Following up on the success of its first-ever global environmental challenge held last year, electronics distributor Premier Farnell and its US subsidiary Newark have announced that entries are now being accepted for the 2008 Live EDGE Competition.

The contest, which carries with it more than $100,000 in cash prizes, is open to electronic design engineers, inventors, hobbyists, and students.

Winning entries will receive a $25,000 cash prize and a $25,000 support package to assist in bringing their designs to market. Up to six designs will be awarded an honorable mention that carries a $5,000 cash prize.

Entries, which must use electronic components, will be judged against a number of key criteria, including originality of the idea, positive impact on the environment, and feasibility of the design.

More than 3,000 participants from around the globe submitted entries in last year's competition. John Noble, an electronics engineer from Malaysia, received top honors for his ceiling fan design that reduces the input power by up to two thirds through an energy-saving motor control scheme and new, aerodynamic blade design.

Noble is currently a director of Torus Technologies Sdn Bhd, a company formed to commercialize his winning high-efficiency fan design.

This year's Live EDGE contest includes a separate category for students - a move that Newark President DeWight Wallace explains will even the playing field and help bring recognition to young engineering talent.

Also new to the competition this year is a series of companion virtual events focused on green design.

The first of these Live EDGE EcoSphere events, "Designing for Energy Efficiency & More," will be broadcast live on October 15, 2008, from 8:00 am to midnight EST. Attendees will have the opportunity to download technical videos and white papers, chat live with manufacturers and application engineers, and network.

Registration details and information on upcoming events on lighting and communications are available at the Live EDGE website.

Interested engineers can also join the Live EDGE Design Challenge Group on Facebook.

As an added incentive for early birds, completed entries are automatically entered into monthly drawings for a $2,000 cash prize. Winners will be notified by April 2, 2009.

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