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Ofgem provides further clarity on its proposed network charging reforms
Ofgem is in the process of reforming the way in which users pay for access to and use of [...]
9 August blackout technical report highlights issues with Grid Code compliance
Ofgem has now published National Grid’s technical analysis of the 9 August blackout. Much of the meat is contained [...]
Supplier failures, rising prices and another review – the case for serious retail market reform
The need for reform of the retail energy market is increasingly clear – the past week has seen the [...]
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Escalating costs of black start grid support
National Grid has applied to Ofgem for the recovery of £113m it has committed under two “Black Start” contracts signed with SSE Fiddlers Ferry and Drax power stations in late March this year. Black Start provisions are incentivised under the [...]
Winter 15/16 in 3 charts
Last week, to little fanfare, National Grid published its review of the UK’s electricity and gas markets for the 2015/16 winter period. Despite literally dozens of reports in the press at the start of the winter warning of the [...]
Nuclear power: is small also beautiful?
In a recent post I outlined some of the challenges facing Hinckley Point C – the flagship next generation nuclear project in the UK. Various commentators have suggested that new nuclear in the UK has missed the boat since [...]
Stalin, eco warriors, and the truth about smart meters
When I decided to write about smart meters, I thought it would be fairly straightforward…explain what they are, why they are being introduced, what are the costs and benefits etc. What I have discovered is that the world is [...]
Driving storage innovation
Domestic solar + electricity storage has for some time been seen as a potentially disruptive combination for electricity systems. Add in electric cars and use of recycled EV batteries in those storage systems, and the story becomes even more [...]
Igniting Change: combatting inertia in the energy sector
This week saw the launch of the Igniting Change 2 report commissioned by Powerful Women, an organisation committed to improved gender balance within the energy industry. The study, undertaken by PwC, found that of the 89 top UK-headquartered energy companies, [...]
Keeping the lights on
Last week the Daily Telegraph reported that Sainsbury’s, the second largest supermarket in the UK, has built a series of gas-fired generators due to its concerns over security of supply. The article quotes Paul Crewe, head of sustainability at [...]
Unintended consequences
In my last post I wrote about the nature of innovation and the challenges of delivering commercially successful innovations even when a clear need has been identified. In the energy sector those clear needs to innovate can be found [...]
“Innovate or Die!”
I was recently asked to give a presentation on how innovation can be harnessed to boost productivity and competitiveness. This is an interesting question, particularly coming as I do from an industry that is in a period of rapid [...]
The changing face of the energy mix
In my previous post I wrote about the basic design of the gas and electricity systems and the importance of balancing supply and demand in real time, and how de-carbonisation is posing challenges for maintaining this balance in the [...]
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