Global Energy Prize 2026 Celebrates Three Energy Innovators

Scientists educated in the Chinese academic system and currently working in the United States, along with a researcher from Switzerland, have been named winners of the Global Energy Prize 2026. Their names were announced during the plenary session of the Oil Summit of the Republic of Tatarstan in Almetyevsk.

The winners were selected by the International Award Committee, which comprises leading global energy experts. This year, 15 finalists from nine countries were shortlisted. In addition to the United States and Switzerland, the finalists represented Russia, China, India, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Mexico, and Chile.

The official awards ceremony for the laureates will take place during Russian Energy Week, which will be held in Moscow from October 14 to 16, 2026.

Awards Given Under Traditional & Non-Traditional Energy

Yilu Liu – Traditional Energy

In the Traditional Energy category, the prize was awarded to Yilu Liu, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee, for developing large-scale systems for monitoring, control, and situational awareness of smart grids.

“I’m deeply honored to be selected as one of the 2026 Global Energy Prize Laureates. To us engineers, it more than made up for the lack of engineering in the Nobel Prize. It will give me newfound energy to contribute to global energy prosperity,” said Yilu Liu.

Yilu Liu is an expert in smart-grid technologies for electrical power transmission systems. Her work focuses on developing advanced methods to monitor and control the flow of electricity across the nation’s power grid. She serves as the UT–Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair for Power Grids.

Yushan Yan – Non-Traditional Energy

In the Non-Traditional Energy category, the prize was awarded to Yushan Yan, Director of the Center for Clean Hydrogen at the University of Delaware, for his pioneering ideas and work in advancing clean hydrogen production technology and accelerating its commercialization.

Yushan Yan is the Henry B. du Pont Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Founding Director of the Center for Clean Hydrogen (CCH) at the University of Delaware (UD). CCH is a partnership involving UD, Chemours, Plug Power, West Virginia University, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

He is also the Founder and CEO of Versogen, a pioneer in anion exchange membrane (AEM) technology, and the Co-founder of RepAir, an electrochemical carbon capture technology company. His research focuses on electrochemical engineering, with particular emphasis on hydrogen production, fuel cells, and carbon capture using polymer anion exchange membranes (AEMs), or, as he prefers to call them, hydroxide exchange membranes (HEMs).

“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Global Energy Prize 2026. I am deeply grateful to the Committee for this recognition, and I would like to thank my students, postdocs, collaborators, colleagues, and family. I would also like to thank the Center for Clean Hydrogen, Versogen, the University of Delaware, and the University of California, Riverside for their support. This award reflects the collective efforts of many talented people who have worked together over many years. I am particularly proud of our work on the Piper Ion Membrane, which has become a globally leading brand of ion exchange membranes. Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by the belief that creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can help solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges. Developing a clean, affordable, and sustainable energy system is not only a scientific pursuit but also a responsibility to future generations. I hope this recognition will inspire more young scientists and engineers to pursue bold ideas and work across disciplines. Together, we can build a cleaner, more sustainable energy future,” said Yushan Yan.

New Ways of Energy Application Category

In the New Ways of Energy Application category, the prize was awarded to Johann W. Kolar, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich, for his breakthrough advancements in energy conversion technology that enhance energy efficiency, electric mobility, and renewable energy systems.

Johann W. Kolar received his M.Sc. degree in Industrial Electronics and Control Engineering and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (summa cum laude / promotio sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae) from the Vienna University of Technology, Austria, in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

“When I began my research in power electronics, it was considered a specialized engineering discipline. Today, it is a key enabling technology for the global energy transition. Power electronics forms the intelligent interface between energy generation, transmission, storage, and utilization. It enables renewable energy generation, electric mobility, industrial automation, robotics, modern data centers, and the electrification of energy-intensive industrial processes. To me, the award is both a great honor and a strong motivation. I am very confident that, through collaborative efforts across disciplines and nations, we can continue to advance technology and contribute to a more sustainable future,” emphasized Johann W. Kolar.

Speaking on the significance of the award, Rustam Minnikhanov said, “The Global Energy Prize has earned widespread recognition in the global scientific community. This award is traditionally presented to scientists for outstanding research and technological developments in the energy sector, as well as for significant contributions to strengthening energy security and implementing energy-saving technologies. Tatarstan is one of Russia’s leading industrialized regions, home to major centers of oil production, refining, and petrochemicals. At the same time, the republic places great emphasis on the development of renewable energy sources. Both of these areas are of strategic importance to us, and we intend to develop them in parallel. We clearly understand that as hydrocarbon resources become depleted, the importance of renewable energy and resource efficiency will continue to grow.”