The European Liquid Gas Congress is the hub for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and progress within the liquid gas industry. This year, as we mark over 50 years of pioneering contributions, we announced the first edition of theAWARDS. These prestigious awards ceremony was the highlight of "theDINNER," where we honored the extraordinary achievements of individuals, teams, researchers, and organizations dedicated to advancing the liquid gas sector.
Our Jury Members
The judging panel included distinguished experts: Ewa Abramiuk-Lété, General Manager at Liquid Gas Europe, representing Europe’s liquid gas industry; Miriam Cavagna, Head of Marketing and Communication at Cavagna Group, a crucial industrial partner specialising in the treatment, distribution, control, and metering of gases across various supply chains; Esther Busscher, Director of Sustainable Development at SHV Energy and former President of Liquid Gas Europe, renowned for her expertise in sustainable and safe LPG solutions; Filippo De Cecco, Technical Manager at Federchimica-Assogasliquidi, with nearly two decades of experience in technical and advocacy roles for liquefied gases at both national and EU levels; David Appleton, Vice-President of Business Development at LPG, known for advancing transparency in LPG markets; and George Webb, Chief Executive of Liquid Gas UK, recognised for his profound understanding of the entire
liquid gas chain and extensive relationships with governmental, industrial, and international stakeholders
Our Categories and Our Winners
theLEADER
This award is dedicated to an individual who has significantly impacted the LPG industry by effectively communicating a compelling vision, inspiring colleagues, and leading transformative changes. The ideal candidate is someone who has tirelessly worked to enhance and advocate for the liquid gas industry, setting a benchmark for leadership and innovation.
TheAWARDS winner for theLEADER category is Natacha Cambriels, thanks to her committment to diversity, gender parity, and disabled worker integration, she also drives Butagaz’s CSR initiatives. Recognized by Forbes as one of 2022's most influential French women, she was honored as Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 2024 for her contributions to innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.
theINNOVATOR
Innovation is the lifeblood of progress, and this award celebrates ingenious concepts that have brought novelty and vitality to the industry. We seek submissions that highlight creative applications in products, processes (technical or commercial), and operational methods. The winning project will exemplify how data and creativity can drive operational efficiencies, new processes, and innovative solutions, bringing fresh perspectives to the industry.
James Rudman is the winner of theINNOVATOR category, as his efforts have significantly improved the UK's LPG sector's resilience and future sustainability. In 2022, James secured a tri-partite deal with NSMP and Exolum to redirect North Sea LPG inland, boosting UK supply by 10% and enhancing product availability in Scotland and Northern England. He played a key role in converting the Avonmouth LNG terminal into an LPG storage facility, improving resilience in South West England. As Business Development Director at Flogas Britain, James is developing renewable pathways, including bio-LPG and rDME supply chains, and exploring Ammonia and Hydrogen opportunities.
theSAFETYGUARDIAN
Safety is paramount in the liquid gas sector, and this award honors projects or campaigns that have advanced safety standards. Whether spearheaded by individual professionals or teams, the submissions should demonstrate significant improvements in safety protocols and practices, showcasing a commitment to safeguarding lives and assets in the industry.
For theSAFETYGUARDIAN, our winner is Stephen Hallett. Guided by the existing framework, Steve has focused on the current basis of safety to determine the tolerability of existing supply infrastructure and end-use equipment with increasing levels of rDME. This lead to determine a suitable blend of rDME and LPG, which can be included into existing equipment integrally. allowing an immediate reduction in carbon intensity and enabling a roadmap towards full decarbonisation of the LPG sectors.
theRESEARCHER
Research and development are critical for the evolution of any industry. This award recognizes those who explore and pursue innovative ideas through formal R&D initiatives. Projects must be conducted in partnership with academic and research institutions and conclude with comprehensive reports detailing their findings. The highlighted project could be a novel product, technical or commercial process, or a research endeavor that enhances understanding or introduces new data.
Butagaz & Bulane, with the project Combining propane with "local power to heat" are theAWARDS winner for theRESEARCHER. Butagaz and Bulane have partnered to demonstrate the feasability of supplying high temperature processes with a lower carbon emissions fuel, by combining 80% propane with 20% clean hydrogen.
The technical goal was to achieve hybrid combustion of (fossil) gas and locally-produced hydrogen to turn fossil-fired appliances into energy systems capable of making a significant contribution to CO2 savings targets. The project concerns both the decarbonisation of the combustion of the boilers in the installed base and the new models that will be installed.
theSUSTAINABLEDRIVER
Sustainability is at the forefront of industry goals, and this award celebrates the successful implementation of products or processes that improve an organization’s sustainability performance. Focusing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects, the winning project will demonstrate significant contributions to fostering sustainability within the liquid gas sector, showcasing well-executed initiatives and effective communication.
With its project La Collecte, Butagaz is the winner of theSUSTAINABLEDRIVER category. La Collecte is a commercial operation based on the principle of circular economy already in place for the recollection of empty or unused refundable gas bottles. The novelty was the use of an additional and new financial incentive to amplify the return rate of bottles and enables customers to do so even when they have lost their deposit contract.
theRENEWABLEPIONEER
Renewable energy is the future, and this award acknowledges innovative offerings, processes, or campaigns that enhance the accessibility of renewable liquid gases. Open to companies and national associations, the submissions should highlight efforts that have made renewable liquid gases more accessible and practical, driving the industry's transition towards a greener future.
Flogas is the winner of theRENEWABLEPIONEER category, with its project Scandi rDME Adoption. Flogas has identified relevant local sources of rDME as part of a consortium to create a first reference (Pitea 2015). With Bjorneborg Steel, Flogas have managed to convince a demanding energy user and tailored the project to fit their needs. A blending method was developed to allow LPG and rDME to be blended according to a pre-defined 20%weight ratio at customer site.
TheAWARDS at ELGC 2024 is the award to celebrate the spirit of innovation, safety, research, sustainability, and leadership that drives our industry forward.
Together, we acknowledge the remarkable efforts of our peers and inspire continued excellence and progress within our industry.
