The winners of the Wales Sustainable Academy Awards were announced today at an Awards Ceremony in the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. They included a by-product from a popular food that can be used as a low salt flavour enhancer, a solar powered bench and Egni community owned solar co-operative which is currently undertaking the biggest rollout of rooftop solar in Welsh history.
Organised by Cynnal Cymru and RenewableUK Cymru, the Sustainable Academy Awards, which has Wales & West Utilities as its headline sponsor, celebrates sustainability excellence, innovation and leadership across Wales and recognises work being done by individuals, community groups and the public sector, as well as small and large businesses.
The nine category winners were:
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION sponsored by Innogy
Meleri Davies from Gwynedd
SUSTAINABLE VENUE OR SPACE sponsored by CECA Wales
Newydd Housing Association / Eggseeds – Wales’ first solar powered bench
The bench is in the grounds of St Catherine’s Church in Pontypridd
SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT OR SUPPLY CHAIN sponsored by Arup
Aberystwyth University – BEACON
More taste, less salt, healthier lives
OUTSTANDING RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT sponsored by Welsh Government
Egni Co-op – Community owned solar
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Oseng-Rees Reflection, Swansea
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY sponsored by EDF Renewables
Under the Bridge – Milford Youth Matters – Milford Haven
OUTSTANDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Greenstream Flooring, Porth
SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION OR TRAINING sponsored by Dŵr Cymru
Severn Wye Energy Agency – Our Future’s People – Powys
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
Paul Allen, Machynlleth
Rosie Gilliam, Egni’s Director said “We are delighted with this recognition. We’ve completed 8 solar installs in the last month and have a lot more in the pipeline before Christmas. It is great that Wales is taking the lead in rooftop solar and that people are wanting to invest in our coop – we’ve had amounts ranging from £50 to £100,000. The key thing is that people want to take action on climate change. We are very grateful to the EU/Welsh Govt Rural Development Fund in Neath Port Talbot, Pencymoedd CIC, Sustainable Communities Wales and the Welsh Govt Energy Service for funding the feasibility work which enabled us to secure this level of coop investment in renewables. You can still join us – visit www.egni.coop!”
Mari Arthur, Director of Cynnal Cymru, said: “Once again we are delighted with the results of the Sustainable Academy Awards. They show the wide variety of sustainability projects being carried out in Wales and I am very proud to be here today celebrating them. It gives me great hope that Wales can become a sustainable nation.”
Rhys Wyn Jones, Head of RenewableUK Cymru, said: “This is my first experience of the Sustainable Academy Awards and it has been a privilege to be involved with them. It is so fascinating to see the diverse range of projects that are happening. Every entry is a fantastic demonstration of the sheer drive, enthusiasm and commitment that is helping to make Wales a world leader in working sustainability across a range of areas. Special thanks must also go to our sponsors, without whom none of this would have been possible.”
Steven Edwards, Director of Regulation & Commercial at Wales & West Utilities, said: “We are committed to supporting the communities that rely on us long into the future, delivering energy that is affordable, reliable and green. Our next Business Plan sets out how we plan to deliver a Net Zero gas network. Co-created with our stakeholders, it has sustainability at its heart.
“So we’re proud to be headline sponsor for the Wales Sustainability Academy Awards and congratulate the winners, all who demonstrate sustainability excellence, innovation and leadership.”
If you would like photographs of any of the winning projects or to interview the judges or representatives from the winning projects, please contact Sara Powell-Davies on 029 2034 7840 / 07815 550 983.
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For further information, please contact:
Sara Powell-Davies, Communications Manager, RenewableUK Cymru, 029 2034 7840 or 07815 550 983 or sara.powell-davies@renewableuk.com
Notes to Editors
The winners: Project Details
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION sponsored by Innogy
Meleri Davies
Meleri is Chief Officer of Partneriaeth Ogwen. During the last four years, she has managed large scale projects including a local book and craft store and the community asset transfer of Bethesda library.
Some examples of what Meleri has achieved include five low rent shop fronts on Bethesda High Street for use by local artists and business owners, a local book and craft store run by volunteers and paid youth staff and the development of Ynni Ogwen Community Hydro Scheme, which raised £500,000 in two months via a share offer for local investors. All this while raising a young family.
SUSTAINABLE VENUE OR SPACE sponsored by CECA Wales
Newydd Housing Association / Eggseeds – Wales’ first solar powered bench
This truly collaborative project has helped to bring together local disengaged young people in alongside local residents, homeless people, builders, industry leaders and more. Together they have developed Wales’ first solar powered digital bench in the grounds of St Catherine’s Church in Pontypridd, providing a safe, comfortable and accessible space for all. Not only has the project helped to boost skills and confidence but it has inspired new opportunities for the future. The project is now exploring forming a social enterprise to develop similar projects to tackle social issues and provide training and collaboration opportunities.
SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT OR SUPPLY CHAIN sponsored by Arup
Aberystwyth University – BEACON –
The manufacture of Quorn™ products results in large volumes of liquid, which is currently disposed of via the sewage network. Collaborating with several commercial partners, the BEACON team in Aberystwyth University developed a natural flavour enhancer from a by-product of the food industry. By reusing the waste liquid from Quorn, the team demonstrated a flavour enhancer that could reduce the salt content of a food by 15-40% without negatively impacting the flavour. Quorn is now investigating the commercial scope for treating its left-over liquid. This could lead to a widespread use of the extract within the food industry.
OUTSTANDING RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT sponsored by Welsh Government
Egni Co-op – Community owned solar
Egni is an exemplar scheme for the community owned energy sector. It was established by Awel Aman Tawe, a renewable energy charity in South Wales. Egni Co-op was the first solar PV co-operative in Wales and has 94 members and has completed solar installations on seven sites. By the end of 2018 the sites had generated over 500kWh and saved more than 180 tonnes of carbon.
Over the last six months Egni has raised £1.28m from coop shares towards its target of £1.5m. The aim is to install 5.000kw of solar PV on up to 250 sites across Wales, which would save an estimated £8 million over the next 30 years and help prevent 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This will be the biggest rollout of rooftop solar in Welsh history.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Oseng-Rees Reflection, Swansea
Oseng-Rees Reflection makes bespoke artisan sustainable glass panels for interior and architectural installations using only glass bottles. The business collects bottles locally and produces the product in as sustainable way as possible, striving towards a zero-carbon mission. Recognising the need to collaborate, Oseng-Rees Reflection has developed close relationships with a variety of local businesses including tilers, shopfitters, water-jet cutters and engravers.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY sponsored by EDF Renewables
Under the Bridge – Milford Youth Matters, Milford Haven
Under the Bridge is a community event in Milford Haven promoting well-being, optimism and ambition in deprived rural areas. It addresses elements of deprivation such as poor health by providing opportunities to promote an active lifestyle, general health and mental well-being. It offers young people aged between 11-18 the opportunity to get involved in free urban arts, music, dance and skate workshops, Young people are engaged in alternative forms of art, media and dance which they may not otherwise easily access.
OUTSTANDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Greenstream Flooring, Porth
Greenstream’s mission is to maximise the community benefit of the sale and re-use of flooring. It is tackling fuel poverty and energy efficiency while countering an ‘instant disposal’ culture. In addition to its commercial carpet tile recovery operation, it also supplies re-purposed flooring to offices and schools in South Wales and provides second-life carpet to low income social housing tenants.
SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION OR TRAINING sponsored by Dŵr Cymru
Severn Wye Energy Agency – Our Future’s People
Our Future’s People (OFP) is a secondary school initiative to inspire the environmental professionals for the future. Severn Wye works with pupils across Wales, training them in environmental issues, energy management and renewable energy. Pupils are offered work placements with local businesses to put into practice what they have learned.
Pupils from Llanfyllin High School, Llanidloes High School and two Newtown High School campuses carried out energy saving surveys and delivered energy saving awareness campaigns to help change the behavior of staff and pupils. Positive behavioural change alone has resulted in combined energy savings of 165,000kWh, £18,000 and 72 tonnes of CO2 across the four schools compared to the previous year.
Severn Wye Energy Agency is now in talks with Monmouthshire and Pembrokeshire Councils with a view to rolling out similar initiatives there.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
Paul Allen, Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
This award is discretionary and is chosen by Cynnal Cymru and RenewableUK Cymru.
Paul Allen has been a leading light for his work in sustainability for over 30 years, most recently through his leadership of CAT’s (Centre for Alternative Technology) Zero Carbon Britain initiative. He joined CAT in 1988 and has developed a wide range of renewable energy systems including solar medical systems for use overseas.
He brings diverse groups together within a supportive collaborative space and has delivered numerous publications and public events that benefit communities across the world.