2011 Energy Innovation Awards

The search is on to find the UK's most innovative energy products and services as the 2011 Energy Innovation Awards officially opens for entries.

Building on the success of last year's Inaugural Energy Innovation Awards, launched by Cheshire's world-class Energy Innovation Centre, the 2011 awards are set to be even bigger and better.

The awards will be held in Manchester and celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations across the UK flying the flag for energy innovation and sustainability. In addition there will be an international category welcoming entrants from anywhere in the world.

The Energy Innovation Centre – which has four of the leading energy giants amongst its partners – champions innovation and provides a gateway to accelerate cutting-edge products and technologies to market.

The categories for the 2011 Energy Innovation Awards are:

Rising Star Award

University Spin-out

New Energy Generation

Existing Performance Improvement

Consumer Benefit Award

Best Service Provider

Best International Trade Award

Energy Innovation Award – Best of the best

Denise Massey, director of the Energy Innovation

Centre, said: "Our Inaugural Energy Innovation Awards were a tremendous success and it is with great pleasure that we announce the 2011 awards are now open for entries. There is a great deal of pressure on the energy sector to meet rising energy demand and decarbonising targets, meaning innovation has never been more important. These awards bring to the forefront and celebrate the pioneering work which is taking place across the UK and internationally to address the world's energy problems."

Joe Flanagan, Head of Energy and ETS at the Northwest Regional Development Agency, said: "We are delighted with the success of the inaugural awards, demonstrating the high level of expertise and nnovation within the renewable energy industry, both regionally and ationally. With concerns over climate change continuing, the energy sector is one of the fastest growing areas of the economy and these awards will showcase the industry's finest."

Tackling rising energy demand is a global issue and the UK Government has set a target to generate 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The low carbon environmental goods and services (LCEGS) market is a growing and important sector, estimated to be worth £106billion a year in the UK alone.

Last year's Inaugural Energy Innovation Awards attracted entries from across the UK and as far afield as Eastern Europe, from a wealth of companies ranging from start-ups through to multi-national organisations.

Merseyside firm E-Energy Enterprise Limited scooped two awards after impressing judges with its 'E-Engine', which allows low temperature waste heat to be used to generate electricity in many thousands of industrial processes. While 'Best International Trade Award' went to FMC-Tech Ltd, of County Clare, Ireland, whose real-time network monitoring equipment is a fundamental component of the Smart Grid schemes.

Merseyside-based Furlong Innovations was awarded the 'Consumer Benefit Award' for its cost-effective CombiSave technology, which provides "instant" hot water to households with combination boilers, eliminating waiting time for the water to run hot.

The Judges, made up of leading experts from the energy industry, include John Bullock, Chairman, Institute of Engineering and Technology North West, Alan Clarke, Director & Investment Committee Chairman, University of Manchester Intellectual Property, and David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association.

Manchester-based company Out There Events is supporting the Energy Innovation Centre in staging the awards.

The closing date for entries was Friday 8 April 2011.

For entry forms, sponsorship opportunities and more detail about the awards dinner click here