World firsts dominate Scottish Green Energy Awards shortlist

A raft of offshore energy world firsts dominate the shortlist for the prestigious 2017 Scottish Green Energy Awards, which is announced today (Mon Oct 2).

The largest tidal stream array on earth, the first floating wind farm, the company which installed the largest and most powerful marine energy device in the world and the first tidal turbine array will all vie for gongs at the ceremony on November 30.

The 40-strong shortlist, drawn up from almost 100 entries, also features:
A unique pair of Fife bin lorries which run on hydrogen produced from renewable energy;

A ‘Biomass SOS’ event which, in just one day, installed renewable heating at a charity HQ used by 1,000 people a year;

The first wind farm in the UK to be developed by a housing association.

The Scottish Green Energy Awards, which will be held in Edinburgh on November 30, will be addressed by the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP and hosted by TV comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli.

Also shortlisted are companies including Scottish Water Horizons, Statoil and Wood Group.

Jenny Hogan, Deputy Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, the industry body which organises the awards, said: “Every year we see some of the best and brightest from our industry come through the Scottish Green Energy Awards’ judging process, and 2017 is no exception.

“What Scotland is doing – using renewable energy to drive economic growth, cut carbon emissions, heat homes and create jobs – is an exemplar for the rest of the world, and the unique achievements highlighted today show that more clearly than ever.

“These are people and projects of which everyone in Scotland should be proud.”

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Energy Renewables, the event’s headline sponsor, said:

“Scotland continues to be at the forefront of growth and innovation in the renewable sector.

"I am delighted to see acknowledgement of these achievements in the shortlist for this year’s Scottish Green Energy Awards. The judges have a diverse list to choose from and I look forward to the winners being revealed in November.”