The winners of the 2020 Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) Energy Awards have been announced.

Astellas Ireland scooped the top prize for Energy Team of the Year.

Founder of Tipperary Energy Agency was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Energy and a student from Loreto Abbey Dalkey received Emerging Sustainable Energy Champion award.

Astellas manufactures pharmaceutical products for the global market from its Killorglin facility in County Kerry. The Energy Management Team at the Kerry plant work in conjunction with senior management and all employees to continuously improve energy performance on site. Over the last three years the team has achieved an energy reduction of 15% and delivered almost 20 projects each year.

A total of ten awards were presented to individuals, businesses, communities, and public sector organisations in recognition of their commitment and dedication to sustainable energy and climate action. T

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SEAI received 124 entries to the 2020 SEAI Energy Awards with projects delivering combined energy savings of €42million.

William Walsh, CEO of SEAI, said: "Despite the significant challenges this year, the volume and quality of entries reflects an unwavering commitment of individuals, and organisations to sustainable energy and climate action. The next decade will demand accelerated and significant change in every part of our society to reduce our carbon emissions. SEAI will support those who want to take such action. The commitment shown by each of our finalists is hugely inspiring and now we want others to see how they too can benefit from sustainable energy."

Seamus Hoyne was also honoured during the online ceremony with the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Energy Award. Mr Hoyne has been involved in research and development in the energy sector since the nineties and has participated in over 25 EU funded research projects. From 1998 to 2012 he was the Managing Director of Tipperary Energy Agency. He currently leads the Development Unit at Limerick Institute of Technology and is the Principle Investigator for the Centre for Energy Efficiency and Deep Decarbonisation which is focused on supporting communities, enterprises, and industry to develop and engage in sustainable practices and processes.