BWI: Scotland's ‘Energy Challenge to the World ' Unveiled

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Scottish Development International
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 04:40 PM IST (11:10 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Environment; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Business services, Energy companies; Technology
Release no: 18658
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Scotland's 'Energy Challenge to the World ' Unveiled


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Wednesday, December 03, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- £10 Million Saltire Prize to Push Frontiers of Innovation in Green Marine Energy - First Minister

-- Indian Economist and Environmental Scientist Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri Part of the World Wide Saltire Prize Challenge Committee

Details of one of the world's biggest ever international innovation prizes were unveiled in Edinburgh today.

The £10 million Saltire Prize will be awarded to the team which successfully demonstrates - in Scottish waters - the best commercially viable wave or tidal technology capable of providing electricity to thousands of homes.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is to host a reception at Edinburgh Castle for an audience of leading scientists, environmentalists and potential entrants to the competition, where the much-anticipated details of the challenge will be revealed.

The international experts on the Saltire Prize Challenge Committee met earlier today where they agreed the terms of the world's largest single prize for renewable marine energy development.

The international committee includes renowned economist Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri highlighting the importance of collaboration between Scotland and India in the field environmental sciences.

Professor Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland and Chair of the Challenge Committee, will announce the details of the challenge, which is:

The Saltire Prize will be awarded to the team that can demonstrate in Scottish waters a commercially viable wave or tidal energy technology that achieves a minimum electrical output of 100 GWh over a continuous 2 year period using only the power of the sea and is judged to be the best overall technology after consideration of cost, environmental sustainability and safety.

The First Minister said:

"The Scottish Government's £10 million Saltire Prize is one of the biggest international innovation prizes in history

"It is Scotland's energy challenge to the world - a challenge to the brightest and best minds worldwide to unleash their talents and push the frontiers of innovation in green marine energy.

"The Saltire Prize has the potential to unlock Scotland's vast marine energy wealth, putting our nation at the very forefront of the battle against climate change, to make a lasting and decisive difference to our planet.

"The Saltire Prize Challenge Committee has tasked the world's leading scientists and innovators to design, build and test a renewable marine energy device, in Scottish waters, which is capable of powering thousands upon thousands of households. Scotland has one quarter of Europe's tidal power potential; the Pentland Firth is our Saudi Arabia of renewable marine energy.

"The prize-winning solution will herald a historical breakthrough in renewable development and strengthen Scotland's place in the world as a leader in clean, green energy.

"The reward for Scotland is to maximise our natural resources and competitive advantage in renewable energy, lead the fight against climate change and reap the full economic benefits that come with the position of a world-leader in renewable energy.

"I would like to thank all the Challenge Committee and the Technical Advisory Board for their work and I wish all the possible entrants the very best of luck."

Professor Anne Glover, Chair of the Challenge Committee, said:

"Scotland has an outstanding history in science, engineering and technology and continues to excel. It is natural that we set an inspirational challenge to the world. The Saltire Prize challenge aims to accelerate the rate at which wave and tidal technologies can deliver power output that will represent real commercial opportunity. And make a meaningful contribution to Scotland's ambitious renewable energy and carbon emissions targets."

Members of the Saltire Prize Challenge Committee are:

- Professor Anne Glover is Chair of the Committee and Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland;

- Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri is an economist and environmental scientist who has served as the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 2002;

- Dr Bernard J Bulkin is a world leader in energy technology and education, and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Energy Institute;

- Nicholas Moore Eisenberger is an environmental entrepreneur and business strategist who serves on the X-Prize Foundation Energy and Environment Advisory Board;

- Terry D. Garcia is Executive Vice President for mission programs for the NationalGeographic Society;

- Richard Hemsley is Chief Operating Officer, Group Manufacturing Division at the Royal Bank of Scotland;

- Professor Paul Jowitt is Vice President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh;

- Jaison Morgan is senior director of Prize Development with the X Prize Foundation;

- Jonathan Porritt CBE is Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission and co founder of Forum for the Future;

- Professor Lu Yongxiang is Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

- David Wilson is Director of Enterprise, Energy and Tourism within the Scottish Government.

A Technical Advisory Board has also been established. Membership includes:

Professor Jim McDonald (Chair), Professor .Johannes Falnes, Professor Stephen Salter, Professor Anne Glover, Professor António Sarmento, Dr Stephen Wyatt, Richard Knight and Dr Alison Wall.

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

-- Consultation on Saltire Prize guidelines will open in January and close in March 2009

-- Entries will be open from Summer 2009

-- Entries will be closed by June 2013

-- The Saltire Prize will be awarded on the basis of demonstrated 2 years production in a way that best satisfies the criteria of the prize

-- For images and downloads, please visit: www.scotland.gov.uk/saltireprizedownloads.




CONTACT DETAILS
Siddharth Kumar, Comma Consulting, +91 (011) 46003200, skumar@comma.in
Shilpa Gupta, Comma Consulting, +91 (011) 46003200, sgupta@comma.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENVIRONMENT, CONSULTANCY SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, ENERGY, TECHNOLOGY

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