The luminaries of the UK cleantech world came together for the fifth annual New Energy Awards, hosted at London’s Science Museum.

TV ecologist Monty Hall was master of ceremonies for the proceedings, announcing awards ranging from University Spin-out of the Year to Retailer of the Year

Telecoms efficiency specialists Nujira walked off with both Innovator of the Year and the evening’s headline award, Company of the Year. In the past year the business has secured a new partnership with the US military and opened a design centre in Edinburgh.

The Entrepreneur of the Year gong was won by Chris Farrell of Zenex, a business which was also shortlisted for Company of the Year. Farrell’s Zenex was founded in 2003 and, in improving the efficiency of household boilers, has won the endorsement of a number of government ministers.

An illustrious judging panel, with sector experts such as environmental economist Paul Ekins from University College London and the UK Energy Research Centre’s John Loughead, had recognised Farrell’s vision, creativity and commercial acumen.

David Mott of Oxford Capital Partners was on hand to pick up Investor of the Year for the firms work in backing innovation in the renewable energy sector.

The Retailer of the Year category was made up of household names including Asda, The Co-operative Group, Sainsbury, Tesco and Waitrose. However, recognition of Marks and Spencer’s Plan A programme, a strategy launched to transform it into one of the world’s most sustainable retailers, saw the chain go home with the prize.

Making up the rest of the nights winners was Developer of the Year, Caledonian Modular, University Spin-Out of the Year, Ilika, and New Energy Champion of the Year, the Low Carbon Business Programme.

Altium Capital walked off with Advisory Firm of the Year, with the firm’s Manchester office completing three green deals in as many weeks, and the Deal of the Year category saw ECO Plastics win for its £24 million fundraising with Ludgate Environmental Fund and Close Brothers.