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Shaping the Saltire Prize
13/08/2008
The development of the largest ever Government innovation prize will reflect the views of a range of Scotland's energy experts, Jim Mather said today.
The Energy Minister brought together around 60 representatives of the energy and renewables industry, academia and the public sector to help shape the £10 million Saltire Prize.
The Prize will galvanise Scottish and international scientists to push the frontiers of innovation in clean, green marine renewable energy.
Jim Mather said:
"The Saltire Prize will make Scotland a world leader in the development of marine renewable technology.
"Setting the Prize will be a first for this Government, or indeed any government in recent times. We are in uncharted waters and we know that we don't have all the answers for defining a Prize which will transform renewable energy technology in Scotland and across the world. That's why we asked a wide cross section of Scottish business and society to tell us their ideas on how to ensure the Prize will push the technological boundaries and be a success for Scotland.
"With our partner National Geographic reaching 360 million people every month, we have already generated a huge level of interest. Today I sensed the buzz building around the Prize and asked how we can ensure the Saltire Prize meets our core aims - an ambitious, transformational and achievable Prize which will benefit the world. There was a huge amount of enthusiasm expressed and many useful suggestions to steer the way ahead and feed in to the design of the Prize."
The Scottish Government has introduced a target to provide 50 per cent of Scottish electricity demand from renewables by 2020 and 31 per cent by 2011 - equivalent to around 5000 Megawatts of installed capacity.
Scotland's renewable energy potential could see it provide 25 per cent of Europe's wind power, 25 per cent of its tidal power and 10 per cent of the continent's wave power.
Terry Garcia of the National Geographic Society and Anne Glover, Scotland's Chief Scientific Adviser, are the first two members of an expert committee to be approached by the Scottish Government to help shape the Saltire Prize. The international prize committee will define full details of the challenge and announce it during the St. Andrew's Day celebrations. Other committee members will be announced shortly.