The Ashden Awards reward outstanding, inspirational and innovative local sustainable energy projects, programmes or products that both protect the environment and make real improvements to people's quality of life.

The Awards celebrate existing achievements and provide funding for future expansion, The awards are not grants for start-up projects. They're designed to encourage wider take-up of local energy solutions proving to the public and policy makers alike that such schemes offer viable, practical ways of both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the social and economic needs of local communities.

This year we're offering up to three first prizes of £30,000 with second prizes of £10,000 for demonstrated local energy solutions in the field of electricity generation (eg, micro-hydro, wind, solar photovoltaics), heat generation (eg, biomass, heat pumps, solar water heating) and energy efficiency measures.

Closing date for entries is 19 January 2006.

In addition, we are offering an Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy in Schools of £15,000 (with a second prize of £5,000) for schools that can demonstrate that sustainable energy has been a key and on-going part of their practice and culture, including improving energy efficiency and utilising renewable energy within the school premises.

Closing date for entries for Schools award is 30 January 2006.

For more information, including a list of criteria, information on past winners and how to apply for an award, visit: www.ashdenawards.org.

Lastly, please note that the Awards team is also considering including sustainable transport fuel as an additional awards category. If your work is providing or enabling the use of sustainable transport fuel in the UK, and meets the Awards requirements outlined above, then we would be very interested to receive a one-page Expression of Interest outlining what you have achieved. This should be submitted by email to ukapps@ashdenawards.org, to arrive by Thursday 10 November 2005.