Blog
Innovation, technology & operations
Electric vehicles: who should pay?
Stewart Reid discusses the options for recovering the costs of network reinforcement needed for electric vehicles, and the unintended consequences of doing so.
People and skills
Trailblazer could disarm a ticking time bomb
The first apprentices have now graduated from the power network craftsperson trailblazer apprenticeship which could make a major contribution to addressing the power sector’s skills gaps, says Chris Degg.
Innovation, technology & operations
Transforming lone working
A new application of wearable tech has radical implications for lone worker health and safety says David Goldsby, digital innovation manager, National Grid Labs.
Policy & Regulation
A non-STEM affinity with Greg Clark
EA Technology's Gill Noweell is relieved to find a fellow non-science, engineering, maths or technology expert join the world of energy.
Innovation, technology & operations
Social media could create a brighter future for networks
Tools like Twitter and Facebook are not just new-fangled communications channels, says Freddie Tilbrook. They are an important element in the growth of collective consumer power - which will increasingly impact on network operations.
Strategy & Management
Brexit and customer satisfaction
Utilities with international ownership need to ensure they maintain focus on understanding local customer preferences throughout the UK-EU break-up, says Jo Causon.
Innovation, technology & operations
Tie-up renewables with energy storage
Britain must adopt energy storage to cut payback times for domestic generation from renewables, argues Stephen Irish.
Policy & Regulation
Brexit won’t stop the rise of EVs
Rumours suggest that automotive manufacturer may be cancelling UK investment plans following the EU membership referendum result, but don’t believe that this will slow the rise of electrical vehicles says Gill Nowell.
Heat
Heat networks: where is innovation needed?
Unlocking innovation in the UK heat sector means; being more joined up as an industry, settling asset ownership confusion and ensuring experts are responsible for delivering network efficiencies, argues Casey Cole.
People and skills
UK power engineering capability eroding
A dip in network infrastructure procurement has the potential for serious ramifications in the industry skills base says Alastair Dawson.
Strategy & Management
Data: maximising value, minimising risk
Guru System's Casey Cole explains how to maximise value from data while minimising the associated risks of sharing.
Strategy & Management
Don’t care, wont care
Should consumers care about the shape of the future energy system and should they have a bigger hand in designing its evolution?
Heat
Heat networks and the trilemma
Responding to the trilemma is about more than just keeping the lights on argues Gareth Jones. Heat should play a much bigger role in our thinking about the future of energy.
Heat
Heat networks bottleneck
Substandard training for heat network engineering in the UK is stopping the burgeoning sector from realising its potential, says Ian Manders.
Innovation, technology & operations
Time to get down to business and build the world’s new power system
The COP21 climate summit has created renewed momentum for international collaboration to combat climate change.Now everyone needs to play their part says Eddie O'Connor
Research and Development
Wake up to the cold economy
As new research highlights the significance of cooling to UK and global decarbonisation targets, Nick Winser explains his new found interest in this overlooked energy vector.