Nine honoured at third Young Professionals Green Energy Awards in Glasgow
Turbine tower plant star given Judges Award for globally-acclaimed work
A safety manager who became the youngest management team member at a Scottish wind turbine tower plant has been given a top award.
CS Wind UK’s Julie Blue started work at the company a decade ago aged 17 and is now the company’s Quality Manager.
She joins eight others in receiving honours at the Young Professionals Green Energy Awards, which were held in Glasgow last night (May 25).
Systems put in place by Julie at the plant in Campbeltown, Argyll, have been adopted across the globe by CS Wind, the South Korean company which acquired the factory in 2016.
She was handed the Judges Award – for an entry which the judges felt merited special commendation – after impressing a panel of green energy industry leaders.
Also honoured were Jason Morin, a wind farm Project Manager whose work with communities was described as “a credit to the renewables industry” and Caitlin Long, whose work with wave and tidal energy developers has helped Orkney lead the world in the development of the novel devices.
Jenny Hogan, Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables, the industry body which organises the awards, said: “Once again the renewable energy industry has come together to celebrate some truly worthy winners.
“Those who’re celebrating after the awards – and indeed all those who were shortlisted – should feel proud of the contribution they are making to tackling climate change and modernising our energy system.
“Not only is it remarkable to see so many talented young people in one place, it’s also great to see an almost 50-50 gender balance in both our shortlist and our roll of winners.”
The full list of winners is:
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- Academic Award (sponsored by Energy Technology Partnership): Caitlin Long, European Marine Energy Centre
- Achiever Award (sponsored by SSE): Virginia Ruiz Albacete, ScottishPower Renewables
- Business Development Award: David Rubie-Todd, Wavepower
- Communicator Award: Jason Morin, Muirhall Energy
- Engineer Award (sponsored by ESB): Benjamin Williamson, University of Aberdeen
- Judges Award (sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables): Julie Blue, CS Wind UK
- Innovator Award (sponsored by Highlands & Islands Enterprise): Andrew Hynd, Atkins
- Professional Award: Emma Reid, Pinsent Masons
- Project Manager Award: Ailsa Smith, Wood Group
ScottishPower Renewables was the headline sponsor of the 2017 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards.
Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, said: “Our industry continues to invest billions of pounds and support hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs.
“We continue to surpass expectations by meeting and exceeding all of the challenges that we are presented with. This is due in large to the highly motivated and talented people we have working in the industry.
“All of the award winners, and the range of exceptional projects that were shortlisted, highlight the fact that the future of our industry is in very good hands and that we have plenty to be optimistic about.”
The winners of the 2017 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards will go on to compete for the Rising Star Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards, which will be held in Edinburgh on November 30.
- Scottish Renewables, which organises the Young Professionals Green Energy Awards, is the voice of renewable energy in Scotland and is committed to realising the full economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy for our country.
- The judging panel for the 2017 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards consisted of: Stephen-Mark Williams, Executive Director, Energy Technology Partnership; Iwan Morgan, Director of Wholesale Strategy, SSE; Alistair Yule, Muirhall Energy; Lisa MacKenzie, Marketing & Communications Officer, The European Marine Energy Centre; Muir McDonald, Head of Resourcing, ScottishPower Renewables; Gillian Morrison, Senior Development Manager – Offshore Wind, Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
- Professional images from the event will be available through this link from 10am on Friday May 26. These images are free to use only in conjunction with the 2017 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards. Please call Nick Sharpe, Scottish Renewables’ Media Manager, if you require alternatives. Credit Tim Winterburn.
- The full shortlist of finalists for the 2017 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards, along with more information about the awards, is available here.
- Interviews with winners can be arranged. Please call Nick Sharpe, Scottish Renewables’ Media Manager to do so.
