Two local companies won top honours at the inaugural Wales Green Energy Awards held at St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay yesterday.

Organised by RenewableUK Cymru, the scheme celebrates the contribution of companies, projects and individuals - with seven category winners judged to represent the very best examples of green energy in Wales.

The award for Contribution to Skills and Training went to Safety Technology Ltd, located at Clytha near Raglan, while the Brecon Beacons-based Green Valleys Community Interest Company picked up the Community Initiative award.

Safety Technology Ltd is a leading provider of safety training to the wind energy sector.

As a RenewableUK and GWO accredited training provider the company is able to offer an extensive range of industry-required safety training for individuals working onshore and offshore in the renewables sector.

Safety Technology Ltd also supplies a wide range of specialist safety equipment and health and safety guidance to the renewables sector.

Owner Bob Dickens said he was very pleased to win the award because 'it gives credibility to what we are trying to achieve'.

Ironically Safety Technology provides training for some much bigger companies shortlisted in the same category!

"We moved to Clytha from Merseyside four years ago because we wanted a more rural and open space. We chose Monmouthshire because it has great communications links - with the motorways and main airports - and because it's such an attractive area."

Up to 400 people a year train with the company at Clytha, 60 per cent of them from mainland Europe.

The company, which is continuing to expand, currently operates from six centres, including one in Michigan, USA.

It makes a significant contribution to Monmouthshire's economy - employing 16 local people and accommodating all its clients at local hotels.

"I think that setting up the Green Awards is a really good thing for Wales," said Bob.

The other local award winner, Green Valleys (TGV), is a community initiative that has established itself as a ground-breaking model for the way renewable energy can be implemented for community benefit in Wales.

It has active member groups in Llangattock, Abergavenny, Crickhowell and Llanvihangel Crucorney.

TGV has set up and solely owns a hydro component manufacturing company (Hydrolite). No community group has ever attempted a renewable initiative of this scale before.

TGV has installed more than ten hydro schemes in the last year and is developing more than thirty community-owned hydro schemes and more than sixty in total across Wales.

All profits go back into grassroots initiatives.

Director Grenville Ham said, "It started with just myself and a friend, Gareth Ellis. We ran it on our own for a year and a half until we convinced dozens and dozens of others that it was a good idea.

"Now it's creating really big changes - earning money on all the schemes we've designed.

"The award means we can put our arms around the people that trusted us and say 'thank you' for taking that leap of faith and coming on the journey with us."

The seven winners were chosen by an independent judging panel. 

David Clubb, Director of RenewableUK Cymru and one of the judges, said: "We are delighted with the exceptionally high standard of entries. All of the finalists should be very proud of themselves, and of the difference they have made to the people communities and business across Wales. 

"The projects showcased, and the thousands of green energy installations already in operation around the country, are the tip of the iceberg of the true potential Wales has from the green energy industry.Today was an opportunity to highlight and celebrate that. We very much hope that this event will become a regular annual event within Wales' calendar."