This year the awards go to the biggest losers – of fossil fuels that is. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) Business Awards are now open and with just five categories and strict criteria seeking innovative projects that have slashed greenhouse gas emissions, the spotlight turns to New Zealand's largest energy users.

Innovation stands as its own category again this year, as businesses who look to introduce new technology and processes, or who apply existing technology and processes in a new way, are able to make some of the biggest emission savings.

At the last EECA Awards in 2016, New Zealand meat processors Hellers teamed up with cooling and heating experts Active Refrigeration to enter their partnership project which captured waste heat to produce hot water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 91 per cent.

Recovering waste heat and using it in another area of energy generation is the principle behind the technology that Active Refrigeration provides. Energy savings are achieved through capturing heat produced as a by-product of the cooling system.

Hellers previously generated hot water with LPG-fired steam boilers that are expensive to run. By upgrading the hot water system and installing a unique refrigeration heat recovery system, combined with a high temperature heat pump, big energy savings were made possible. Work started in 2014 and two years later, the cost of heating water dropped by nearly 84 per cent and Hellers saved $148,000 a year on energy costs.

The greatest value is achieved when innovative technology is replicable and not just unique to a certain situation, which is why this winning entry stood out. Co-director of Active Refrigeration Craig Duff said "The design and engineering principle is applicable to a massive amount of plants in New Zealand, not just the meat industry."

The EECA Business Awards are aimed at recognising and celebrating with businesses their ideas and passion for energy-savings, and to mark some big moments in emissions reduction for New Zealand, says Andrew Caseley chief executive of EECA. "The journey we are all on to find ways of reducing our impact on climate change has never been so important and we need to act now and move faster.

"We want to recognise businesses that are making real commitments to reduce carbon emissions by saving energy or switching fuel types and this year we will again celebrate the people and projects that are leading the way in the large energy user space," says Caseley.

EECA/SUPPLIED Ian Laughton from Hellers and Craig Duff from Active Refrigeration collect the EECA Award for Innovation in 2016.

​EECA BUSINESS AWARD CATEGORIES 2018

Innovation Award

Recognising ground-breaking energy efficiency, emissions reduction or renewable energy application. It may be a one-off, a new innovative technology or process, or an existing technology or process used in a new way. This Award recognises projects that inspire, make a difference, and demonstrate ability to take a bright idea to market.

Public Sector Award

This category seeks entries from central and local government and crown-funded organisations such as district health boards and universities. It celebrates an organisation that has successfully incorporated energy and emissions management into their corporate culture and established initiatives to manage and improve energy efficiency and emissions reductions.

Energy and Emissions Leadership Award

This is a chance for individuals within an organisation to shine as this category is dedicated to celebrating leadership in energy efficiency, emissions reduction and/or renewable energy, to the benefit of an organisation, community or sector.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Project Award

Organisations, teams or individuals that have developed and implemented a successful, energy management and/or emissions reduction project are eligible to enter this category. Entrants must demonstrate reduced energy use and/or emissions and costs within a well-planned and executed strategy. This may be due to 'housekeeping' improvements, one-off projects or incorporating energy efficiency and emissions reduction into initial concepts or designs.

Large Energy User of the Year Award

Open to businesses with a large annual energy spend and high annual emissions, this category showcases an organisation that has completed a successful energy efficiency, emissions reduction or renewable energy initiative as part of an energy and/or emissions management strategy, rewarding efforts made for the long term.

Read about previous winners and find out how to enter the EECA Business Awards 2018 at eecabusiness.govt.nz/awards. Entries close at 5pm on July 23 and the awards ceremony takes place in Auckland on September 26, 2018.