Over 200 guests gathered at the Wind Investment Awards 2025 in London on 22nd May to celebrate the brightest and best in the industry. Here are the winners in all 19 categories as well as comments from our judges.
It has been a year of contrasting fortunes for the wind industry.
With 117GW of new wind farms commissioned worldwide, 2024 was a record year for installations. But the dominance of China in that figure, the growing headwinds for the offshore wind industry and the need to improve permitting processes have given firms from across the sector a great deal to think about.
Last Thursday (22nd May), Tamarindo held the Wind Investments Awards 2025 at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London’s West End to celebrate the companies and individuals that are leading the sector through these exciting and challenging times. More than 200 guests gathered to recognise the achievements of companies in 19 categories.
Here are winners with comments from our judges…
Asset Manager of the Year: PEAK Wind
The judges said: “PEAK Wind really captures what we’re looking for in terms of key successes and milestones delivered in the past 12 months. Their ability to establish their services as bankable with international lenders in just five years, made them the clear winner.”
Developer of the Year: Apex Clean Energy
The judges said: “The fact Apex was able to develop and permit wind projects in the challenging PJM market is a great achievement. In addition, Apex’s work with non-profits to help them gain access to low-carbon power demonstrates its commitment to driving the energy transition beyond the private sector.”
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Award: Luxcara
The judges said: “Luxcara clearly demonstrated how equality is reflected in everything that they do – they measure, track and stand behind it. Importantly, Luxcara shows us that ED&I isn’t just for listed businesses and major corporations – and that to deliver it effectively, it can’t ever be a simple tick box exercise.”
Equity Deal of the Year: Ørsted divested CHW04 Offshore Wind Farm, by Ørsted and HSBC
The judges said: “This excellent submission clearly highlights the merits of the deal, its uniqueness, and how challenges were overcome amid major geopolitical changes in Taiwan. It combines substantial deal value, a distinctive partnership strategy and regulatory advances. It also shows that transactions can be done with the right stakeholder support and a structure that balances the risk to all parties.”
Financial Adviser of the Year: Green Giraffe Advisory
The judges said: “Green Giraffe differentiated themselves for the breadth of assets they work across and the entrepreneurial spirit they demonstrate. They remain a key adviser to the wind industry as one of the original strategic voices in offshore wind finance and investment, and play a key role in shaping new markets.”
Green Hydrogen Innovation Award: Risk & reward for green hydrogen success – Carlton Power
The judges said: “Carlton Power is putting risk capital to work. They secured three projects in the UK’s HAR1 auction round and further projects in HAR2 – with a clear offtake for each, in place. However, they’re not just winning the project tenders – they’re then joining the dots and, putting their money where their mouth is.”
Investor of the Year: Octopus Energy Generation
The judges said: “Octopus showed strong business performance and a canny ability to leverage their strengths. The investment made in a floating offshore wind foundation designer is a great example of what they’ve accomplished. Add to this the launch of new funds and a series of substantial project investments made in quick succession and you have here a powerful investment approach.”
Legal Adviser of the Year: DLA Piper
The judges said: “The firm cites multiple high profile deals in established and emerging markets and it is evident that they work closely with clients to tackle regionally specific challenges, for example the impact of Chinese turbines into Europe. It is also to be noted how they’re interacting with the investor community.”
Lender of the Year: MUFG Bank
The judges said: “MUFG has played a leading role in numerous landmark transactions, often pioneering first-of-their-kind deals. With an large portfolio of projects, MUFG had a notable year in which it closed multiple high-profile financings including Inch Cape and Revolution Wind. It has shown it can be strategic while addressing complex project challenges.”
Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Neptune Infrastructure Associates and Nuveen Infrastructure): Jenny Blackford, Siemens Financial Services
The judges said: “Jenny has had a long-term and broad impact on the wind sector. She has a rich history of leading financing deals that have been impactful and meaningful. As well as being involved in the sector for more than 20 years, she has been pushing Siemens aggressively for the last 12-18 months.”
M&A Deal of the Year; Offshore: Ørsted divested CHW04 Offshore Wind Farm, by Ørsted and HSBC
The judges said: “HSBC’s work with Ørsted at Changhua 4 is market-defining for offshore wind in Taiwan in how they found ways to finance that project. This is a first of a kind for Taiwan, and very important for the market as they brought together many stakeholders and got it over the line in a time of rising rates.”
M&A Deal of The Year; Onshore: Project Lycksele, by Prime Capital AG
The judges said: “Prime Capital has been clear on why this deal was important to the industry in Sweden. The company’s ability to find a long-term off-taker is a great achievement in the Nordics power market, and its ability to sell a stake at this stage of the development cycle. Also, getting a blue-chip sponsor over the line in a market like that deserves recognition.”
Project Finance Deal of the Year, Advisories (sponsored by Hover Energy): Northleaf’s Behind-the-Meter Wind Power Purchase Structure, by Troutman Pepper Locke
The judges said: “This is a groundbreaking deal in the Texas Panhandle that secures energy pricing, mitigates basis risk, and integrates a data centre to boost wind project revenues. It features a complex PPA structure, innovative risk allocation, and a resilient financing model; and sets a benchmark for future renewable energy deals. We need more of these innovative and complex transactions.”
Project Finance Deal of the Year, Developers: High Coast Project, by Renewable Power Capital
The judges said: “Renewable Power Capital managed an array of challenges, including having to change turbine supplier halfway through with all the lenders on board! This €555m financing in Sweden is one of the largest ever in Europe for a greenfield onshore wind portfolio and was one of the largest of its kind in 2024, which is an indicator of the lenders’ confidence in Renewable Power Capital’s investment model.”
Project Finance Deal of the Year, Lenders: Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, by MUFG Bank
The judges said: “The scale of this project and what it stands for makes it a landmark for the US offshore wind market. Current political concerns aside, we expect Coastal Virginia will enable the financing of other projects, while also creating market precedents and confidence. MUFG has taken innovative approaches to tackle the challenges in the project finance process.”
Rising Star of the Year: Kyro Keown, EnergyPro Asset Management
The judges said: “Kyro’s was a fantastic submission. The technical details she has been working on linked all the way up to the big picture about what she is trying to achieve, and has been able to accomplish in terms of carbon reduction globally. The passion, the values, and everything that’s driving her to work in this industry is truly outstanding.”
Technical Adviser of the Year: OWC
The judges said: “The diversity of work that OWC has delivered, coupled with a series of innovative assignments, that has included analysing and validating Chinese turbine manufacturers for the global industry made this stand out as a clear winner in a competitive category. Vital work, well done.”
Technical Innovation Award: CEntry Platform, by Cyber Energia
The judges said: “It is impressive how Cyber Energia has tailored its platform specifically for the wind industry. Considering the complex legacy platforms that have been used on wind farms in the last three decades, this innovation identifies a clear challenge, and the team has thoughtfully considered how wind needs future-proofing. Solving for cybersecurity is critical for the industry.”
Technical Innovator Award: TuneUp, by RES
The judges said: “Wind turbines operate under highly variable conditions, which makes it challenging to develop a one-size-fits-all optimisation solution. RES’s approach with TuneUp can enable it to process high-frequency data and adapt to different turbine models and site conditions, which is needed to ensure the effectiveness of wind farms across diverse environments.”
Thanks to all who entered, attended and supported the Wind Investment Awards 2025.
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