a Bangladeshi solar energy boat project. Each won a prize of 30,000 pounds ($60,000) in the five international categories of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy.

"Our winners show how sustainable energy can improve health, education and livelihoods and at the same time reduce carbon emissions," said Sarah Butler-Sloss, who headed the judging panel.

"If these technologies were expanded and replicated on a large scale, they would play a significant role in helping us to tackle climate change and poverty. What we need now is the political will to scale up and roll out these solutions."

The Ashden Awards were founded in 2001 by the Ashden Trust, one of the Sainsbury family charitable trusts.

They are awarded each year to deserving projects that can benefit local communities and also be expanded to boost sustainable development.

There is an international and a British section.

The five international categories are enterprise, food security, light and power, education and welfare, and Africa.

China's Beijing Shenzhou Daxu Bio-Energy Technology Company Ltd won the enterprise award, India's Biotech won food security, Sunlabob Renewable Energies Ltd of Laos won light and power, Bangladesh's Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha won Education and Tanzania's Zara Solar Ltd won the Africa award.

There was an outstanding achievement award of 15,000 pounds ($30,000) for an Indian company, Selco, which provides affordable solar power systems to the poor.

Bureau Report