Global Energy Prize
The Global Energy Prize is an international award in the field of energy industry which is given for "outstanding scientific research and scientific-technical developments in the field of energy which promote greater efficiency and environmental security for energy sources on Earth in the interests of all mankind". It was founded in 2002 at the initiative of a Nobel Prize in Physics laureate Zhores Alferov. The headquarters are in Moscow, Russia. The prize is awarded by the President of Russia or "a person authorized by the president". The media and the professional community consider it "a biggest Russian award" and "one of the biggest in the world". Some depictions in the press described it as "a Russian analogue to the Nobel prize". This is confirmed by the IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence which includes the Prize in its "top-99" list of the most recognized global awards. It is the only award from Russia included in this list. The award is managed by The Global Energy Association, which is dedicated to the development of international research and projects in energy industry. Besides award, the Association oversees conferences and informational programmes in this field, programmes for younger scientists and produces an annual report "Ten breakthrough ideas in energy for the next 10 years". History The author of the concept was Zhores Alferov, Russian Nobel-winning physicist (2000), academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The prize was created in 2002 and Alferov was appointed the head of the International Committee for its awarding. The founders of the prize were PJSC Gazprom, PJCS Federal Grid Company of the Unified Energy Systems (FGC UES, Former JSC Unified Energy Systems of Russia) and Yukos. The creation of the prize was announced by Vladimir Putin at the 2002 Russia—European Union Summit. The first Global Energy Prize award ceremony took place in June 2003 at the Konstantinovsky Palace, Strelna (St Petersburg) and was attended by President Putin. The award was presented to three scientists: Nick Holonyak (USA), a professor at the University of Illinois, "for his invention of the first semiconductor LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in the visible region of the light spectrum, and his role as founder of the new field of silicon electronics and micro-electronics for power applications"; Ian Douglas Smith (USA), chief manager and senior researcher in Titan Pulse Sciences Division company, "for fundamental research into the physics of high-power pulse-energy engineering, and the development of pulsed power in electron accelerator applications", and a Russian scientist Gennady Mesyats for the same. For the prize's management, the Global Energy Prize Foundation was established. It was functional until 2010 and, besides the prize, launched a number of energy-related programs. In 2010 it was converted into a voluntary association, and in October 2016 it was renamed into The Association for the development of international research and projects in the energy sector "Global Energy". As of 2021, the Association's members are Gazprom, "Rosseti FGC UES" and Surgutneftegaz. Activities In 2020, the association broadened its geographical presence, so a new