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UtILItY WeeK | 5th - 11th December 2014 | 23 Operations & Assets award sponsor Scottish Renewables, said: "John's image perfectly captures what was a historic summer for Glas- gow, and shows how renewables have become an everyday part of our lives." This is the first year that the Scot- tish Green Energy Awards included a photography prize, which was open to both amateurs and professionals. If you have an asset or project you would like to see featured in this slot, email: paul.newton@fav-house.com Pipe up Denise Massey Innovation appears to come naturally to the creative and digital sectors. Brands such as Apple, Google and Asos are regularly heralded for the way they embed innova- tion into the fabric of their businesses − from the fre- quency with which they develop products and services through to their working environments and policies. Looking at the markets in which these companies operate, it is hardly surprising that they have a different ambition, pace and mindset. The worlds they inhabit are fast-moving and characterised by falling unit costs, con- sumer trends and a young workforce that is engaged and motivated. These market conditions, along with enlight- ened leadership, have helped to shape their culture. Compare this with our own industry and the differ- ences are clear. In an industry where the market condi- tions centre on security of supply and employment, keeping the lights on and delivering on the promise of a low carbon future, the culture of innovation has had considerably less freedom to develop. However, conditions in our market are changing. As a consequence, there is a growing recognition that we need to learn from our more agile counterparts. At the 2014 UK Energy Innova- tion Awards in April this year, the Best Smart Grid Innovation cat- egory was won by a collaboration between Glasgow-based small business Smarter Grid Solutions and SSE Power Distri- bution. The partnership has created the UK's first smart grid in Orkney, enabling the same amount of renewables generation as conventional network reinforcement at a fraction of the cost and responding to growing consumer demand for power generated from renewable sources. News of such projects is encouraging, but should also serve as a warning. We need to react quickly to external change; we also need to ask ourselves if we have the enlightened approach to leadership that is required to build an innovation culture. Getting employees to want always to do the right thing – first for the customer and then for the business – is not for the faint hearted. Keeping up with the pace of innovation and being bold enough to take a new leadership position represent huge opportunities for the energy industry. Those net- works that have already started creating the conditions and commitment required to foster innovation are the ones that will ultimately come out on top. The deadline for entries to the 2015 UK Energy Inno- vation Awards is 12 December 2014; for full details visit www.energyinnovationcentre.com. Denise Massey, managing director, Energy Innovation Centre "There is a growing recognition that we need to learn from our more agile counterparts." Getting employees to want always to do the right thing is not for the faint hearted Calliachar Wind Farm, Noel Cummins Little Raith Wind Farm, Shin Kicker Images: Tommy Docherty