Journalists and media organisations from around the world can from today submit their stories for the annual Energy of Word award. The competition was established by the organisers of the Global Energy Prize, one of the world’s most respected awards in energy science. The Energy of Word aims to reward those who have written an illuminating story on the energy challenges faced worldwide or any scientific innovations which provide new energy efficiencies.

Published stories can be submitted in any language online via the Global Energy Prize website. The process takes only a few minutes and candidates can apply by following this link: http://www.globalenergyprize.org/en/request/pen/new.

Stories are evaluated for their depth, objectivity, style, and relevance to the global society. This includes articles, opinion pieces and interviews published in journals, magazines, newspapers and online titles.  The story does not need to reference the Global Energy Prize or any of its sponsors, and may have been published at any time between 1 March 2011 and 5 February 2012. Entries must be in by 6 April 2012 and the winner(s) will be announced the following month.

The winner will receive a week-long all-expenses paid trip to St Petersburg, Russia this June and will take part in the Global Energy Prize’s Laureate’s Week  as a special guest. The prize also includes an invitation to attend the Global Energy Prize’s awards ceremony, which is presided over by the President of Russia and the opportunity to carry out an exclusive interview with the new laureate of the Global Energy Prize for 2012.

Last year the Energy of Word attracted entries from 39 countries in 20 different languages. The award was shared by two journalists: Kambiz Foroohar of Bloomberg Markets (USA) and Terry Macalister of The Guardian (UK). The winners were presented their certificates and accolades at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum by the Global Energy Prize’s 2011 Laureates Dr. Philipp Rutberg (Russia) and Dr. Arthur Rosenfeld (USA).

Terry Macalister says:
“It was a great boost for me getting the prize for writing about the impact of oil exploration off Greenland, and being in St. Petersburg during the International Economic Forum was a good opportunity to meet top business leaders from the West as well as Russia. The background seminar sessions were also particularly useful.”

Dr. Arthur Rosenfeld, Global Energy Prize Laureate 2011 comments:
“I was honoured to present the award to the winners of the Energy of Word. We live in an age where we are faced with many challenges relating to using energy more efficiently and quality journalism plays a huge role in understanding these challenges. The Energy of Word award recognises those who are able to make sense of sometimes complicated developments in the energy sphere, and communicate them to the wider public in a stimulating manner.”

Editor’s Notes:

The Energy of Word Award
http://www.globalenergyprize.org/en/request/pen/new

The Energy of Word is an international media competition, organised by the Global Energy Prize. It was created to encourage journalists to cover the most urgent energy issues facing the world today, to promote analysis of global energy trends and to contribute to the search for answers to energy challenges. Initially established in 2004 as a Russia-wide competition, in 2011 the award was opened up to journalists from around the world for the first time.

The Global Energy Prize
http://www.globalenergyprize.org/en/

http://twitter.com/#!/ge_prize

The Global Energy Prize awards over US$1m  each year, and thus far has been granted to 24 scientists from around the globe, including past Laureates from Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Japan, Russia, Ukraine and the US. The President of the Russian Federation participates in each year’s award ceremony held at the conclusion of a week-long celebration of the awardees’ work, Laureates’ Week. Other world leaders who have supported the prize include the former US President George W. Bush, former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, former French President Jacques Chirac and current Canadian Prime Minister, Steven Harper. The Prize rewards innovation and solutions in global energy research and its concurrent environmental challenges. The degree to which a development contributes to the benefit of humanity is a key driver in deciding the recipient of the Prize.

Organisation/Source: Global Energy Prize

Contact
terri@sweeneyvesty.co.uk