17th June 2008

The Micropower Council, the coordinated voice of the UK microgeneration industry is pleased to announce the winners of their inaugural Micropower Awards. Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of the Council said:

“This industry has come a very long way in just a few short years. The number and quality of nominations for the first Micropower Awards are a testament to this, and to the efforts of the thousands of people working hard in the industry to make microgeneration a British success story.

“Microgeneration has passed the point of no return – it is now talked about in the media, in homes and social gatherings, in government and the political world on a daily basis. This is in no small part due to the efforts of the award winners, the other nominees and the wider industry. We are proud to recognise these substantial efforts, and offer our warm congratulations to the winners.

“Our sincere thanks go to the judges for giving up their time to reach difficult decisions in the face of some exceptionally good applications, and to the award sponsors, Climate Change Capital and Citigroup, without whom this exercise would not be possible.”

The Awards recognise the substantial advances that have been made, to promote and support the microgeneration sector and reward individuals and organisations for their achievements so far. The awards inform consumers, investors and industry of the progress that has been made, the choices that now exist and the future investment opportunities that lie ahead. The Awards sponsored by Citigroup, Powerhouse and Climate Change Capital were presented at an Awards dinner in London with almost 200 guests on 4 June. The Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks opened the Awards which were presented by BBC's Dick Strawbridge, presenter of ‘It's Not Easy being Green’.

The five Award Categories awarded were:

Key Project Award: Northern Ireland Electricity
Awarded for their innovative Switched on Schools programme; focusing on the installation of solar photovoltaics (PV) and renewable energy streetlights in educational establishments across rural Northern Ireland.

Public Sector Award: Regen South West
Over the past 12 months Regen SW has championed microgeneration technologies in the south west of England. Led by Matthew Spencer, Regen SW has not only helped drive the importance of microgeneration higher up the political agenda, but also it has provided businesses and public sector organisations with the information they need to make microgeneration a bigger part of their remits.

Innovation: Good Energy
Awarded for their Small Generation Schemes - Home Generation and SmartGen - have pioneered methods of supporting individuals, businesses and communities that generate electricity with small scale renewable technology.

Parliamentarian: Alan Whitehead MP
Alan Whitehead MP has been an effective and consistent champion in Parliament and the wider political community for sustainable energy issues and for increasing the use of microgeneration; this includes his position as Chair of the All-Party Group for for Renewable & Sustainable Energy (PRASEG).

Outstanding Contribution: Bill Dunster
Bill started the ZEDfactory in 1998 specifically to deliver zero carbon projects, beginning with the BedZED project for the Peabody Trust. Since then the company has evolved its own energy efficiency and renewable energy supply chain.

Special Commendations:
Key Project: Dunster Castle (A project by the National Trust)
Public Sector: London Borough of Islington

For more information and photographs of this year's Awards:

Jane Vaus, Head of Media and External Affairs, Micropower Council,
jane.vaus@micropower.co.uk or 0207 924 0795 or 077480 10447 and Emma Penney, Awards Organiser, ep@greenway-communications.com, 0207 751 0885 or 07900 907138

Notes:

The Micropower Council is the coordinated voice of the UK microgeneration industry and the only body representing the full cross-section of micropower technologies.

The awards were judged by a panel of leading independent experts in energy efficiency and renewables:

• Lord Whitty: former Environment Minister. Currently President of the CHPA and Patron of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy.
• Andrew Warren: Director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy
• Eddie Hyams: Chairman of the Energy Saving Trust
• Nick Eyre: Senior Research Fellow at the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University