There is no shortage of global energy problems to solve – meeting the electricity needs of rising populations while simultaneously slowing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, generating a skilled labor pool for a shifting energy landscape, and looming water shortages in arid regions, to name a few.
And there are plenty of very smart, capable people working on these issues. But good ideas may come from unexpected places. Statoil is sponsoring a contest, managed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, to try to broaden the pool of talent searching for innovative energy solutions.
“Fresh thinking from new talent could help solve the world’s energy crisis,” says Statoil on the contest homepage.
The call for submissions targets students, graduates, energy industry professionals and other energy experts. Entries – in essay, video or infographic form – can be on any of the following three subjects:
- Well-trained engineers, technicians and scientists are critical to the energy sector. How can schools and businesses enhance STEM skills? How can they make energy-related professions more attractive? (Not like this)
- What technologies or innovations can be harnessed to tackle the twin challenges of satisfying growing energy demand and reducing carbon dioxide emissions?
- What policies or technologies can be used to provide access to electricity for the 1.5 billion people in developing countries that currently live without it?
If you win, you get a place on the webinar at the end of the contest, a trip to Oslo for Statoil’s 2014 autumn conference, a feature in The Economist’s digital version on the winning entry, and a print and digital subscription to The Economist. Got any ideas? You can find more information here.
