This programme is now closed.
The Energy Pathfinders programme sought to find the best energy projects from across Oxfordshire and from every size of organisation, from social enterprise to multi-national.
Oxfordshire has established itself as the home of carbon reducing energy innovation and this competition, backed by leading academic, local authority and business organisations, was launched to find the county’s current leading projects.
The competition, known as Energy Pathfinders: 2050 (EP:50), followed the publication of the county’s Energy Strategy in November 2019 and reflected the importance being placed on innovation by the UK government, especially in the run-up to COP26 in November 2021.
The Energy Strategy revealed that the sector makes a significant contribution to Oxfordshire’s economy, generating £1.15bn a year, or 7% of the county’s economic output.
EP:50 shone a light on a wide range of vibrant and dynamic projects in the built environment and communities, transport and infrastructure, and energy efficiency and demand reduction. The judges made a further award to a project which demonstrates exemplary standards of diversity and inclusion and embodies key aspects of the Energy Strategy.
Throughout 2021, we saw pioneering projects which we were able to help champion on a local, national and international stage. Chosen projects became part of an Energy Pathfinder showcase for clean technology, helping them to connect with potential investors, influencers and customers.
The Energy Pathfinder awards had three categories:
- Category one: Built Environment and Communities – Winner: Greencore Construction
- Category two: Transport and Infrastructure – Winners: Pivot and Zeta Specialist Lighting Ltd
- Category three: Energy Efficiency & Demand Reduction – Winner: EP Group
The Energy Pathfinders awards was open to projects and organisations of all sizes, from small to large businesses and including start-ups and community-based initiatives. As well as energy and carbon savings, the judges sought projects which place high value on diversity, inclusion and that had a wider social value.
Projects were considered in the context of their impact, scope for scale-up, and economic importance to Oxfordshire, against the three guiding principles of the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy:
- Securing a smart, modern, clean energy infrastructure through increased electricity grid capacity, supporting planned housing, industrial and commercial growth and changing energy requirements.
- Reducing countywide emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared with 2008 levels) and setting a pathway to achieve zero carbon growth by 2050. Realising the economic benefits of a low-carbon transition by supporting; a) ambitious and innovative clean generation projects across the county and b) projects that reduce energy demand and increase energy efficiency for domestic, industrial, commercial buildings and transport.
- Enhancing energy networking and partnership working to focus on the low carbon energy challenges, galvanising pioneers in clean growth to support the scaling-up of future solutions and accelerate delivery towards a net zero-carbon county.
The judging panel included experts from the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and Oxfordshire County Council as well as independent sustainability specialists:
- Ahmed Goga: OxLEP (Chair)
- Hannah Scott: Bioregional & Oxfordshire Greentech (Joint Deputy Chair)
- Lewis Knight: Bioregional & Oxfordshire Greentech (Joint Deputy Chair)
- Andrew Baud: (Secretary), Tala
- Sam Hampton: University of Oxford
- David Hartley: Oxford Brookes University
- Dr George Economides: Oxfordshire County Council
- Cllr Tom Hayes: Oxford City Council
- Sam Thomas: Cherwell District Council
- Emma Southwell-Sander: STFC/Harwell Energy Cluster
- John Kennedy: Flexible Funding
- Nicola McConville: Taylor Vinters
- Tim Rose: Pivot Power, Energy Super Hub
- Rob Panting: OxLEP (Observer and deputy for Ahmed Goga)
- Elio Astone: Flexible Funding (Observer and deputy for John Kennedy)
- Stephen Brown: Oxford Brookes University (Observer and deputy for David Hartley)
Energy Pathfinders was a joint initiative between OxLEP and Oxfordshire Greentech, a business network supporting the growth of the low-carbon sector in Oxfordshire.
[Image – COP26 photo]
We welcomed entries from rural, urban and growth locations, from diverse communities, and from organisations demonstrating wider social value.
Projects – or at least part of any wider scheme – had to be carried out in Oxfordshire.
Entries were considered from completed, part-completed or funded projects starting by 24 March 2021. If completed, the projects had to have been completed by 1 January 2020 or later.
Entries came from commercial or not-for-profit organisations. There was no limit as to the organisation’s size or the project’s budget.
The year’s top projects were highlighted to government via our contacts at the Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to potential international investors and customers, and to local schools who were invited to explore the innovations.