Scottish Green Energy Awards 2012 Held in Edinburgh

The eleventh Scottish Green Energy Awards celebrated the successes of the renewables industry last night with its largest ever ceremony.

Among the winners were MSP Rob Gibson SNP for Best Politician and Judith Patten, founder of All-Energy for her outstanding contribution to the industry.

The Scottish Green Energy Awards, sponsored by RWE npower renewables and organised by Scottish Renewables, was held at the National Museum in Edinburgh.

In a keynote speech the Business Secretary Vince Cable, told the 1,000-strong audience: “The UK is a world leader in green energy, and Scotland is at the heart of this. From the work in the Orkneys on tidal wave energy to the new catapult centre in Glasgow, Scotland’s renewable energy industry is a vital part of the UK’s energy sector.

“The industry supports thousands of jobs and investment is on track to top £1 billion in 2012. This has been facilitated by collaboration in our universities and research institutes, commitment at all levels of government and business to secure investment and the hard work of those drilling piles and assembling kit in the North Sea.”

Judith Patten, founder of All-Energy, was awarded Outstanding Contribution to the industry for her many years of hard work and dedication as project director of the UK’s largest renewable energy event which is held in Aberdeen every May.

Edinburgh-based Celtic Renewables won the much coveted award of Best Innovation for their sustainable biofuel product. Founded by Prof Tangney, the company has developed a process whereby the two main by-products of whisky production, ‘pot ale’ and ‘draff’, can be used as biofuel. Unlike other biofuels, the biobutanol produced from whisky residues can be used as a direct replacement for petrol, without the need for engine modification.

Celtic Renewables has recently signed a major agreement with Tullibardine Distillery to produce the world’s first biobutanol from whisky residues.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise beat off stiff competition to win best Public Sector Initiative for their successful guidance of the wave and tidal industry with the vision to establish EMEC and have invested significant levels of capital in key infrastructure upgrades such as the port at Lyness, Orkney.

The inaugural Best Journalism award, sponsored by Vattenfall, was won by Sumit Bose, Energy Live News, for his feature on wave and tidal energy development at Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).

Niall Stuart, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “The winners reflect the huge strength we have in Scotland’s homegrown renewable energy sector , in our supply chain and in the individuals that have all worked incredibly hard to make it another successful year for the industry.

“The fact the Scottish Green Energy Awards has grown by some 50 per cent in just three years is also testament of the growth of the industry to become what is one of the largest corporate award ceremonies in the country.

“We have seen a fantastic range of different types of projects win a Scottish Green Energy Award this year; from well-established community wind farm schemes such as Fintry to cutting-edge subsea technologies like those developed by Aberdeen-based ROVOP.  All of them will make their own important contribution to Scotland’s ambitions for renewables and in creating jobs, promoting investment and in cutting carbon emissions over the coming years.”

Mr Stuart added: “This year has been incredibly important for the sector with the setting of a new interim target of generating the equivalent of 50 per cent of our electricity needs from renewables by 2015.

“The renewables industry has a lot to celebrate and the Scottish Green Energy Awards is a great way for us to do just that.” 

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Press release, December 7, 2012; Image: Scottish Renewables