For the first time ever, applications have been received from the following countries: Belarus, Benin, Botswana, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Mali, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The highest numbers of unique nomination applications have come from Russia (14), China (10), Nigeria (6), the United States (5), India (4) and Brazil (3).
“The geographical expansion of the nomination for the Prize further showcase that the scientific knowledge for energy is becoming truly global. Developing countries continue to increase their consumption of energy to meet the SDG targets on energy for all. At the same time, leading countries in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are setting ambitious goals to reduce emissions, which is stimulating innovations in renewable energy. As a consequence, there is a growing demand for technological breakthroughs that increase the availability of “clean” energy,” says Rae Kwon Chung, Nobel Prize laureate and Chairman of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee.
New Ways of Energy Application has proven to be the most popular category this year with 39 applications, most of which have to do with such topics as New materials used in modern energy engineering (21) and Efficient energy use (13). Another 30 applications were submitted in the Non-Conventional Energy category, with 20 applications in renewable energy, fuel cells and hydrogen energy (2), and bioenergetics (3). The Conventional Energy category is represented by 21 applications, of which 9 deal with exploration, production, transportation and processing of energy resources, 3 focus on nuclear energy and 9 on heat power industry.
The drawing up of the long list marks the first stage of the Prize’s nomination cycle. After that, the applications will be sent to be evaluated by independent technical experts who will rank the submissions on the basis of a fixed set of criteria, including scientific novelty and practical value. Fifteen of the best applications receiving the highest score from the experts will make the short list in three categories: Conventional Energy, Non-Conventional Energy and New Ways of Energy Application.
The laureates of the Prize will be chosen during a closed meeting of the International Award Committee, with the results to be announced at the public ceremony of the official announcement of the laureates that will be held in July.
