Award winners were announced Prime Minister innovative global leader in petroleum substitutes.
Award winners were announced Prime Minister innovation million dollar global leader in transportation fuel alternatives - the world's largest award.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Science, Technology and Space Perry announced on October 6, the Prime Minister's Award winners for innovation in alternative energies for transportation:
Professor Michael Gerstel Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and Professor Thomas Meyer of the University of North Carolina, USA. They were height prestigious award million to develop technologies with the potential to be used as an alternative fuel for transportation. Prize is awarded for the second year by the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, and Keren Hayesod.
The award, named Eric and Sheila Samson, the amount of a million dollars, is the largest monetary award in the field of alternative energy in the world and is awarded to scientists promoted a significant issue. The winners were selected from a large number of candidates recommended for the award by the presidents / managers in universities / industries in the world and Israel. Winners are selected by a committee of international experts submitted its recommendation for approval of a board of trustees headed by Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig former Technion President.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "We work hard to avoid annual costs and we will be dependent on the oil price declines in the market. Award gives the researchers a real appreciation for their efforts."
Minister of Science, Technology and Space, Perry said on the occasion of the announcement: "The award represents the commitment of the State of Israel to promote its oil substitutes paramount importance in every aspect of our life here - the economy, security, science and society".
Sampson Prize-awarded the prestigious Prime Minister's two winners on breakthrough research in developing cheap and efficient processes based on "solar cells" convert solar energy into electrical energy used for propulsion of electric transportation. These cells can also be used for water dissolution of hydrogen and oxygen, a critical step in the development of fuel "solar-based" transportation. Hydrogen-based fuels are environmentally friendly fuels because bum emitted only water.
The first winner - Professor Michael Gerstel is the head of photonics Laboratory Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. In his research, he developed a new type of solar cell named after him - Grätzel cells. The cells are based on sensitive dye particles that mimic the process of photosynthesis and turn light energy into electrical energy that can be used directly for electric propulsion can be used to dismantle or water for hydrogen and oxygen, can be used in transportation fuels. These cells have the highest efficiency currently known and solar energy utilization in their production cheaper than conventional solar cells.
Professor Gerstel has published more than 900 scientific articles and is one of the ten cited chemists in the world. Awards include: the European Award for Innovation and Technology Award, the Leonardo da Vinci of the European Academy of Sciences, 2000 Millennium Award for technological innovation and the Harvey Prize of the Technion. He was chosen by the magazine "Scientific American" as one of the fifty leading researchers.
Second winner - Prof. Thomas Meyer, University of North Carolina in the United States and head of the national center for fuel-based Sun, is the leader and pioneer in the fields of photosynthesis artificial and development solar fuels based on the decomposition of water for hydrogen and oxygen. Studies broke through in understanding the processes of electron transfer from exposure to sunlight - a key process in converting solar energy into electricity. profound and comprehensive research contributed substantially cell technological developments "artificial photosynthesis".
Professor Meyer is a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States and won many important awards.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Governors chose the winners of Prof. Isaac Apeloig, "basic scientific discoveries and technological developments of the award recipients promote humanity a step closer to the moment when we use the available energy and the sun's unlimited transportation and other needs and the need to disconnect the dwindling use of fossil fuels and polluting. "
Board of Trustees examined the recommendations and decided to award the winners of all five world-renowned scientists including Nobel Laureate Prof. Aaron Ciechanover; Head of the National Economic Council the Prime Minister Prof. Eugene Kandel; Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space Prof. Nurit Yirmiya Chairman of Keren Hayesod Eliezer Sandberg; And a representative of the donor.
Prize will be awarded to the winners on December 3 this year in the framework of an international conference to promote alternative sources of oil that oil substitutes Director PMO headed by Eyal Rosner, Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, and Keren Hayesod. To the conference, held for the second time in Israel, will come from government officials, international experts and senior investors, in order to hold an international forum in the field of policy formulation oil substitutes and to position Israel as a center of industry leading knowledge.
Eyal Rosner, the head of the national program for fuel substitutes, said:
"Israel has set itself an ambitious goal: to reduce transportation fuel use by 60% by 2025 in order to reach this goal required innovation, creativity and no less - smart and strong policy. Israel preparing conveyance in this world, we must reduce dependence on oil and the oil producing countries dependence and thus strengthen the world economy. "