For the last in our end-of-year series, where members of the Ashden team choose favourite moments from the year, Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder-director of the awards, picks the moment the solar-powered lantern was chosen as the 100th Object.

It was great news that the solar lantern was chosen as the 100th object. It's a small object, but it represents a solution to two of our biggest global problems: climate change and poverty.

How we tackle climate change and how we reduce poverty are vital questions to address if we are going to survive the 21st Century. Clean renewable energy has to be the energy of the future and affordable, accessible energy is crucial for ending poverty. The 100th object in the series meets both those challenges.

A History of the World was an extraordinary radio series and we were very lucky and honoured that Neil MacGregor came to speak at this year's awards. There have been many great moments for us this year, but what was so special about this moment, the moment the solar-powered lamp was chosen as the 100th Object, is that it introduced to a much much wider audience the sense of potential and empowerment that local sustainable energy brings. That lies at the heart of what the Ashden team is trying to achieve. For all of us at the awards, the 100th Object was a terrific boost.

Nick Stern says solar power can free communities from corrupt practices,
In one hour from the sun, we get enough energy for a year,

On Saturday, BBC World News broadcast the final of the World Challenge 10 series. The winner was 'The Only Way is Up', the ram pump project from the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation (or AIDFI).

The Philippines-based initiative - which won an Ashden Award in 2007 - uses the power of a river's flow to push water uphill. AIDFI has introduced the pump to over 170 villages.

There were 800 nominations from over 70 countries, from which 12 projects were selected. More than 167,000 people round the world voted online for their favourite. 'The Only Way is Up Project' received US $20,000 prize from Shell.

(Pic: Auke Idzenga, Programme Director, receives award at BBC World Challenge ceremony)

See also: AIDFI now in Top Three for BBC World Challenge
AIDFI works hard for votes in last week of BBC challenge
AID foundation selected as finalist for BBC World Challenge
Blog Action Day: Ram pumps provide freshwater for 50,000 people

Last night’s episode of the Antiques Roadshow, which took place at the British Museum, ended by highlighting Radio Four’s 100th object.

Recommended TV tonight: Part Two of The Secret Life of the National Grid (BBC4 9pm). Part One was a hit in this office, and others agreed.

The New Statesman's TV reviewer said the series director, Gaby Hornsby, is

an extremely deft film-maker, and her documentaries manage to be not only comprehensive - crammed with technical and historical detail, not to mention priceless goodies from the film archives - but quirky, too.