BU Research Blog

Innovators from across the energy industry and SME community are being invited to enter the UK’s leading energy innovation awards which showcase and celebrate outstanding projects, technologies and talent making a real impact in the energy sector.

Now in its fifth year, the UK Energy Innovation Awards 2015, will unite figureheads of the energy industry and the innovation community in a high profile event to celebrate the best innovations across the electricity and gas networks including the renewables sector.

Following an unprecedented number of high calibre entries last year, the awards, organised by the Energy Innovation Centre and supported by leaders from the major energy companies, has been refreshed and extended to include new categories which reflect the diversity of entries in previous years.

These updated categories include:

Best Offshore Renewable Energy Innovation sponsored by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult
Best Electricity Network Improvement
Best Gas Network Improvement
Best Innovation Contributing to Quality and Reliability of Electricity Supply
Best Innovation Contributing to Quality and Reliability of Gas Supply

Altogether there will be 14 categories with the closing date for entries on Friday, December 12^th. A black tie awards ceremony will be held in Manchester on April 30^th featuring leaders from across the energy networks. Entries can be made online by visiting www.energyinnovationcentre.com

Chief executives from across the energy industry will be on the judging panel including Northern Gas Network’s chief executive and Energy Innovation Centre chairman Mark Horsley.

Last year, the awards attracted more than 370 guests from the electricity, gas and offshore renewables sectors along with innovators from a wide range of small businesses, start-up companies and academia.

Amongst the winners were Open Grid Systems which won the ‘International Trade Award’ in recognition of strong overseas sales of its tablet application which gives network operators an augmented reality view of assets out in the field, the first tool of its kind. Other technologies recognised included a robotic system which internally repairs leaking cast iron mains, the UK’s first ‘smart grid’ in Orkney and a unique technology to allow keyhole excavations on highways and roads.

Denise Massey, managing director of the Energy Innovation Centre, said: “The UK innovation scene has continued to grow and develop so much since the awards began back in 2010 and we are proud to have been able to contribute to this. With this in mind, we look forward to seeing a diverse and exciting range of entries representing the continued improvements happening in the sector.

“The Energy Innovation Centre exists to encourage this important collaboration between external innovators and the energy industry by modernising the networks and revolutionising the way electricity and gas is delivered. It’s clear the industry is alive with an incredible number of talented, creative and forward thinking problem solvers, engineers, technologists, and academics so we look forward to seeing the entries.”

The full list of categories includes: