The Scottish Green Energy Awards 2025 The Categories

Scottish Renewables is delighted to announce the categories for The Scottish Green Energy Awards 2025.

Nominated individuals, projects and companies must be either based in Scotland or their work must contribute to or have an impact on the renewable energy industry in Scotland. Each nomination will consist of three questions based around the category guidelines. A 1-sided A4 document can be submitted as supplementary information.

Key dates, the categories and guidelines are noted below. If you have any questions, please contact Marta Filbrandt, Events & Membership Officer.

KEY DATES

Nominations deadline: 5pm, Friday, 5 September
Finalists announced: Friday, 10 October
Finalists reception: Thursday, 6 November 
Winners announced: Thursday, 4 December

NOMINATE NOW!

   

BEST COMMUNITY PROJECT AWARD

Sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables

This award celebrates the outstanding development of a renewable energy project – electricity or heat – which has been led by a community group or community organisation.

Guidelines

• Project must have been completed within the last 24 months
• Demonstrate a contribution to the renewable energy industry in Scotland
• Detail how the project has benefitted the local community
• How did the project overcome barriers and what was the outcome?
• Detail key information/statistics, e.g. energy produced, capacity installed, jobs created, financial income to community, carbon saved

BEST ENGAGEMENT AWARD

Sponsored by SmartestEnergy

This award recognises exemplary community, public or other stakeholder engagement before, during or after the development of a renewable energy project. Judges are looking for ideas and implementation which go above and beyond, communicating the benefits of renewable energy and raising the reputation of the industry.

Guidelines

• Project must have been completed, or be under construction, within the last 24 months
• Demonstrate contribution to renewable energy industry in Scotland
• Detail how the project has benefitted a community, the public or other stakeholders
• Show how the developer engaged and overcame barriers and highlgiht the outcome

BEST INNOVATION AWARD – NEW TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

Sponsored by Red Rock Renewables

The Best Innovation Award category is always one of the most hotly-contested of The Scottish Green Energy Awards, shining a light on the benefits that innovation brings to our industry. This award recognises an outstanding example of the development or implementation of an innovative product, design, solution or model which supports the development of renewable energy in Scotland, for example by enhancing value or reducing cost.

Guidelines

• Project must have been completed within past 24 months
• Highlight evidence of why this new product, design or process benefits the Scottish renewable energy industry
• Why is it unique – how does it improve upon previous practice?

BEST INNOVATION AWARD – SOFTWARE AND SERVICES

Sponsored by SLR

Data underpins everything in energy, and the people and processes which keep the terabytes flowing are central to our net-zero mission. This award gives those unsung heroes their chance to tell industry what they do – and be recognised for their often-invisible but always-vital work. Nominate now if you (or someone / a business that you know) are delivering on screen, or in the service sector in general. We’re looking for stand-out software engineers, sterling services and those with the dedication, talent and perseverance to make sure that projects stay on track from behind the scenes.

Guidelines

• Software or service must have been in use in Scotland’s renewable energy industry – or elsewhere in the world if produced by a Scottish business - within past 24 months
• Highlight evidence of why this new product, design or process benefits the Scottish renewable energy industry
• Why is it unique – how does it improve upon previous practice?

CARBON REDUCTION AWARD

Sponsored by Statkraft

Previous winners of this award have used renewable energy to cut their carbon footprint while delivering wider benefits within organisations, across communities and further afield. This year’s Carbon Reduction Award will go to a non-energy business, charity or public body which is able to demonstrate its commitment to cutting CO2 through the outstanding deployment of green energy technology.

Guidelines

• Project must have been completed in the last 24 months
• Reflect how it is contributing to Scotland’s renewable energy industry
• Provide evidence of benefits, e.g. efficiency, cost reduction, carbon savings or making in-roads within the challenging heat and transport sectors
• List key project partners/suppliers who were involved in delivery of the project

CHAMPION OF RENEWABLES AWARD

Sponsored by Fred. Olsen Renewables

Our industry champions are truly unique and have always played an important role in creating the buzz renewable energy is renowned for. In a champion we are looking for an individual, team, organisation or campaign which has really shown how much the industry has to offer and helped us to tell our story in a new and different way.

Guidelines

• Provide evidence of contribution to renewable energy in Scotland within past 24 months 

CONTRIBUTION TO SKILLS AWARD

Sponsored by SSEN Transmission

With almost 22,000 students studying renewable energy-related courses in Scotland at the last count, the future is bright for our industry. This award celebrates outstanding contributions made by individuals, groups or organisations to promote and uphold the highest quality standards in education, training and skills development for today's or tomorrow's workforce.

Guidelines

• Initiative implemented or impact delivered within last 24 months
• Provide evidence to show impact on employment in Scotland’s renewable energy industry

INDUSTRY CHALLENGER AWARD

Sponsored by Natural Power

The Industry Challenger Award celebrates a person, group or organisations that dares to do things differently - challenging the status quo and bringing radical change to the industry. This could be challenges to legislation or policy, to process or products, to education, health and safety or recruitment. As the industry matures, let’s celebrate the ones who are taking a new look at the challenges we face and proposing creative solutions that may ultimately benefit us all.  

Guidelines

• Nominee activity must have been directly carried out within a business operating within the renewable energy industry in Scotland
• Provide an overview of the individual, project or company, detailing the work they have done to bring radical change (can include behavioural and cultural) to the industry, who has benefitted and why the change is important

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Sponsored by Nadara 

People are key to shaping and growing our industry, so recognising when an individual has made a clear contribution to success is hugely important. Previous winners of this award have demonstrated truly outstanding achievements and through their enthusiasm, commitment and actions have helped to grow and champion Scotland’s renewable energy industry.

Guidelines

• Highlight how this individual has contributed to the success of the renewable energy industry in Scotland
• Explain key achievements, activities, enthusiasm and outcomes this individual has demonstrated over their life/career 

OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARD

Sponsored by The Scottish National Investment Bank

Reducing carbon is our key reason for being but renewable energy offers so much more to people, communities and the low-carbon energy system of the future. We’re helping to solve the next big challenges of our time. If your project has helped us take big steps forward and is an exemplar that showcases Scotland’s leadership role in renewable energy then it may well be the next winner of the Outstanding Project Award at SGEA. 

Guidelines

• Project must have been completed within the last 24 months
• Demonstrate its contribution to the renewable energy industry in Scotland
• Detail key information/statistics, e.g. energy produced, capacity installed, jobs created or explain its contribution to making progress on key areas such as heat and transport

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD

Sponsored by Ocean Winds

As Scotland’s renewable energy capacity has grown, so too has the knowledge contained in companies which support its development. Projects are nothing without talented, committed development partners, and this award seeks to celebrate outstanding service of any kind within the renewable energy supply chain. Entry is open to professional services firms, technical experts, hardware suppliers or engineers, to name just a few, who provide services which achieve outstanding results.

Guidelines

• Supply evidence from the last 24 months, e.g. case study example
• Reflect how your service has contributed to or impacted on Scotland’s renewable energy industry

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Renewable energy is now the backbone of Scotland's energy system so it's only right that industry should be held to the highest sustainability standards.  The Sustainable Development Award will be given to a renewable energy project or initiative which can demonstrate outstanding credentials in this area, delivering significantly above and beyond good practice to make long-term enhancements to the environment, society and/or economy.

Guidelines

• Work must have been completed within the last 24 months
• Demonstrate how the project, organisation, group or initiative has contributed to sustainable development, e.g. environmental impact mitigation (e.g. habitat management), building a sustainable economy, local employment, resource efficiency, carbon reduction, contribution to local health and wellbeing (e.g. recreation/leisure provision
• Show how the Scottish renewable energy industry has benefitted

YOUNG & INSPIRING AWARD

Sponsored by ESB

All winners of the Young Professionals Green Energy Award 2025 will automatically be nominated for this award. It is therefore not possible to enter this category. 

JUDGES AWARD

An individual, organisation or project that the judges felt deserved special commendation.  It is not possible to enter this category, and the winner will be announced on the night.

NOMINATE NOW!