Watch live, the conference Prémio REN Energia: Inovação, Ligação às empresas e criação de valor para o País”

The ceremony will be attended by the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, by the Rector of University of Algarve, Paulo Águas, by the Rector of University of Beira Interior, António Fidalgo, by the Vice-Rector of University of Lisbon, Carlos Ribeiro, and by the Vice-Rector of University of Aveiro, Eduardo Anselmo, who will participate in a discussion moderated by Pedro Santos Guerreiro with the topic of 'Innovation, connection to companies and creation of value for the country'.

Created in 1995, the REN Prize has sought to support the transformations and developments which have shaped the energy sector in recent years. After 23 years of existence, which make it one of the oldest in the area, the REN Prize continues to show REN's solid commitment to the development of the Portuguese energy sector and to the strengthening of the cooperation between academic institutions, technological development and the Portuguese corporate sector.

The panel is chaired by Professor João Peças Lopes, who will be joined by three new members this year, in a panel of 12 judges responsible for evaluating the applications. Maria José Clara, Head of Institutional Relations at REN, Zita Almeida do Vale, from Polytechnic of Porto - School of Engineering, and Patrícia Pereira da Silva, from University of Coimbra, join Manuel Costa Matos, from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Paulo Sena Esteves, from Banco Carregosa, Jorge Vasconcelos, from Newes, Aníbal Santos, from Catholic University of Portugal, Luís Ferreira, from Instituto Superior Técnico, Paulo Ferrão, from Instituto Superior Técnico and Foundation of Sciences and Technology, Albertino Meneses, from REN, and Miguel Moreira da Silva, from REN.

The amount of the awards was also updated, with the winner of the Prize for the Best Thesis being awarded a monetary value of €25.000, the second prize receiving €15.000 and the third prize receiving €10.000. A maximum of three special mentions will also be awarded, with a monetary prize of €2,500.

From 2019, the REN prize will also be open to doctoral theses. This award seeks to honour the best doctoral thesis in Portuguese universities by new PhDs in topics from the field of Energy, in the following scientific areas: Engineering, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Information Systems and Computer Science. This prize will be awarded biennially. All doctoral theses from the fields mentioned above which have been argued in the two school years preceding each year in which the Prize is awarded are eligible.

Theses on topics within the scope of energy systems and in the following categories will be considered for the Prize: Planning, Operation and Management of Energy and Gas Power Systems; Integration of Renewable Energy Sources; Development of Intelligent Electricity and Gas Networks; Electricity and Gas Markets and Regulation; and New Technologies of Electricity and Gas Systems.