The Diplomat-Bucharest reveals the energy champions of the 11th edition of Energy Awards Gala 2022

What a special evening we had at the Energy Awards Gala organized by The Diplomat and now in its 11th edition! As every year, the flagship event of The Diplomat-Bucharest celebrated excellence in energy and the impressive achievements of the winners at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bucharest.

These things would not have been possible without the support of our great partners, to whom we would like to say a big thank you: Gold Partners EY, Tinmar Energy, INFORM, Noerr, Romgaz, E.ON, Hidroelectrica; Partners Engie, Transelectrica, CEZ Group, FPPG, Nuclearelectrica; Supporting Partners BRCC, BEROCC, HENRO, ADAA, World Energy Council, Lovering & Partners, WAVE, HIM Public Affairs.

Romania’s energy champions were decided by the esteemed jury committee, comprised of 7 top professionals from various business sectors: Valeriu Binig, Director, Regulatory and Antitrust, Enel; Radu Dudau, Director,  Energy Policy Group, Zoltan Nagy, Vice President,  ANRE, Ilinca Pandele, Senior Consultant & Team Leader Green Tech & Sustainable Development, AHK Romania, Daniela Daraban, Executive Director ACUE, Silvia Vlasceanu, Executive Director HENRO, Prof. Dr. George Darie, Polytechnic University of Bucharest.

A special thank you to our jury members for supporting this iconic event organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest!

And now it’s time to reveal the list of winners at the Energy Awards Gala 2022:

ENERGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR – ENEL X ROMANIA

The ENERGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR award is given to a company that provides services that accelerate innovation and drive the energy transition. Last year, this company designed, implemented and put into operation 25 photovoltaic plants with a total rated power of about 10 MW. More than 23,000 photovoltaic panels, covering a total area of ​​more than 50,000 square meters, the equivalent of more than 10 football stadiums, have been installed in 2021 for beneficiaries. ENERGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR award goes to ENEL X ROMANIA.

Finalists: Electrica, Enel Romania, Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica, OMV Petrom, Romgaz, Transelectrica

ENERGY MANAGER OF THE YEAR – COSMIN GHIȚĂ, NUCLEARELECTRICA

The ENERGY MANAGER OF THE YEAR Award is given to a CEO who helped his company record a 152 percent increase in profit over the period 2018-2021. In addition, this company has had a steady evolution in the capital market in recent years, culminating with the listing of FTSE Russell’s emerging market indices. At the same time, the company has implemented a new strategy for attracting specialized human resources and has achieved approximately 500 jobs in 2021. ENERGY MANAGER OF THE YEAR is COSMIN GHIȚĂ, CEO of NUCLEARELECTRICA.

OIL AND GAS COMPANY OF THE YEAR – OMV PETROM

In the context of a special market situation that took place in Romania in July 2021, the rapid reaction of this company ensured security in the energy supply in Romania. As a result of an explosion and a fire, a major refinery in Romania remained closed throughout the third quarter. That incident sent offline 40 percent of Romania’s refining capacity, creating major disruptions in the regional supply chain. This company responded quickly and flexibly to new market conditions, ensuring product availability and no impact on customers. OIL AND GAS COMPANY OF THE YEAR award goes to OMV PETROM.

Finalists: Oscar Downstream, Romgaz, Transgaz

OIL AND GAS PROJECT OF THE YEAR – BLACK SEA OIL & GAS

The OIL AND GAS PROJECT OF THE YEAR award is given to the most advanced new gas extraction project in the Romanian Black Sea. It is the first natural gas development project in the Romanian continental shelf of the Black Sea built in the last 30 years and has the capacity to cover in the first phase 10% of Romania’s natural gas demand. There are currently about 10 billion cubic meters of resources to be put into production at a volume of about 1 billion cubic meters per year.

The OIL AND GAS PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD goes to BLACK SEA OIL & GAS (BSOG), owned by Carlyle International Energy Partners and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the operator and major concessionaire in the Midia Natural Gas Development Project.

Finalists: OMV Petrom, Rompetrol Rafinare, Transgaz

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ENERGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR – DISTRIBUTIE OLTENIA

One of the goals of this company is to offer quality energy distribution service and to fulfill its customer needs in communicating better & faster with them. In its journey to digitize all its operational activity as well as the electricity grid from several counties, this company developed the GIS map – a google map of sorts of the electricity distribution network. With an investment of around 4 million euros and 4 years since the start of the initiative, it has finished its own digital map of the low voltage distribution network. The CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ENERGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR award goes to DISTRIBUTIE OLTENIA.

Finalists: Delgaz Grid, E-Distributie Muntenia, Hidroelectrica, OMV Petrom, Servelect, MOL Romania

AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN ENERGY – DELGAZ GRIZ

By launching a tech solution based on Robotics Process Automation (RPA), this company has taken an important step in optimizing the process of access to the electricity network, more precisely for the requests coming from business customers, respectively the developers of residential complexes. This technology takes control of the internal flow of operations and automatically issues the technical connection approval. In numbers, automating the process with this solution reduces the connection time by about 30 days and, at the same time, saves about 7,500 hours of work per year. But what does 7,500 hours mean? It means the work of 10 people, 8 hours a day, for 100 days. Therefore, the AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN ENERGY goes to DELGAZ GRID for the Imobot RPA technology.

Finalists: CEZ Romania, Enel Romania, EY Energy Fit, Nuclearelectrica, E.ON Romania

TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR – ENEL

The winner of this award introduced on the Romanian market a technology called Homix, a smart home solution that helps families save energy and simplify their lives, while respecting the environment. Homix is ​​a smart home solution that allows you to easily manage, even remotely, the heating, security, lighting and all the other devices in the smart home ecosystem. Homix starts with the features of a smart thermostat, Homix Home, the control center that connects all Homix devices to make your home more comfortable, efficient and safe. The developer of this technology and the winner of the TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR AWARD is ENEL.

Finalists: Axionet, Electrica Furnizare, Restart Energy, Servelect

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR – EPG & OMV PETROM

This award goes to the largest national private project dedicated to energy efficiency in buildings, carried out by the Energy Policy Group (EPG) with funding from the official sponsor OMV Petrom. This program is a national premiere, being the first private investment of this kind and the largest renovation project to the nZEB standard of a public school in Romania, with innovative technological solutions. Thus, the investment for the energy rehabilitation of the C10 building from the “Elie Radu” High School of Energy Technology in Ploiești was of approximately 1 million euros supported by OMV Petrom. Thanks to this investment, the school building will have an average annual energy consumption reduced by about 60 percent and can ensure its energy consumption almost entirely from its own sources. This award goes to Efficient Romania Program, carried out by Energy Policy Group And OMV Petrom.

Finalists: CEZ Vanzare, E.ON Solar, Enel X Romania

BEST DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR – OMV PETROM

With its Digital Journey, this company has defined a structured digital transformation to become a leading player in the field of digitalization in the industry, unlocking smart opportunities among the entire value chain. Its digital transformation is driven by key initiatives orchestrated across the company and built on three pillars: 1) Enable a strong foundation for implementation of digital technology, 2) Act to build digital skills and culture and 3) Digitalize all aspects of the business. This company places significant focus on digital skills development by launching a new digital skills training project for employees covering more than 300 employees. BEST DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR AWARD goes to OMV PETROM

Finalists: E.ON, Electrica Furnizare, Enel

GREEN MOBILITY AWARD – ENEL X ROMANIA

This company is accelerating the energy transition and a sustainable economy by expanding the chain of charging stations in Romania. More than 500 charging points for electric cars have been installed so far, and investments in this regard will continue in 2022 and future years, the company promises. The GREEN MOBILITY AWARD goes to ENEL X ROMANIA

Finalists: Engie, Porsche Romania & MOON, OMV Petrom

ENERGY CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD – NUCLEARELECTRICA

In the period 2019-2021, the company that won this award sponsored 107 projects, with approx. 30 million lei in total, supporting approx. 11 million Romanians. The sponsored projects targeted the educational, medical and environmental protection field: 25 projects in the medical field, 33 projects in education, 5 environmental projects and 28 projects for various other fields. In 2021, SN Nuclearelectrica SA launched the social responsibility platform “Nucleus of care”, which pursues the strategic directions and the company’s vision to build a sustainable future for the next generation. ENERGY CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD goes to NUCLEARELECTRICA

Finalists: CEZ Romania, Distributie Energie Electrica Romania, Engie

EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – PROF. ANTONESCU NICULAE NAPOLEON

We offer this award to a professional in oil and petrochemical equipment, oil and gas engineering, environment, with a complex didactic, professional and scientific activity. He has published, as an author or co-author, 18 books, 230 articles in journals and specialized volumes, has 13 patents and has led or participated in more than 150 scientific research contracts. The role of the rector Napoleon Antonescu in reforming and consolidating the higher education system in general, and the energy technical one in particular, is indisputable. He was a founding member of the National Council of Rectors (1996) and vice-president (2000-2004). We want to appreciate this activity by offering the distinction of Excellence to PROFESSOR ANTONESCU NICULAE NAPOLEON, representative of the CNR – CME SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL.

ENERGY PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – ZOLTAN NAGY

This award goes to a personality who has identified with the voice of ANRE since 2007. Especially in recent years, one of the most challenging periods in the energy industry, the winner of this award stands out for his eloquence and determination to highlight and transparently communicate the main aspects and challenges of the energy field.

The award goes to ZOLTAN NAGY, ANRE VICE PRESIDENT – NATIONAL ENERGY REGULATORY AUTHORITY.

ENERGY TRANSITION AWARD – TRANSGAZ

This award is given to a strategic energy company in Romania, for the pilot project on hydrogen injection in natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. Within this project called RO-HY Romania Hydrogen, the company has already started injecting hydrogen under laboratory conditions. Also, for the period 2021-2025, the company will conclude a memorandum of cooperation and collaboration with gas transmission system operators in the European Union on cooperation with hydrogen injection.

This award goes to Transgaz.

Finalists: CE Oltenia, Electrica, Engie, Telekom Romania Mobile

SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION – ROMPETROL DOWNSTREAM

We award this prize to a strategic energy retail company, which operates a network of 165 stations throughout Romania. In 2021, the company said it would open 100 jobs nationwide to be filled by 18-25 year olds leaving the state placement system. The project is part of the Group’s approach to sustainability in reducing inequality, providing decent work and growth (in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 10 on social inclusion and equal opportunities for vulnerable groups).

For responsible approach and involvement in industry sustainability, the award goes to ROMPETROL DOWNSTREAM, KMG INTERNATIONAL RETAIL COMPANY.

Finalists: CEZ Romania, Distributie Oltenia, Engie, Nuclearelectrica

JURY’S SPECIAL AWARD

This year’s special jury award is given to a partnership that has just entered the list of EU Energy Projects of Common Interest. With an investment of 150 million Euros, the implementation of this project will take place over a period of 6 years, starting in 2023 and until 2028. The project envisages the modernization and development of electricity transmission and distribution networks, as well as the growth of their interoperability, both at national and European level.

SPECIAL JURY AWARD GOES TO TRANSELECTRICA – DELGAZ GRID PARTNERSHIP FOR CARMEN PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

BRAND OF THE YEAR IN ENERGY – ELECTRICA

As every year, we offer this award to a company and brand in the energy industry following the online votes of the public. This year, this category has enjoyed tremendous interest from online companies and voters. Brand of The Year in Energy is awarded to a key player on the Romanian electricity distribution and supply market, one of the most important players in the energy services sector. The company provides services for about 3.8 million users. Since July 2014, the company has a majority private capital, listed on the stock exchanges in Bucharest and London, being also the only Romanian listed company in the field of electricity distribution and supply in Romania. BRAND OF THE YEAR IN ENERGY is ELECTRICA.

ENERGY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR – HIDROELECTRICA

Against the background of higher electricity prices but also the increase in production and energy sold, the winner of this award recorded exceptional financial results for 2021. During 2021, the value of the company increased by 76.3% to almost 4 billion Lei, as Fondul Proprietatea shows in its latest evaluation. According to Fondul Proprietatea, which is also the only minority shareholder of the company, the company’s turnover increased last year by almost 65%, to 6.4 billion lei, and the EBITDA profit, by 71%, to 4.6 billion of lei. For these outstanding financial results, the award of this category goes to Hidroelectrica.

ENERGY PERFORMER OF THE YEAR – ROMGAZ

This award is offered to the largest natural gas producer in Romania. The company recently signed a contract to buy US shares of Exxon in the Neptun Deep project, following a deal approved in December 2021 for a purchase price of $ 1.06 billion. In the extremely complicated context of gas resources, through this transaction, the company says that it is moving to the development-exploitation phase of the gas fields in the Neptun Deep perimeter area, so that the first natural gas production will be obtained at the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. With a history of more than 100 years in the field of natural gas exploration and production, the company has been admitted to trading since 2013 on the Bucharest Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. ENERGY PERFORMER AWARD OF THE YEAR goes to ROMGAZ

GREEN ENERGY SUPPLIER – ENGIE

The winning company in this category assumes the responsibilities of leading the transition to an economy with a neutral impact on the environment, by reducing energy consumption and developing clean solutions. Recently, the company announced that it will deliver energy from 100% renewable energy sources to four Ursus Breweries breweries in Brașov, Buzău, Cluj-Napoca and Timișoara. The entire volume of electricity supplied comes from 100% of the green energy production assets. Today, the company has an installed capacity of about 113 MW in wind and solar parks located in Galați, Brăila, Harghita and Teleorman. For this supply agreement but also for involvement in energy from renewable sources in Romanian industries, this award is offered to Engie.

ENERGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD – ADREM

We offer this award to a company that develops and implements complete solutions for energy infrastructure, from complex works of general entrepreneurship to equipment developed within the company. The history of this company begins in 1999, when the company entered the automation market with its own SCADA & Automation division. The company is the largest provider of measurement group management services in Romania, being involved in all smart metering pilot projects underway in the country. The company aims to become the market leader in energy services in Romania and to increase the degree of energy efficiency in the projects of its customers and partners. This award goes to Adrem.

SOLAR ENERGY INVESTMENT AWARD – TINMAR ENERGY

Tinmar Group’s medium to long-term strategy is an ambitious one, and it will allocate budgets in stages over the next 4 years, in the renewable energy segment.

“We are in due diligence for the acquisition of another 40 MWp of solar parks. The company is in the process of entering as a major partner for the development of green-field projects for another 280 MWp of photovoltaic parks and a 475Mwp gas plant, wishing that by the end of 2026 we will have a portfolio of production units. from 1000Mwp renewable sources. Also, Tinmar Energy continues to offer services and to grow in the field of energy both on the market of electricity and natural gas supply as well as of the petroleum products registering an increase of approximately 50% of the traded volume in the last year,” according to company representatives.

The company’s plans for renewable energy production units are the main driver of investment and capital raising. Last year alone, 50 million Euro were allocated for the acquisition of new production capacities, and this year this budget will be doubled, currently operating 15 parks with a production capacity of 100 MWp.

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