The Devon Environmental Business Initiative held their annual awards ceremony on 22nd November at the Met Office. 

RE4D sponsored the Renewable Energy category, won by River Dart Country Park for installing the UK's first fish-friendly Archimedean screw turbine.

The 40kW rated system is fully automatic to maximise efficiency so the Park is self sufficient in power for most of the year. The system will be simple to replicate in other locations and educational videos have been produced for the public on site.

The turbine generates around £30,000 of electricity and offsets about 250 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The forecast payback is 4-5 years with a useful life of 40 years.  The project had a grant from the Dartmoor Sustainable Energy Fund.

Winners in other categories were Otter Brewery, Becton Dickinson, Higher Wiscombe and Nicky Scott. Higher Wiscombe took the overall award for their sustainable conversion of a barn to self-catering holiday accomodation.  

For more details about the winners, finalists and pictures from the award ceremony please visit the DEBI website www.debi-online.org.uk/awards