1: Overview
"The purpose of the Saltire Prize is to stimulate innovation across the world that will lead to delivery of the best wave or tidal energy technology, based on an evaluation of electrical output, cost of electricity production and environmental impact."
1.1 In order to achieve this outcome the Scottish Government is setting the world a challenge; £10 million will be awarded to the team that can demonstrate in Scottish waters a commercially viable wave or tidal energy technology that achieves a minimum electrical output hurdle of 100 GWh over a continuous 2 year period using only the power of the sea and is judged to be the best overall technology after consideration of cost, environmental sustainability and safety.
1.2 Potential competitors for the Saltire Prize will be required to outline the intended use of the electrical output from their project.
1.3 The Scottish Government has been motivated by a number of factors in setting this challenge, including:
- inspiring innovation that will help to harness Scotland's immense marine energy resources and achieve the national renewable energy target of 50% of electricity being generated through renewable sources by 2020
- inspiring innovation that will help to achieve Scotland's carbon reduction target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050
- accelerating technological developments in the global marine renewable sector
- promoting the Science and Technology agenda for Scotland on the international stage
- engaging the wider public with science and engineering achievements in Scotland
- delivering lasting economic benefits for Scotland
1.4 In order to create the optimal environment to accomplish these goals the Scottish Government has endeavoured to incorporate the following features into the challenge structure:
- Simplicity of challenge design
- A message that is easy to communicate
- A process that leads to improvements in the output, levelised cost, reliability, durability and environmental sustainability of commercially deployable wave and tidal energy devices
- A competition landscape that is open to all from across the world and will attract entries from existing players and newcomers to the marine energy sector
- An impartial, independent, fair and technology-neutral judging environment
- A platform for successful entrants to gain significant publicity for their technology
- A thought-provoking and innovation-stimulating educational package
Benefits for entrants
1.5 Entering the Saltire Prize will open up a number of benefits to competitors
- The opportunity to win the £10m Saltire Prize
- Global media opportunities through collaboration with National Geographic
- Opportunities to form collaborations that will enhance the progress and profile of everyone working in the marine energy sector
Benefits for Scotland
1.6 For Scotland, the Saltire Prize is expected to:
- Pave the way for the development of a commercially successful marine renewables energy sector
- Raise aspirations in Scotland to invent and develop
- Showcase Scotland's indigenous talents and resources
- Put Scotland on the world stage as a leading centre for the development of a greener, more sustainable future
Eligible technology
1.7 The Scottish Government recognises that there are many ways in which energy can be harnessed from the power of the sea, however, different technologies are at different stages of development and the Saltire Prize Grand Challenge has chosen to focus on the conversion of power from waves and tidal streams into electrical output:
- Technology projects that are eligible include individual or arrays of single and mixed device types from wave and tidal technologies e.g. a wave or tidal array may include two or more different device types, in multiple configurations.
- Tidal barrage technology, offshore wind, osmotic power, ocean thermal energy conversion and utilisation of marine biomass are all excluded from competing in the Saltire Prize Grand Challenge.
The guidelines
1.8 The Saltire Prize will encompass a Grand Challenge, a stream of annual Saltire awards and an educational remit. The guidelines presented here are in respect of the Grand Challenge only.
1.9 The Scottish Government wants the Saltire Prize to deliver its objective of developing the marine renewable energy technologies of the future through a competition format that is easy to understand, simple to administer, fair in operation, and which will deliver the maximum benefit for all concerned. With these aspirations in mind, the Scottish Government is releasing these draft guidelines for consultation and welcomes public comment.
1.10 The remainder of this document sets out:
- Definitions - clear definitions of the terms used in the guidelines
- Prize development process - background to how the prize design has been reached
- Challenge process summary - a diagrammatic summary of the competition process
- Timeline - the time period over which the Saltire Prize will be launched and the competition timescale
- Challenge specifications - how the Saltire Prize will be won
- Application and selection process - how potential competitors will register
- Qualification - how registered competitors can secure "Official Saltire Prize Competitor" status allowing participation in the Grand Challenge
- Grand Challenge - how the output generation stage of the competition will operate
- Judging process - how judges will be appointed, their role in the competition and criteria used for judging
- Administrative arrangements - an outline of some key administrative considerations
- Health and safety - the health and safety provisions competitors will be required to meet
- Frequently Asked Questions - answers to commonly occurring questions
- Contact details for the Saltire Prize Secretariat