Wednesday September 23rd 2026
ETA co-founder Andrew Lamond
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The Dalkeith-based Energy Training Academy (ETA) is hoping to land its first national honour after being shortlisted for a prestigious award at the 2026 H&V News Awards.
The awards are the largest in the sector, recognising the most forward-thinking, innovative and customer- focused businesses.
ETA has been nominated for Training Initiative of the Year, with judges looking for entries demonstrating new approaches to the design, implementation and rollout of training courses and upskilling programmes.
The shortlisting reflects the work put into the Heat Network Suite at the academy, Scotland’s first dedicated district heating education centre which helps people learn about the benefits of district heat networks.
Scotland’s first community-focused facility of its kind when it launched as a CIC in 2023, ETA is dedicated to producing the new generation of engineers by specialising in high quality training and education in the gas and renewables industry.
It was nominated for the same award in 2024 for its focus on equipping engineers with renewable tech skills and co-founder Andrew Lamond is hoping to go one better this year when the winners are announced in London in November.
He said: “Being shortlisted for Training Initiative of the Year is a huge achievement for ETA, but this project has never been about ETA alone. The Heat Network Suite is the result of a genuinely collaborative effort, with companies such as Vattenfall, SAV and OCS all playing an important role in bringing the facility to life, alongside the vital support of Midlothian Council.
“Together, we’ve created something that didn’t exist in Scotland before – a dedicated facility where engineers, businesses and communities can learn about heat networks and the skills needed to deliver the transition to lower-carbon heating.
“For a relatively young social enterprise, to be shortlisted alongside some of the biggest and most established organisations in our industry is a fantastic recognition of what can be achieved when industry, local government and education work together.
“We’re incredibly proud of the Heat Network Suite and, of course, we’d love to go one better than our 2024 nomination and bring the award home this year.”
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