South Holland and The Deepings MP says opponents of onshore wind turbines will be strengthened after he was named Environmental Campaigner of the Year in the Dods Parliamentary Awards.
Mr Hayes was shortlisted for his success in raising the issue of onshore wind farms and the blight they cause to the countryside.
As a former energy minister, Mr Hayes is credited for preparing the groundwork for Michael Fallon’s shift away from subsidies for onshore wind and “towards more planning gain for local residents”, which means residents get a bigger say on where turbines are sited.
Mr Hayes received his award following a vote by MPs and Lords – last year he was Minister of the Year in the same awards.
He said: “For me its about what we want the world we live in to look like.
“I don’t like the term wind farms – these are industrial structures and we don’t want industrial structures for an industrial purpose littering our countryside.”
The MP said the London School of Economics proved house prices fall by an average of 11 per cent when they have turbines nearby and the structures also kill birds and bats.