Quality of Highlands and Islands green energy sector shines through at online awards ceremony
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A pioneering project creating an integrated renewable energy system on Orkney was the big winner at the second Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Awards.
The £28.5 million ReFLEX (Responsive Flexibilty) Project led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) won two of the nine awards at the online ceremony hosted by broadcaster and Highland News and Media columnist Nicky Marr, collecting the best onshore energy project and best smart energy/carbon reduction trophies.
The judges described ReFLEX as a brilliant project providing cheaper, cleaner and reliable renewable energy and would hopefully be replicated in other communities across the UK and further afield.
Orkney had another winner in Stromness-based Green Marine UK, which collected the award for best marine operator for a second time, having been named the first winner of the award in 2019.
The judges commented: “They appear to be capable of turning their hand to anything and are the regular contractor of choice.”
The Hebrides also had a winner in Point and Sandwick Trust from the Isle of Lewis, which won the best community energy project award.
With an annual turnover of between £2.5 and £2.8 million, the trust supports the local community and various charities, but in 2020 also diverted unallocated funds to support the community and local health workers in the fight against Covid. This included the manufacture and distribution of PPE equipment.
Thanking the judges, general manager Donald John MacSween said the trust had been absolutely overwhelmed by the community response and the number of people offering help when lockdown was first declared last year.
Mr MacSween continued: “I think it illustrated the power and the worth of community-owned renewables and I just wish we had the opportunity and the wherewithal to do more because the entire community, throughout the Highlands and Islands, has shown that renewable energy, in community hands, can be of huge value to the communities – putting cash directly into them and making a big, big difference to all sorts of areas of social need. But also supporting employment and charities who do valuable work.”
The public sector collaboration award went to the DeepWind north of Scotland offshore wind cluster, which now has over 550 member companies and is the largest supply chain cluster in the UK.
The judges said they were "blown away" by the DeepWind entry, which they described as "a perfect example of collaboration."
In response, DeepWind senior development manager Paul O'Brien said the award was great recognition of the work which had been done over the last two years.
The best offshore project award was won by Wick Harbour Authority for its support for the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm, with the judges calling Wick harbour the heart of the Beatrice project.
The award for best supply chain or service business went to Inverness-based Global Energy Group, with the judges commenting that the scale of what the business had achieved at Nigg Energy Park was amazing in its own right.
There was a shortlist of two for the most promising individual award, sponsored by Executive Magazine. However, Josh King of AES Solar in Forres just pipped Catriona Knott of CARES (Community and Renewable Energy Scheme) at Local Energy Scotland to the title.
Mr King, who joined AES Solar from university, is now the company's youngest director and was summed up by the judges as "an individual who is really going places. He shows every sign of being a great representative of this part of Scotland."
The final award of the evening was the outstanding achievement award, which was presented to Nicholas Gubbins, chief executive of Community Energy Scotland, who is scheduled to retire later this month.
Announcing the award, Harper Macleod partner Anne Macdonald said: "When I found out who the winner was, I was positively delighted because this individual has been so kind and generous with his time in helping me understand renewables. Without his contribution we wouldn't be where we are today."
Acknowleding the award, Mr Gubbins said: "Any of my achievements have been very much as a consequence of my fantastic colleagues. I feel very privileged to have worked with such extraordinary people."
The second Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Awards followed the 12th Scottish Highlands Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC) led by leading law practice Harper Macleod. This, like the awards themselves, took place in a virtual format as a result of anti-Covid restrictions. However, David Bone, Harper Macleod’s head of energy and natural resources, said that despite the circumstances, it was perhaps the most successful SHREC to date.
Mr Bone also chaired the judging panel for the awards, and commented that the judges were very impressed with this year’s entries.
“That shows how much activity is taking place in the Highlands and Islands and the quality of the operators,” he told Mrs Marr ahead of the announcement of the winners.
“We were very impressed by the calibre of the entrants. Everyone can feel very proud having got to this stage of the process.”
The winners were also congratulated by Audrey MacIver, director of energy and low carbon at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who said: “The awards this have highlighted once again just how the renewable energy industry brings huge environmental, economic and community benefits to our region. Low carbon and renewable energy are fast-growing areas of opportunity and significant contributors to Scotland’s economy.
“A sustainable and successful energy sector in the Highlands and Islands supports wider sustainable economic growth. We’re privileged to have been able to play a part in many of the ground-breaking renewable energy projects which we’ve seen developed across the region. My team and I would like to heartily congratulate the winners and all the nominees in this year’s awards.”
