Andrew Garrad and Henrik Stiesdal (pictured) have been presented with the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for innovations in advanced wind turbine technology.
His Majesty King Charles III presented the 2024 and 2025 prizes at St James’s Palace on National Engineering Day.
The 2024 Laureates were recognised for work that “positioned wind power as a vital component of the world’s renewable energy mix.”
Henrik Stiesdal said: “It is an honour to receive the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering alongside Andrew. To me, it represents much more than personal recognition; it is a tribute to the collective efforts of pioneers and engineers in wind power.
“Since the late 1970s they embodied the essence of this Prize, creating bold, groundbreaking innovations delivering sustainable and competitive energy, addressing climate change and providing global benefits for humanity. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to contribute to this development, and I look forward with eagerness to the future growth of wind power, driven by the dedication of new generations of engineers.”
Dr Andrew Garrad CBE said: “Wind energy has been with us for millennia, but in the last 50 years, it entered a new era. The 10m diameter turbines of my early professional life have become the 310m giants of today – simply amazing!
“What could possibly be more exciting for an engineer? I count myself as extraordinarily lucky to have been part of that transition.
“To be awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering is a wonderful bonus to an already fascinating career. I am, personally immensely proud, but Henrik and I see ourselves as representatives of a much bigger group of people who have made wind energy an essential part of our zero-carbon future and we have, all of us together, earned this Prize.”
The 2025 prize was awarded to seven machine learning leaders for contributions to artificial intelligence.
Lord Vallance, chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, said: “Our 2024 and 2025 Laureates represent the very best of engineering. Together, their work demonstrates how engineering can both sustain our planet and transform the way we live and learn. The ingenuity and dedication of this exceptional group of engineers embody the very essence of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering: innovation that serves humanity and inspires the next generation of global problem-solvers.”
The Laureates attended a roundtable at No 10 Downing Street including UK secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Liz Kendall prior to the ceremony.