Representatives of the energy and renewables industry, academia and the public sector have been consulted to develop the £10m prize for innovations in clean energy.

The award, unveiled by the First Minister during his US visit in April, is designed to motivate Scottish and international scientists to achieve advances in clean, green marine renewable energy. It is the world’s largest ever single prize for innovation in this area.

An expert committee to help shape the prize is currently being formed with Terry Garcia of the National Geographic Society and Anne Glover, Scotland’s Chief Scientific Adviser its first two members. Full details of the Saltire challenge will be announced by the committee during the St. Andrew’s Day celebrations.

Commenting on the progress of the prize Mather said: "The Saltire Prize will make Scotland a world leader in the development of marine renewable technology.

"Setting the Prize will be a first for this Government, or indeed any government in recent times. We are in uncharted waters and we know that we don't have all the answers for defining a Prize which will transform renewable energy technology in Scotland and across the world. That's why we asked a wide cross section of Scottish business and society to tell us their ideas on how to ensure the Prize will push the technological boundaries and be a success for Scotland.

"With our partner National Geographic reaching 360 million people every month, we have already generated a huge level of interest. Today I sensed the buzz building around the Prize and asked how we can ensure the Saltire Prize meets our core aims - an ambitious, transformational and achievable Prize which will benefit the world. There was a huge amount of enthusiasm expressed and many useful suggestions to steer the way ahead and feed in to the design of the Prize."