Features
Heat
Local energy in action
Mark Futyan, director of distributed power systems at Centrica, provides an update on the company's Local Energy Market (LEM) project.
Heat
Overcoming challenges faced by SMEs
The challenges facing small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) when it comes to engaging with energy networks are wide and varied. Alec Peachey reports on a roundtable debate hosted in association with the Energy Systems Catapult.
Gas
Embracing change
Andreas Lips, general manager, e-mobility, Shell - talks to Network editor Alec Peachey about how the energy and transport sectors are aligning to accommodate the millions of expected electric vehicles on UK roads.
Power
How networks can overcome the EV challenge
Mark Bartholomew, partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, looks at issues around electric vehicle surge charging, which he says will become more apparent as take-up increases.
Power
Creating a digital twin
Jeff Casey, business development director, UK, Burns & McDonnell - discusses the advantages of a digital twin in the power sector.
Heat
Innovation delivered
The pace of change across the UK's gas, power and heat networks continues to advance. At the heart of this change lies collaboration and innovation. With this in mind editor Alec Peachey spoke to UK Power Networks head of innovation Ian Cameron about the work the network operator is doing.
Power
Data is key to delivering smarter DSOs
Phil Dingle, marketing director at Lucy Electric, discusses using data to deliver benefits for network operators.
Gas
Enabling the energy revolution
The shift to digital technology presents many challenges for the energy sector, but it could also create new opportunities with the emergence of micro-grids and private networks. Network spoke to Ibrahim Cobanoglu, digital lead for ABB Power Grids, to find out more.
Gas
The growth of green gas
Matt Hindle, head of gas at the Energy Networks Association (ENA), discusses the gas networks role in delivering net zero emissions by 2050.
Gas
The smart energy blind spot
Current operational telecoms systems are not fit for a distribution system operator future. Here are the key outcomes of a Network debate, hosted in association with Nokia and Joint Radio Company (JRC).
Gas
Leveraging linepack
Keith MacLean outlines the findings of a new UKERC report on the undersold decarbonisation potential of the gas network.
Gas
Investing in the energy decarbonisation transformation benefits consumers
National Grid's head of regulatory finance, Darren Pettifer, says that Ofgem's plans to slash in half the returns that energy networks can earn could put at risk a once in a generation opportunity to transform the energy system, and prevent longer-term benefits to consumers.
Power
An effective way to reduce cable failures
Tony Walker, applications engineer for HV cable diagnostics and fault location at Megger, discusses the benefits of partial discharge (PD) testing.
Gas
Considering the impacts of localised energy
At a roundtable event organised by Network in association with National Grid, delegates were invited to consider the beneficial impact of localised energy in supporting the whole energy system.
Power
Reclaiming and recognising asset management
In an ever-changing energy system landscape, the ability to manage assets is often high up on the agenda for utility companies. During a roundtable event - organised by Network in association with Siemens - key figures from the industry met to discuss asset management. Adam John reports.
Power
Total tapchanger solutions
Dr Jonathan Hiscock, managing director of Fundamentals Ltd, explains why tapchanger servicing is so important.
Heat
Short interruptions matter
With regulatory and technological changes afoot, the issue of reliability is never far from the top of the agenda for many in the regulatory sector. While much has been said about the need to avoid long power outages, has the issue of smaller interruptions been ignored? Network spoke to S&C Electric Company's director of regulatory affairs, Christopher Watts and its EMEA sales director, Jonathan Hopkins about why short interruptions matter, what can be done to avoid them, and what other solutions will improve grid reliability for the network of tomorrow.
Gas
The future of utility quality assurance
With the growing investment in domestic and commercial developments alongside the daily replacement and repair of our network assets, quality installation procedures and conformance to industry standards has never been more important for the future performance of our infrastructure. Mark Pereira, marketing manager at ControlPoint, discusses.
Heat
Dealing with weather events
Alex Prentice, sector lead for utilities at Huntswood, examines how networks can prepare for a significant rise in customer complaints and queries around extreme weather events.
Heat
Decarbonisation driving change at ENW
Electricity North West is putting decarbonisation at the heart of its plans. Alec Peachey spoke to chief executive Peter Emery about a number of subjects including the company's drive to reduce carbon emissions, regulation, infrastructure - and how they're performing against the backdrop of a strategic review that could lead to a sale of the business.
Heat
The benefits of flexibility
Graham Ault, executive director at Smarter Grid Solutions, discusses the key values that flexibility can bring to an economically developed and operated grid.
Gas
Keeping assets safe
Security of critical infrastructure has hit the headlines recently, with increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks targeting the drive to digitalise our systems. Jeopardising the functionality of these assets can materially impact economic security, public health and safety. Cara MacGregor, head of strategy at Lagoni Engineering, discusses the work it's doing in this area.
Gas
Keeping our options open
Casey Cole, managing director of Guru Systems, discusses the need for the heat network sector to unpick the relationship between systems and service providers to create more competition.
Power
Discovering data
Key figures from across the industry came together in Birmingham to debate how data could enable the transformation of the energy sector. Greg Pitcher reports.
Gas
Presenting a united front
This year's Utility Week Live conference sees the unveiling of the gas network industry's flagship stand - the first ever Gas Innovation Showcase (GIS). With customers at the heart of the innovations being displayed and discussed, it promises to excite and engage a wide audience.
Power
Improving energy infrastructure resilience
Mott MacDonald recently delivered research in collaboration with EDF Energy and the Met Office for the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) to identify how natural hazards can be characterised to help improve energy system infrastructure design. Here, Sun Yan Evans - technical director at Mott MacDonald - discusses some of the key lessons learned.
Gas
Enabling the smart grid
Stephen Harper, head of business development, commercial for SCISYS - discusses the transition of distribution network operators (DNOs) to distribution system operators (DSOs) and the smart grid.
Customers
Reliability is key
Christopher Watts, director of regulatory affairs at S&C Electric Company, on why rapid change is affecting electricity distribution networks.
Gas
Assessing future heat options
FairHeat's managing director, Gareth Jones, discusses the implications of the Government's Future Homes Standard which aims to end fossil fuel heating systems in new homes from 2025.
Gas
Protecting physical assets
Cyber security may be high on the agendas of energy network companies. But they also need to remember that physical risks to their infrastructure are also a very real threat. What can they do to prevent uncontrolled access, and protect their physical assets? Risk professionals from network companies met at a roundtable event hosted by Network, in association with Abloy, to find out.
Technology & Operations
Shape the future: Achieve a digital utility network
A new report from Leica Geosystems designed to help utilities organisations gain visibility of their assets is now available to download.