The Winners of the 2015 Samson - Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transportation Have Been Announced

Professor Jay D. Keasling from the University of California and Professor John B. Goodenough from the University of Texas will share the 1 million dollar prize – the largest monetary prize awarded in the field of alternative energy

JERUSALEM--()--Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu announced the winners of the 2015 Samson-Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transportation: Professor Jay D. Keasling from the University of California, Berkeley, USA, and Professor John B. Goodenough from the University of Texas at Austin, USA, who will share the Prize equally. The two distinguished scientists have been awarded the prestigious Prize for their innovative scientific and technological contributions that have the potential to lead to the development of alternative fuels for transportation, replacing the fast depleting fossil fuels which are the major fuels used nowadays in transportation.

The Eric and Sheila Samson Prime Minister Prize, of one million dollars, is the world’s largest monetary prize awarded in the field of alternative energy, and is given to scientists who have made fundamental advancements in the field. Said Prime Minister Netanyahu: "This is the largest and most distinguished prize in the field, representing the highest esteem to the researchers for their efforts and supporting major technological breakthroughs in the field of alternative fuels for transportation."

Professor Keasling is the Chief Executive Officer of the Joint BioEnergy Institute, which is the largest in the field in the USA. He pioneered the engineering of microorganisms to transform cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbon biofuels that directly replace gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Professor Goodenough is a pioneer and giant in the field of Li-ion batteries. His inventions led to the present high energy Li-ion batteries technology which is being applied on a large scale worldwide to power both electric cars and wireless devices.

The prize will be presented to the two laureates on Nov. 10th of this year, as part of the International Fuel Choices Summit, which is being organized by the Fuel Choices Initiative at the Prime Minister’s Office and Keren Hayesod. Said Fuel Choices Initiative Director, Eyal Rosner: “Israel is expanding its efforts to dramatically decrease the world’s dependence on oil in transportation. For the third year, the Fuel Choices Summit will bring together policy makers, business leaders, financiers, researchers and entrepreneurs in the fields of alternative fuels and smart transportation, for a dialogue about the world’s most forward-thinking approaches to transportation technologies and future business models, and to promote Israel’s ambitious goal of reducing the country’s oil consumption by 60% by 2025."

Summit site - http://fuelchoicessummit.com/

Home site - http://www.fuelchoicesinitiative.com/

Contacts

Fuel Choices Initiative
Emanuel Gorelick
Tel: +972584473728
Emanuel@pmo.gov.il

Release Summary

Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu announced the winners of the 2015 Samson-Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transportation: Prof. Keasling and Prof. Goodenough

Contacts

Fuel Choices Initiative
Emanuel Gorelick
Tel: +972584473728
Emanuel@pmo.gov.il