The Decentralised Energy Awards 2022: Who were the winners?
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The winners of 2022 were... Heat and Efficiency: Operational The landmark Leeds PIPES Energy from Waste District Heating Project from Vital Energi, Leeds City Council and Ener-Vate took home the ‘Heat and Efficiency: Operational’ trophy. The project, which uses waste heat from the local energy from wate (EfW) plant, accounts for 16,256 tonnes of carbon emission reductions per year is alleviating fuel poverty in the local region. It has successfully demonstrated how towns and cities can generate rapid carbon reduction, having already seen 26.5 kilometres of district heating installed and 1,983 homes and seven civic buildings being connected, with more on the way soon. Heat and Efficiency: Digital Innovation The Kensa Group secured the ‘Heat and Efficiency: Digital Innovation’ award, thanks to their pioneering ‘Welcome to Green Street’ project in Glasgow, Scotland. To engage the public and policy makers in demonstrating the concept of Fifth Generation heat networks, and to explain their enormous potential to decarbonise heat, this project details the development of an Augmented Reality experience based on 800 dwellings surrounding Green Street, as well as includes a series of stakeholder discussions developing the optimal solution. Heat and Efficiency: Design Innovation The judges chose Salix Finance as the winner of ‘Heat and Efficiency: Design Innovation’ for its work helping to install low carbon upgrades to Bedford College, which following a £2.8 million grant to reduce heating and energy costs as part of the Phase 1 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, is now able to harness the power of the Ouse River to heat its buildings cleanly and efficiently. This award was sponsored by leading engineering, design, environmental and consultancy company, Ramboll. Power and Flexibility The ground-breaking energisation of Europe's largest operational battery, Minety in Wiltshire, was first announced by Limejump and Shell in July 2021 – just one year later, Limejump has collected our ‘Power and Flexibility’ award, which recognises the pivotal role the ‘first of its kind’ 100MW battery is playing in balancing the grid in times of over- or under-supply and creating the flexible energy system required to achieve net zero by 2050. Integrated Energy Clarke Energy has gone home with the ‘Integrated Energy’ award, sponsored by global strategic engineering and environmental consultant Ricardo, thanks to its fantastic work designing and building one of the worlds most advanced greenhouses. The £86m Fenland Greenhouse project in Cambridgeshire, funded by Greencoat Renewables and delivered by Clarke Energy and AGR Renewables, uses LED lighting, open-loop heat pumps and a 9MW quad-generation plant with 100% carbon dioxide recovery to slash its climate footprint whilst boosting homegrown British produce – the site grows 10% of the UK’s cucumbers. Special Award for Contribution to Net Zero The ‘Special Award for Contribution to Net Zero’ celebrates projects that go the extra mile to helping the energy system – and energy users – as we strive towards net zero. The judges selected Vital Energi as the company that exemplifies what the Special Award is all about, recognising a wealth of projects that are already making or will make a concrete difference to the UK’s net zero aspirations, including the Queens Quay water-source heat pump project in Glasgow, the Leeds PIPES Energy from Waste District Heating Project, the Southwark Heat Pumps project in London and the Swansea Bay University Health Board (SHUHB) multi-phase RE:FIT project. Rising StarSponsored by leading heat network operator Watkins Energy, the ‘Rising Star’ award recognises a special talent rising up through the ranks of the energy sector and this year, our judges saw fit to celebrate not just one, but two such rising stars - Chloe Jarman from Siemens and Chirpy Heat’s Josh Davis. Solutions Energy Engineer Chloe Jarman was branded a ‘superhero’ for her work to save the world one building at a time, while joint winner Senior Heat Network Consultant Josh Davis’ team described him as a truly rare thing in the industry – young, experienced, passionate and pragmatic. Champion Victoria Keen, Director at Watkins Energy, has been nominated the ‘Champion’ of the decentralised energy sector, with this award sponsored by one of the UK’s largest independent power producers, Equans. Victoria spearheaded the energy company as it launched in 2019 and has since taken it from strength to strength. Her team describe her as passionate, committed and with an infectious enthusiasm, and the judges noted she has played a significant role in inspiring other strong female leaders in the sector. A massive congratulations to all the winners and a huge thank you to all the sponsors for supporting this event – we look forward to seeing you all next year to celebrate your next achievements in decentralised energy.If you are interested in sponsoring next years Decentralised Energy Awards, please contact John Bryant: john.bryant@theade.co.uk