NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Achievements in renewable and sustainable energy, particularly by electric power producers, were honored at the 16(th) annual Platts Global Energy Awards, held December 11 in New York City.

The Awards, often described as the "Oscars" of energy, included 17 performance categories and "Energy Company of the Year," which was chosen from the entire list of finalists. The Awards were aligned to strategic vision, industry leadership, stewardship, premier projects and leading technology initiatives. Winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges.

"We congratulate each of the 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards winners and finalists alike for their individual accomplishments and their contributions to the betterment of the industry as a whole," said Larry Neal, president of Platts, a leading global energy and commodities information provider and host of the Awards.

Industry Leadership

Winning top honors for leadership required implementing bold strategies, demonstrating operational safety, excellence and innovation, achieving positive financial results and making an industry-wide impact in the past year. Five awards were presented in the industry leadership category:

    --  "Industry Leadership - Biofuels," new this year to the Platts Global
        Energy Awards program, went to Florida-based biotechnology company
        Algenol Biofuels for its algae-based fuel-production method. The
        patented process, which converts more than 85% of carbon dioxide (CO2)
        feedstock into ethanol, gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, was hailed by
        judges as a "forward-thinking way to use CO2 directly from
        manufacturing, before it hits the atmosphere."
    --  "Industry Leadership - Grid Optimization" went to Germany's 50Hertz
        Transmission GmbH, which, according to judges, "set a new model of
        performance" following a government-mandated ban on nuclear power
        plants. The company planned an expanded grid serving approximately 18
        million people in northern and eastern Germany and has been a notable
        contributor to the country's renewables initiative.
    --  "Industry Leadership - Electricity Generation" was awarded to Sempra
        U.S. Gas & Power, LLC for its commitment to renewable energy production.
        The California-based, clean-energy company and its partners generate
        power for more than one million homes and businesses using sun, wind,
        and low-emission natural gas.
    --  "Industry Leadership - Exploration & Production" went to
        Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell plc for its Mars B project to expand
        oil exploration in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico's Mars Field. Judges noted
        that Shell employed the latest technology to develop significant new
        infrastructure ahead of schedule, despite economic, supply and
        regulatory challenges.
    --  "Industry Leadership - Midstream" was taken by Switzerland-based Nord
        Stream AG, which successfully linked Russia's pipeline grid directly to
        Western Europe. The judges said the company surmounted significant
        technical, environmental and political hurdles in the name of supply
        security.

Stewardship

Judges hailed National Grid, an international electricity and gas company based in the U.K. and northeastern U.S., for its demand-side management program, calling it "one of the best and most comprehensive." The company walked away with the 2014 "Efficiency Initiative -Energy Supplier" award.

Taking this year's honors for the "Efficiency Initiative - Commercial End-User" award was U.S.- and France-based Schneider Electric, an international energy management giant. The company impressed judges with its 2011 to 2014 double-digit reductions in both core energy consumption and transportation carbon emissions, as well as deriving more than 70% of its revenue from green premium products.

India-based Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited snared the 2014 award for "Corporate Social Responsibility." Judges said it definitively embraced its motto, "power to the people," by not only offering business services, but also working to empower society at large, especially in underprivileged areas. Judges noted the company's successful convergence of profitability and company values.

Projects, Technology

The Awards also celebrated a number of exemplary projects and technology innovations. Texas-based Spectra Energy Corp won the "Premier Project -Construction" award and Korea's Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. took "Premier Project-Engineering." Read more in the Platts Insight winners' overview found at www.platts.com/media-kits/mediagea2014.

Two awards were bestowed in the "Leading Technology" awards category. U.S.-based Siemens Energy received the 2014 award for "Commercial Application" and Primus Green Energy, also of the U.S., won for "Sustainable Innovation." Read more in the Platts Insight winners' overview found at www.platts.com/media-kits/mediagea2014.

Winning the most coveted of the program's awards, "Energy Company of the Year" and "CEO of the Year," respectively, was Missouri-based coal giant Peabody Energy and its chief, Gregory Boyce. The Awards program also bestowed "Deal of the Year" honors, "Rising Star - Individual" and "Rising Star - Company" awards, and lauded two "Lifetime Achievement" winners.

CNBC television anchor Amanda Drury emceed the black-tie Awards gala at the Waldorf Astoria in midtown Manhattan, which was attended by nearly 500 energy industry executives from 20 countries.

For greater detail of the winners, awards and judges' rationale, access the December 2014 Platts Insight article, available via the Platts Global Energy Awards website.

Preceding the Awards program was the eighth annual Platts Global Energy Outlook Forum, "Transition and Transformation," which gathered leaders from energy, finance, government and academia for debate and discussions of key energy sector challenges. Vitol Group President and CEO Ian Taylor keynoted the Forum, which was attended by approximately 200 energy industry executives. At the Forum lunch, a select group of 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards finalists from the "Deal of the Year" and "Industry Leadership - Midstream" categories were presented with a special Platts Award of Excellence for contributions to the energy industry.

The 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards principle sponsor wasOracle Primavera, a provider of enterprise project portfolio management solutions. Additional sponsors for the reception, entertainment, celebration and tables included: GlobalView, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Breitling Energy Corporation, Deloitte LLP, Noble Americas Energy Solutions and also Siemens and Continental Resources, Inc. Neither Platts nor sponsors played any role in the selection of Awards winners.

Next year's Platts Global Energy Awards will be held on December 9, 2015, in New York City at Cipriani Wall Street.

Platts will hold a related Awards event, the Platts Global Metals Awards, which will be in its third year, on May 21, 2015, in London.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), Platts is based in London with more than 1000 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at www.platts.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial: McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL and J.D. Power. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 30 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

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