LAHORE: GE ecomagination and Aramco Entrepreneurship on Tuesday launched an open global technology challenge to accelerate the development of solutions focused on improving the energy efficiency of seawater desalination.

The $200,000 challenge will be awarded to four winners with a prize of $50,000 each, and further investments towards commercialisation of the best ideas among all submissions will be considered, said a release.

Entries are being accepted at www.ninesights.com/community/ecomagination. The deadline to submit entries is July 16, and winners will be announced in September.

“The challenge aims to identify new solutions to lower total desalination costs and emissions through: cleaner energy sources; incorporating advanced materials; and integrating processes better. Solutions must be innovative, impactful, feasible and scalable across the globe. The challenge is the fifth since its launch in 2005,” said the release.