ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following the announcement that Danish manufacturer of wind turbines Vestas was the winner of the prestigious 2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize annually awarded by His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the company announced it would split the prize into two portions. The first USD $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. The college believes the very poor have every right to have access to, control, and manage and own the most sophisticated of technologies to improve their own lives.
• 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. First Solar has developed an innovative photovoltaic technology focused on affordability as well as sustainability and is the preferred module supplier for major PV projects globally.
• Terry Tamminen, CEO and Founder of 7^th Generation Advisors, for his work in developing renewable energy solutions in California. For more than 20 years, Tamminen has developed, implemented and replicated effective renewable and sustainable energy solutions by using California as a proof-of-concept model, then scaling up to larger markets within the US and internationally.

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.

His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed earlier said: “The Zayed Future Energy Prize reflects the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father and the first President of the UAE, who was aware – even decades ago – of the importance of reaching a balance between preserving the environment and maintaining economic growth. It is his vision that has forged a unique path for the UAE, and has served as a beacon for us to follow as we begin to harness new sources of power and ensure we preserve the local heritage and natural resources.

“In commemoration of this humanitarian approach, the award was established to recognize and motivate creative minds and innovators in the field of renewable energy, with the ultimate purpose of maintaining a healthy and clean environment for future generations,” HH General Sheikh Mohammed added.

Vestas CEO Engel stated: “This is a great honour and we quickly agreed that we should seize this opportunity to extend the impact of the Zayed Future Energy Prize through redistributing the cash award to other collaborative entities consistent with the ideals of the Prize.”

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Director General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, said: “This exemplifies that Vestas understands the vision and mission of the Prize and by this gesture they are extending its reach and help achieve its goals. It is consistent with the great legacy of environmental stewardship and generosity of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates.”

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

The Zayed Future Energy Prize is inspired by the vision and environmental stewardship of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates. The Prize recognizes and rewards outstanding work in renewable energy and sustainability.

For more information please visit www.ZayedFutureEnergyPrize.com.