EvoEnergy scooped an historic hat trick at last night’s Solar Power Portal and Energy Storage News Awards, retaining the Contractor of the Year Awards to round off a glittering gala dinner ceremony at the Hilton NEC Metropole. 

The Nottingham-based installer had already landed the ‘Best in Show’ Solar Design Award – won by the slimmest of margins, with just three votes giving it the upper hand over its nearest rival – and the C&I Storage Project of the Year prize before clinching its trio of awards with the very last gong of the night. 

Just shy of 600 industry professionals packed the Hilton hall as TV personality and renowned architect George Clarke helped distribute 16 prizes on the evening. 

Other big winners on the evening included Lightsource BP, whose major strategic partnership with the oil giant won the Transaction of the Year Award; Photon Energy, who took home the Residential Rooftop Solar Installation of 

the Year prize; and LG Solar, the winner of the 2018 Product Innovation category. 

The ceremony also included the poignant recognition of former Nottingham City Council councillor Alan Clark’s achievements. 

Clark, who unexpectedly passed away last year, was the posthumous winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Solar Media, organisers of the SPP and ESN Awards, also made the announcement that from next year, a new category recognising public sector energy projects will be named in Clark’s honour. 

“Alan was the unanimous choice of our judging panel this year and we are delighted that his family, friends and colleagues could be with us to celebrate his achievements,” Liam Stoker, UK editor at Solar Media, said. 

Also collecting prizes on the evening were BSR O&M, who took home the O&M Provider of the Year award, and the Siemens/AES joint venture Fluence, who won the International Storage Project of the Year category for its sterling work on behalf of Arizona Public Service. 

The 2018 ceremony was the first year that Solar Power Portal has shared the stage with sister publication Energy Storage News, with storage projects both in the UK and overseas recognised for their excellence. 

More than 150 nominations were received for this year’s awards – a new record – however preparations are already underway for next year’s event. “We’ve once again been blown away by the number and quality of applications for this year’s awards, something we’re sure will continue next year,” Stoker added. 

The full list of winners at last night’s awards is as follows; 

O&M Provider of the Year, sponsored by Fronius
BSR O&M 

Residential Rooftop Solar Installation of the Year
Photon Energy 

Residential Storage Project of the Year, sponsored by DBS Leoch 

Solo Energy 

Commercial Rooftop Solar Installation of the Year, sponsored by JA Solar

Custom Solar 

C&I Storage Project of the Year 

EvoEnergy 

‘Best in Show’ Solar Design Award, sponsored by Myenergi 

EvoEnergy 

Community Solar Installation of the Year, sponsored by BSR 

Proinso & PT Surya Energi Indotama 

International PV Installation of the Year, sponsored by PV Tech 

Huanghe Hydropower Development 

International Storage Project of the Year 

Fluence 

Storage Business Model Innovation of the Year, sponsored by Current±
redT 

Transaction of the Year, sponsored by Envirotech
Lightsource BP 

Ground-mount Solar Installation of the Year 

RenEnergy 

Utility-scale Storage Project of the Year 

SMA 

Product Innovation 

LG Solar 

Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Trina Solar

Alan Clark 

Contractor of the Year 

EvoEnergy