Heat accounts for almost one half of UK energy costs and the cost of heat continues to rise. Britain faces an urgent challenge in transforming how homes, offices and industry are heated; in its recent report Next Steps for UK Heat Policy, the Committee on Climate Change put it simply: “deployment of low carbon heat cannot wait until the 2030s”.
These were the words of inquiry chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick in his phase one Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, published on 30 October, which also clarified that gas played little role in the fire’s outbreak or early stages.
Grenfell report praises Cadent operation to seal gas mains Read More »
Uniper, which currently operates four coal-fired power stations, plans to bring the Datteln-4 plan online this summer after a protracted 12 year construction programme and technical difficulties.
Germany to switch on more coal-fired power despite 2038 exit Read More »
Whilst substantial progress has been made in the electricity sector, the decarbonisation of transport and heat is further behind – and these two topics took centre stage at September’s Network Asset Performance Conference. In terms of switching road transport from fossil fuels to electricity, there is less concern about producing enough megawatt-hours to meet the overall increase in demand from electric vehicles (EV) than ensuring there is the network capacity to deliver the power.
Getting green networks up to speed Read More »
In 2015 we embarked on a project with a 2030 horizon, focussing on the transformation of the GB electricity system to enable the country to respond to the challenges of decarbonisation. By we, I mean the Energy Systems Catapult (for whom I work), and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET); but we were not alone. Yes, we led, managed and supported the project but we didn’t do this in isolation; there was a broad range of organisations from across the power sector involved, in this example of genuinely collaborative working.
Getting ready to transform the power system Read More »
While attention is focused on distribution network operators and the rise of distributed generation, it is easy to forget that both the electricity and gas transmission networks have their own challenges to face. National Grid brought those challenges sharply into focus with the publication last month of its annual set of documents setting out the long-term future of its transmission. networks.
Gas: four paths to 2050 Read More »
Chris Train, former chief executive of gas distribution network Cadent recently took on a role spearheading the Energy Networks Association’s new Gas Goes Green initiative to advance the creation of a net zero gas grid in the UK. Here he explains why this mission is so crucial to a successful and affordable energy transition.
Gas must go green now Read More »
The changes that are required are defined by 35 functions, which have been further developed by FPSA2 and embody the new elements to the power system architecture.
FPSA the right vehicle for driving energy future Read More »
The new functions will be “clustered” around issues arising from big data and changes in the end use of the power system said Dr Simon Harrison, chair of the Future Power System Architecture (FPSA) project and chair of the Energy Policy Panel at the Institution for Engineering and Technology (IET).
FPSA to “challenge” established power system architecture Read More »
The research by Accenture surveyed more than 100 executives from across the world found more than half (57 per cent) believed interruptions to the power supply from cyber-attacks was their most serious concern.
Executives worried cyber-attacks could bring down grids Read More »
