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12 Years in the Energy Sector: How the Small Energy – Big Achievements Award Became the Main Industry Award

15 April 2026
The application campaign for the 2026 Small Power Generation – Big Achievements Award is about to start. This is a great opportunity to reflect on how the industry competition has evolved from an ambitious idea to one of the industry's professional awards over the past 12 years.
 
How the Award Began
 
The Small Power Generation – Big Achievements International Award was established by the Small Power Generation Association in 2013. At that time, the distributed generation industry in Russia was just gaining momentum, with the construction of gas-powered, solar, wind, and hybrid power plants.
 
There was an urgent need to share experiences, technologies, and best practices. It was crucial to develop the distributed energy market in the country through joint efforts.
 
It was during this time that the main objectives of the award were formulated: to promote the development of the small power generation industry in Russia, to showcase advanced projects and technologies, to create a unified platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange, and to enhance the overall level of engineering in the country.

From Chelyabinsk to Moscow: a journey of 12 years
 
In 2013, the award was regional in nature and was presented in the "industrial heart" of Russia, the city of Chelyabinsk. In 2014, it acquired the status of a national competition, and in 2015, it became an international award. Since 2016, the Small Energy - Big Achievements Award has been presented in Moscow.
 
The 2020 Award: A Record in the Face of the Pandemic
 
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the 2020 Award attracted a record-breaking number of submissions. The ceremony was held in a hybrid format, with offline events at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and online events with participants from Germany, France, Austria, Belarus, Novosibirsk, Magadan, and the Amur Region.
 
Recognizing the significant contribution of the award to the development of Russia's distributed energy sector and the implementation of communication strategies, the 2020 Award was recognized as the winner of the Silver Archer National Public Relations Award in the category "Promotion of Public and State Awards."
 
2021: Entering the Global Stage
 
For the first time, the ceremony was held in Dubai. The "Golden Lightning" award was presented to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for their contributions to the development of green energy and their efforts to promote sustainable development. The award was presented by Maxim Zagornov, President of the Small Energy Association, to Abdul Saeed Abdul Hamid, Vice President of DEWA. Zagornov emphasized that the award committee highly appreciated DEWA's innovative projects in the fields of solar and hydrogen energy, particularly the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest solar park in the world with a projected capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030.

2022–2023: Pause and Re-thinking
 
Sanctions on the supply of European energy equipment temporarily froze the construction of distributed generation facilities in the country. However, they also served as a powerful incentive for the implementation of innovative solutions, the search for new brands of generating equipment, the prompt resolution of import substitution issues, and the implementation of new distributed generation projects.
 
2024: Reboot
 
The award returned to the calendar of significant industry events to identify the best projects and anti-crisis practices, and to encourage those who, despite the situation, continued to provide enterprises with affordable energy resources and develop the country's small distributed energy sector.
 
The main innovations of the 2024 award were the introduction of two new categories:
  • "Domestic Development in the Field of Small Distributed Energy."
  • "Research and Development in the Field of Small Distributed Energy."
 
This emphasized the main focus of the industry community's efforts towards the development of domestic generating equipment and active collaboration with science.
 
The anniversary competition attracted 72 submissions from across the country, and the ceremony was held at the headquarters of Delovaya Rossiya in Moscow.

Experts are the "capital" of the award

Back in 2013, the main principle for determining the award winners was formulated: the decision is made based on the independent voting of members of the international expert council, who are people with high professional competencies and unquestionable authority in the industry community. The expert council has been formed over the past 11 years. Currently, it consists of 40 members, including representatives from government agencies, businesses, industry associations, media, and prominent scientists. Over the past 12 years, a total of 737 companies from 12 countries have participated in the award.

What's ahead?
 
A new nomination period will start in April 2026.
 
The Small Power Association invites the following participants:
  • engineering companies;
  • industrial enterprises;
  • research centers;
  • universities.
 
The Heat&Power exhibition will participate in the 2026 Award, supporting the main mission of the competition: identifying the best projects, sharing experience, and developing the small distributed energy industry in Russia.
 
New projects, new names, and new achievements are ahead. The Golden Lightning is waiting for its heroes.
15 April 2026

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