New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards
19 August 2027 | Tākina Wellington
Key dates
| Late 2026 | Entry forms available |
| 24 March 2027 | Expressions of interest due |
| 7 April 2027 | Entrants notified of outcome |
| 7 May 2027 | Shortlisted full entries due |
| 9 June 2027 | Finalists announced |
| 19 August 2027 | Awards night at Tākina, Wellington (level 2) Dress code: Black tie or cocktail attire |
Celebrate success and inspire the industry
Showcase the people, projects and organisations driving excellence across New Zealand's energy sector.
Gain industry recognition and demonstrate your commitment to innovation, leadership and positive impact.
Award categories
2027
Digital Transformation Award
This award recognises organisations that have successfully leveraged digital technologies to transform business performance, operational effectiveness, customer outcomes, workforce capability, or asset management within New Zealand's energy sector.
Emerging Energy Organisation of the Year
This award recognises a startup, scale-up, challenger brand, or emerging organisation that is achieving significant growth, innovation, and market impact.
FutureForce Award
This award recognises an organisation, programme, or initiative that is strengthening the future workforce of New Zealand's energy sector.
Community Initiative of the Year
This award recognises a partnership or initiative that delivers meaningful and lasting benefits to communities through genuine collaboration and engagement.
Energy Distributor of the Year
This award recognises an energy distribution organisation that has demonstrated outstanding overall performance across operational, customer, commercial, environmental, social and governance, and workforce measures during the past year.
Innovation in Energy Award
This award recognises a breakthrough innovation that is creating significant value for customers, communities, organisations, or the wider energy sector.
Energy Project of the Year
This award recognises an energy sector project that has been planned, managed, and delivered with excellence while creating substantial value for stakeholders.
Large Energy User Initiative of the Year
This award recognises a large energy user that has implemented an initiative delivering significant operational, environmental, or commercial value through improved energy management.
Energy Retailer of the Year
This award recognises an energy retailer that has demonstrated outstanding overall business performance, customer outcomes, innovation, and market leadership during the past year.
Young Energy Professional of the Year
This award recognises an emerging leader under the age of 35 who has demonstrated exceptional professional achievement and contribution to New Zealand's energy sector.
Judges
2026 judging panel
Toby Stevenson
Consulting Director
Sapere Research Group
Carmen Blackler
Independent Consultant
Blackyard Consulting
Gillian Blythe
Chief Executive
Water New Zealand
Lizzie Chambers
Director
Carbon Match
John Hancock
Independent Consultant
Signature Consulting
David Binnie
Independent Director
Harsharan Singh
Operations Manager - Energy Networks & Renewables
Ventia
John Kidd
Director, Head of Research
Enerlytica
Venue and location
Celebrating the best of New Zealand's energy sector, the New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards will be held at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre in the heart of the capital.
With its modern design, premium event facilities and central waterfront location, Tākina provides a fitting setting to recognise the people, projects and organisations driving innovation, leadership and excellence across the energy industry.
Preferential attendee accommodation rates at nearby hotels will be available soon.
2026 Energy Awards winners
21 Aug 2026Contact Energy was the big winner at the Energy Excellence Awards, taking four of the 10 categories. The gentailer - which last week reported a record full-year earnings result - was named electricity retailer of the year at last night's awards ceremony in Wellington. Its Glenbrook 100-megawatt battery project earned Contact the energy project of the year title, and its efforts to tackle the sector-wide skills shortage saw it take the FutureForce award as well.
Read more →
AWARDS FINALIST: Contact Energy – The Flex Factor: Glenbrook Ohurua Battery 1
19 Aug 2026Contact Energy's first grid-scale battery began trading on 1 April, less than two years after construction started in July 2024. The first stage of the Glenbrook Ohurua Battery can deliver 100 megawatts of power and store around 200 megawatt-hours of electricity, providing enough energy to supply the equivalent of 44,000 homes for up to two hours. Contact says the $153 million project at New Zealand Steel's Glenbrook site was delivered on time and under budget.
Read more →