Press release 8 September 2006 - Embargoed 18:15 (Finnish summer time, UTC+3)


President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen presents the Millennium Technology Prize to Professor Shuji Nakamura

Nakamura: ”Using LEDs for lighting could halve the amount of electricity consumed for this purpose”

The 2006 Millennium Technology Prize was presented to Professor Shuji Nakamura today in Helsinki for his invention of new sources of light. President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen handed Professor Nakamura the prize of one million euros and ”Peak”, the prize trophy. In his speech of thanks, Professor Nakamura congratulated Finland on its support for humane technological development which improves quality of life.

According to Professor Nakamura, we have only just begun to explore the vast number of opportunities presented by applications using LEDs and lasers. ”I hope the award of this prize will help people to understand that this invention makes it possible to improve quality of life for many millions of people. This is not just a source of light that makes enormous energy savings possible, it is also an innovation that can be used in the sterilisation of drinking water and for storing data in much more efficient ways.”

As LEDs can be powered by solar panels, lighting can be provided in remote areas of developing countries. In his speech, Professor Nakamura said that he will be donating part of the prize money to organizations that promote the use of LED lighting in such locations.

Dr. Jaakko Ihamuotila, Chairman of the Millennium Prize Foundation, says that sustainable energy supplies, climate change and the availability of clean water are challenges that touch us all. “New technologies are essential in the search for solutions,” says Dr. Ihamuotila. “It is in this spirit that the Millennium Technology Prize is awarded every second year to an innovator who has developed new technology that significantly improves the quality of human life and promotes sustainable development.”

Professor Nakamura will be in Finland until Wednesday 13th September to meet Finnish researchers, company representatives and members of the public. At 11 a.m. on Saturday 9 September, he will speak to the Millennium Youth Forum in the Finnish Science Centre Heureka. In the same location at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Professor Nakamura will make a public presentation on the subject of LED technology. On Monday 11 September at 9.30 a.m. in the Dipoli Congress Centre, Professor Nakamura will make an in-depth presentation to technologists and other professionals. This event is also open to the public.

Further information:

The Millennium Prize Foundation

Dr. Jaakko Ihamuotila
Chairman of the Board
Mobile: +358-50-577 3262
jaakko.ihamuotila@millenniumprize.fi

Dr. Tapio Alvesalo
Secretary General
Mobile: 358-400-341 497
tapio.alvesalo@millenniumprize.fi

www.millenniumprize.fi

The Millennium Technology Prize
The prize of one million euros is the world’s biggest technology award and is given by the Millennium Prize Foundation, an independent Finnish fund, every second year. Founded and funded by Finnish organizations, Finnish industry and the Finnish state in partnership, the objective of the Millennium Technology Prize is to promote technology’s role in improving quality of life and enhance Finland’s reputation as a high-technology country. The inaugural Millennium Technology Prize was presented to Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, in June 2004.

2006 Winner – Shuji Nakamura
Professor Shuji Nakamura, winner of the 2006 Millennium Technology Prize, is the inventor of a revolutionary new light source – bright blue, green and white LEDs and a blue laser. Nakamura’s inventions are having an extensive impact in many areas that improve human quality of life and promote sustainable development. Applications that have already been developed using the technology he invented can reduce energy consumption, bring reading lights to the outermost areas of developing countries, sterilise water in a more efficient and cheaper way, and store data in much smaller spaces. A native of Japan, Shuji Nakamura is currently working in the USA at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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