A BIOMASS leader hit gold in top national industry awards after being named the country’s off-grid installer of the year.

Kirkby Lonsdale-based Barden Energy scooped the honour at H and V News Awards’ glittering London ceremony following stiff opposition from market leaders.

In front a 1,200-strong Grosvenor House gathering, Will Barden took the British building services’ coveted Oscar and heard how his company had impressed a panel of expert judges.

Barden Energy was also highly commended in the ‘district heating project of the year’ category, narrowly missing a second prestigious win, for its acclaimed boiler installation at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa, near Keswick.

Presenting the awards, BBC Breakfast’s Bill Turnbull congratulated the 31-year-old for his vision and drive. Judges said they had been impressed by his rise from forester to biomass specialist.

Will explained he had originally been motivated by ‘wanting to do something constructive with the huge amount of under-utilised wood in Cumbria’.

He added: “I’m over the moon that what started out as push for green energy has been recognised and applauded at this level. We were up against big names and massive projects so the honour is absolutely fantastic.”

Opposition came from major names, including Vital Energy - installers of a biomass system for the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village, Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Emirates Arena in Glasgow - and Carillion Ecopod and British Gas Business for a biomass development serving 543 homes.

Will said he was particularly pleased by recognition of the company’s work at Armathwaite Hall, which is bringing a yearly fuel saving of nearly £70,000, plus generous 20-year government Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments.

With a workforce of 22, Will started his business eight years-ago using his tractor and a wood yard, loaned from a farmer friend. Barden Energy is planning to deliver 200 commercial and 500 domestic systems over the next three years.

It has recently completed a pioneering feasibility study for DECC, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, to bring a wood-fuel district heat system to the west Cumbrian village of Bootle.

The ground-breaking project includes 30 homes, with the potential to extend the network to the primary school, a residential home and a further 63 houses.

Will said: “These are exciting times. People are waking-up to the huge benefits of wood fuel. I started out by saying ‘it didn’t cost the earth’ and it’s great that people are not only listening, but acknowledging the huge biomass gains.”