STEPHEN Fitzpatrick was fed up with what he considered was unfair treatment by the Big six energy companies and thought there must be a better way.

So in 2009 he launched Ovo Energy, an energy company created by customers for customers. Dedicated to providing consumers with cheaper, greener, simpler energy, Ovo Energy is challenging the status quo by offering a fresh perspective in a highly competitive market.

In just 18 months Ovo has grown from one man in a Cirencester barn to a business with almost 100 local employees, over 40,000 customers UK-wide, and posing a serious challenge to the big national energy companies.

Having won Young Business of the Year 2010 award in The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo's Business Awards, in just their first year of operation, Ovo Energy is delighted to be an entrant for this year's Business of the Year category.

Mr Fitzpatrick has built the company with a "customer first" mentality. The six large energy companies offer over 400 different complex tariffs – he decided there was no need for such bewildering confusion, so Ovo offers customers just two easy to understand tariffs.

Mr Fitzpatrick couldn't understand why energy bills needed to be confusing, so he created bills which have been "crystal marked" by the Campaign for Plain English – allowing customers to know exactly what they are paying.

He also believes that people do not have to pay a premium to be environmentally friendly, and so Ovo's standard tariff has more than double the amount of renewable energy than the national average.

In addition to offering customers competitive prices and high quality customer service, Ovo has also grown by creating a working environment that attracts and retains the best employees.

Mr Fitzpatrick set up Ovo Energy in the area because he attaches great value to the life-work balance and believes Gloucestershire is an ideal place to achieve that balance.

Having grown so quickly in so short a time, Ovo Energy has realistic ambitions to rival the big energy companies and change the face of the energy market.

Through challenging the status quo of the industry, Stephen Fitzpatrick has become a passionate advocate for the energy consumer.

His lobbying of Government and the industry regulator, Ofgem, to change how the big six energy companies treat consumers is beginning to succeed. The Government has started cutting the red tape which makes it difficult for new energy companies to start, and Ofgem will shortly announce new rules which will force big six companies to start giving customers clearer, easier to understand information.

Ovo has been leading the way with its fresh approach, culminating earlier this year in Ovo being voted the UK's joint "Top Energy Provider" by customers in the Which? Switch customer satisfaction survey.

But Mr Fitzpatrick knows there is still much more to be done. With the rising cost of energy becoming a major political and consumer issue, he says he intends to remain at the forefront of changing the market and delivering what consumers want – cheaper, greener and simpler energy.

● The 14th annual business awards include 11 categories and this year the sponsors are HSBC, Renishaw, the Warranty Group, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire College, Rickerbys, Randall&Payne, Business Link and Creed Foodservice.

For details about how to enter visit www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/awards or email gill.brimfield@ glosmedia.co.uk requesting a business awards pack.