The prestigious $1.5 million 2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize was presented to Danish manufacturer of wind turbines, Vestas, in recognition of its outstanding leadership to pioneer wind energy.

Vestas has played a major role in forging a path for the renewable energy industry.  It has made more than 41,000 turbines for customers in 65 countries across five continents – creating more wind power capacity than any other company. The company’s turbines generate more than 60 million MWh of energy each year, enough to power 21 million people.

“Sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of our time and I am proud that the Zayed Future Energy Prize continues to reward those that help advance us on this important journey,” stated Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, director general of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.

The winner and the runner-up awards were chosen from a total of 391 submissions from 69 countries.

Amory B Lovins, chairman and chief wcientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute was awarded a runner-up prize of $350,000 for his work on an “integrative design” methodology for energy efficient buildings, vehicles and factories.

E+Co, a clean-energy investment company, was also awarded a runner-up prize of $350,000 and congratulated for its pioneering investments in the developing world.

Following the award, Vestas announced it would split the prize into two portions.  The first $750,000 will be donated to a brand new NGO named WindMade that has seven prominent partners: The UN Global Compact, The World Wildlife Fund, the Global Wind Energy Council, Bloomberg, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Lego.

The second $750,000 will split between other finalists:
•        Bunker Roy, director, Barefoot College, the only fully solar electrified college in India, for training woman in rural areas to contribute to solar energy development.
•        Jons Van der Hyden, vice president, Business Development Emea, First Solar, solar modules manufacturer based in Arizona, for its commitment to solar energy and the development of more efficient thin film solar modules.
•        Terry Tamminen, CEO and founder of 7th Generation Advisors, for his work in developing renewable energy solutions in California.-TradeArabia News Service