Comment
Gas
Reflections: Future of Heat conference
The Network Future of Heat Conference demonstrated growing industry consensus at the start of a critical year for energy and heat policy.
Heat
The devolution dilemma – pros and cons for the net zero agenda
Almost a year after the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) issued its recommendation that the UK should up its decarbonisation game and embrace a 2050 net zero emissions target, the battle to mitigate climate crisis continues to dominate in political, industrial and public dialogue, writes Jane Gray following this week's Future Networks conference.
Gas
Laying the foundations for heat network growth
Government proposals to increase customer protection and accelerate decarbonisation across heat networks, now backed by a multi-million funding commitment, are welcome news, says Switch2 Energy chief executive Richard Slee
Strategy & Management
Building a net-zero network for north Scotland
As owner of the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland, SSEN Transmission has a critical role to play in the transition to net zero - by building the transmission infrastructure required to connect renewable electricity generation, and transporting that clean electricity to areas of demand, writes Bless Kuri, head of transmission system planning and investment.
Gas
New energy management models needed after Ofgem review
Significant changes to network charging methodology announced by Ofgem are likely to have a major impact on industrial and commercial (I&C) energy bills from April 2021, writes Charlie Ward of New Stream Renewables.
Gas
Maximising power generation from older landfill sites
A growing number of organisations responsible for aged landfill sites are facing costly environmental emissions legacies, as many suppliers of landfill gas generation services are walking away, citing diminishing gas yields making it uneconomic. According to Stuart Watson of Ylem Energy - one of the UK's pioneers in landfill generation - this does not have to be the case.
Gas
Energy trading and asset management in a ‘flex’ market
Dominic Fava, head of marketing and propositions at Origami, a provider of energy trading platforms, looks at the difficulties of trading energy in a more flexible - and therefore volatile - electricity market, and how a new generation of smart IT systems will be needed to support energy companies.
Gas
Calculating storage and flexibility in a net-zero world
Alex Buckman, networks and energy storage practice manager at the Energy Systems Catapult, describes its new Storage and Flexibility Model, a number-crunching tool that can calculate the future storage and renewable generation capacity needed to meet variable demand in a net-zero world.
Gas
Why hydrogen-based fuels will be a net-zero essential
Matti Rautkivi, director of strategy and business development at Wärtsilä Energy Business, explains why the Finnish company is backing several innovators in the field of hydrogen-based fuels - and why the UK government should do so as well.
Gas
Time to regulate heat networks
New regulations planned for heat networks will protect consumers and reduce risks for developers, explains Charlotte Owen, policy officer at the Association for Decentralised Energy - in part of our Utility of the Future series.
Power
Innovation for networks: beyond the buzzwords
As the electricity networks gear up for the next price control period, and the water networks get to grips with new deliverables under Asset Management Plan 7 (AMP7), companies in both sectors face considerable challenges.
Gas
Hydrogen boilers: here today, in your home tomorrow
Martyn Bridges, director of technical communication and product management at boiler manufacturer Worcester Bosch, says that he doesn't need a crystal ball to discern the future of domestic heat - in the company's labs, prototype hydrogen boilers are up and running.
Gas
Making climate change local with UK100
Global cities have the C40 grouping, and now local councils have the UK100 group to raise ambitions and share know-how on the clean energy agenda. The organisation's Hywel Lloyd and Polly Billington explain the challenge, especially with RIIO-2 on the horizon.
Heat
Developing leaders for a low-carbon future
Tom Naughton, an associate at London based heat network consultancy FairHeat, describes its award-winning graduate training programme, and why similar schemes are vital to the sector's future.
Policy & Regulation
Flexibility platforms could launch smarter networks
Flexibility is the buzzword of our times, but it may ring hollow to the "flex provider" that just misses out on a DNO contract. Elexon chief executive Mark Bygraves explains its proposal for new online marketplaces that will allow buyers and sellers to trade with full flexibility.
Heat
The road to a low carbon future
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' (SSEN) EV readiness manager, Richard Hartshorn, discusses the distribution network operator's role in the transition to a low carbon world for drivers, tourists and consumers.
Heat
Dealing with a digitalised grid if the internet breaks down
What might happen to a digitalised grid if the internet breaks down? Phil Lawton, power systems practice manager at the Energy Systems Catapult, asks and answers a difficult question
Power
Improving customer contact in the WhatsApp era
As National Customer Service Week draws to a close, Lisa Doogan, head of customer service and stakeholder strategy at Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, describes how it is improving communications with its 3.8 million customers in the north of Scotland and central southern England.
Customers
Dealing with distributed energy
Active Network Management (ANM) has grown in sync with the rise of distributed energy over the last two decades. Dr Graham Ault, co-founder and executive director of Smarter Grid Solutions, provides an update on the current applications of ANM beyond flexible distributed generation (DG) connections and explores the current state of the ANM market in the UK.
Gas
Industry views on blackout
With National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) set to provide a final detailed report on last month's blackout to Ofgem today (6 September), a selection of industry experts provide analysis of what happened and lessons that need to be learnt.
Heat
The totex question
Has total expenditure (totex) become enshrined in utilities' practices? A special pan-utility roundtable held at Utility Week Live sought to find out.
Gas
Hydrogen’s role in the future UK energy system
The Energy Research Partnership (ERP) recently brought together a range of stakeholders from across the energy sector to review the role of hydrogen to help decarbonise the UK energy sector. Their findings will be reported in July and the group has concluded that hydrogen, working together with the low carbon advances made in the electricity sector, has a potential role to play in meeting the needs of a future low or zero-carbon energy system in the UK.
Gas
Achieving the right climate
With the Government committing to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to almost zero by 2050, networks will be key in the facilitation of decarbonisation. Here, Network puts a special focus on the topic of decarbonisation as part of its Network of the Future campaign.
Gas
Gas’s role in a renewable world
Steve Urquhart, business development manager - distributed energy systems at Siemens looks at why we still need gas in a renewable world.
Heat
Putting the focus on flexibility
The Energy Institute's incoming president Steve Holliday reflects on the Energy Barometer 2019 and calls for a renewed and visionary focus on flexibility.
Policy & Regulation
Challenges around RIIO2
Mark Fitch, an energy regulation expert at PA Consulting, asks will Ofgem's RIIO2 decision dampen the network companies' energy for moving to net zero?
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.
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.
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.