Awards 2026

The SAWEA Awards recognise excellence, innovation and meaningful contribution across South Africa’s wind energy sector.

The 2026 awards will celebrate individuals, organisations and initiatives demonstrating leadership and impact across the industry.

2026 Bright Spark
Award

Recognises an emerging professional (typically within the first five-eight years of their career) who has demonstrated exceptional promise, innovation, leadership and commitment to advancing South Africa’s wind energy sector. The award celebrates individuals whose contributions have already made a meaningful impact on their organisation or the wider industry.

2026 Implementing
Watt Matters: People

Recognises a wind energy project, organisation or initiatives that have delivered measurable and sustainable socio-economic benefits to surrounding communities. The award celebrates excellence in community development, education, enterprise development, skills development, healthcare, or other initiatives that create lasting positive impact.

2026 Excellence Award - EPC

Recognises an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor that has demonstrated excellence in project execution through outstanding safety, quality, delivery performance, innovation, collaboration and effective risk management while contributing to the successful delivery of wind energy projects.

2026 Implementing
Watt Matters: Power

Recognises a wind energy organisation that has demonstrated outstanding achievement in delivering and connecting significant wind energy capacity to the South African electricity grid, contributing meaningfully to the growth, integration and reliability of wind power in the national electricity system. The award celebrates tangible delivery and the organisation’s contribution to turning wind energy projects into operational generating capacity.

2026 Watt-a-Woman Leadership Award

Recognises an outstanding female leader who has made a significant contribution to the South African wind energy sector through leadership, mentorship, professional excellence and industry influence. The recipient demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing both the industry and the next generation of women leaders.

2026 OEM Market Leader Award

Recognises an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that has demonstrated excellence in technology, product reliability, customer support, local market contribution, innovation and overall leadership within South Africa’s wind energy sector.

2026 Gender Diversity Transformation Enabler Award

Recognises an organisation that has demonstrated measurable progress in advancing gender diversity, equity, inclusion, and the empowerment of women throughout the wind energy value chain through policies, programmes, leadership commitment, and tangible outcomes.

SHE Award
(Safety, Health and Environment)

This award recognises excellence in Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) best practices within a wind energy project or organisation. It honours those who have built a strong safety culture and achieved outstanding occupational health and wellbeing outcomes, while also demonstrating exceptional environmental stewardship — protecting biodiversity, minimising ecological impacts, and embedding sustainable practices across the full project lifecycle.

2026 Local Supplier Award
(Wind Value Chain)

Recognises a South African supplier, manufacturer, or service provider that has demonstrated excellence in supporting the local wind energy value chain through quality products or services, localisation, innovation, reliability, job creation, and contribution to industry growth.