Get ready to celebrate the industry's achievements. At RenewableEnergyWorld.com, we are ready to accept nominations for the Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards. These awards recognize the best companies, people and projects in the North American renewable energy industry.

Last year’s awards were a huge success. And over the past 9 months, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about when nominations will open up for the 2012 awards. Wait no longer -- the time is now.

Nominations will remain open until December 31, after which the editors of the Renewable Energy World Network will vote for the winners in each category. We will also post the finalists in each category so that our audience can select the Reader’s Choice Award.

The 2012 categories are as follows:

Project of the Year for Wind, Solar, Hydro, Bioenergy and Geothermal — These five awards recognize leading renewable energy projects of any type and scale in the five technology areas listed below. It can be given to a tech company, a developer, a financier, or even an individual, and each project is judged on the overall impact it had on a community or an industry. The projects must be located in North America and must have been commissioned (completed and/or started operation) in 2011.

Innovation in Policy, Technology and Finance — These three awards recognize innovations in technology, policy and finance that have led to major advances in lowering costs, improving performance, advancing the rapid uptake of, or creating entirely new applications for renewable energy in North America.

Leadership in Renewable Energy in Policy, Technology and Finance — These three awards recognize individuals who have made an exceptional technological, financial, or political contribution to the field of renewable energy.

Reader’s Choice — After all of the nominations have been made, readers will be asked to vote for their favorite project or innovation. The winner will receive the Readers Choice Award. Voting for this award will begin in early 2011 and extend until the winners are announced at the Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California, February 14-16, 2012.

To submit your nomination and learn about last year’s winners, go to our Awards site here.

Happy Nominating!