Utility Week

Community Beating the Brexit blues As Utility Week goes to press it's the middle of the Conserva- tive party conference in Bir- mingham. Many frontbenchers have already taken their stint at the podium, but the most anticipated contribution will be from Boris Johnson, who doesn't hold any office at the moment but has nonetheless hypnotised large sections of the Conservative party and the media, if not the country. Johnson has labelled Theresa May's plans for Brexit "deranged" for tying the UK too closely to the EU. He envisages an altogether more swashbuckling future for HMS Great Britain, which involves untrammelled capitalism and booty for all. Many Londoners are not so taken with Project Brexit, and Disconnector was amused to learn of "Brexfit" an intense training regime dreamt up by enterprising London gym owner Marc Diaper that features – among other things – "Jacob Rees-Logg lis" and punchbags emblazoned with the image of the tousle-haired mischief maker himself. Given that it's capitalism in action – the gym's members were polled about their biggest frustrations and Brexit topped even high rents and train delays – Johnson can hardly object if paying punters want to spend 15 minutes pummelling a punch bag with his face on it. Circuit training can be exhausting, of course, so there is a rest area where members can take a timeout. It's called "Cameron Quitters' Corner". Walls are whiter than white Generally speaking, those ped- aling simple solutions to life's ills are snake oil salesmen. The problems we face are invariably complex. Generally speaking – but not always. For instance, scientists have come up with an ingenious contribution to the fight against global warming in the form of painting buildings white to keep them cool. Nonsense, you say? Suspend your disbelief, dear reader. The key is the paint, of course. Researchers at Colum- bia University in New York have developed a polymer-coating that they say can reflect 96 per cent of the sun's light and heat. The material is "one of the whitest whites yet seen", they say, and buildings coated with the material could be up to 8C cooler than they are now. The polymer uses tiny air voids to scatter the sunlight and turn it white, similar to the way colourless water becomes white when it turns into snow. It's also similar to the quali- ties of the blond barnets of some tousle-haired politicians, only it reflects back shame. Booze ban As a champion of good old- fashioned tap water, Disconnec- tor applauds anyone encourag- ing people to ditch the plastic bottle, but the great man was nonetheless surprised to learn that Covent Garden's National English Opera had taken the rather draconian measure of banning bottled water from its performances outright. At issue, however, was not so much the bottled water as the fact that some theatre-goers were decanting vodka into their water bottles to swig during the performance, says Stuart Mur- phy, chief executive of the ENO. He conceded that some had found the ban "annoying" but declared: "What's more unwelcoming is people decant- ing vodka into water bottles and ruining the experience for the vast majority of our beloved audience." This implies that the ENO is not trying to protect its own alcohol sales but stop people getting tanked up and rowdy at the opera, which comes as a complete surprise to Discon- nector – a philistine when it comes to high art. Who knew the opera could be so much fun? Disconnector Publishing director, Utilities: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellenbennett@fav-house.com; Acting editor: Suzanne Heneghan, t: 01342 332106, e: suzanneheneghan@fav-house.com Acting content director: Denise Chevin, 01342 332087, denisechevin@fav-house.com; Deputy editor: Jane Gray (maternity leave); Features editor: Lois Vallely, t: 01342 332080, e: loisvallely@fav-house.com; News editor: Katey Pigden, t: 01342 332082, e: kateypigden@ fav-house.com; Energy correspondent: Tom Grimwood, t: 01342 332061, e: tomgrimwood@ fav-house.com; Policy correspondent: David Blackman, e: davidblackman@fav-house.com; Reporter: Adam John, t: 01342 332069, e: adamjohn@fav-house.com; Production editor: Paul Newton, t: 01342 332085, e: paulnewton@fav-house.com; Business development manager: Ben Hammond, e: benhammond@fav-house.com. t: 01342 332116; Business development executive: Sarah Wood, e: sarahwood@ fav-house.com. t: 01342 332117 Conference sponsorship manager: Sophie Abbott, t: 01342 332062, e: sophieabbott@ fav-house.com; General enquiries: 01342 332000; Membership enquiries: Peter Bissell, t: 01342 332057, e: peterbissell@fav-house.com. ISSN: 1356-5532. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. 2,500 Average circulation Jan–Dec 2017 Membership subscriptions: UK £769+VAT per year. Overseas £781 per year. Contact Peter Bissell on: 01342 332057 Utility Week is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK's magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors' Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact the publishing director, Ellen Bennett, at ellenbennett@fav-house.com. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors' Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk UTILITY WEEK | 5TH - 11TH OCTOBER 2018 | 31 Matt Rooney @mattrooney11 At the @Policy_Exchange #CCUS event at #CPC18, Claire Perry says it is in nobody's interest for the UK to leave the EU ETS. Clearest statement of her preferred option yet. Rebecca Newsom @Rebecca_Newsom Onshore wind has to be a critical part of the UK's future energy mix – YESSS @michaelgove – now change the policy! #CPC18 Nikki Brain @Nikki__Brain At #pxhydrogen event with @CadentGasLtd. @alanwhiteheadmp says #labour wants to get large #CCS projects back on track in UK. Essential if low-carbon #hydrogen to play a role in the energy transition. Ann Robinson @AnnRobinson8 I think we are going to develop smarter regulation. Many regulators probably move from "small print" tick box approach to provide scope for flexibility to achieve desired outcomes. Judith Hartmann @JudithHartmann_ Companies started buying green certificates. Now they want more: provenance, ensure additionality and thus have renewable capacity built on their behalf. This complexity is a tremendous opportunity because we can manage, buy and produce energy to deliver 24/7 green electrons. Andy Pace @EnrgyPotentia At today's CUSC panel, Ofgem's view was that the proposal to charge BSUoS to embedded generators is in the scope of the existing SCR and therefore should not progress. Adam Boorman @AdamBoorman Outsourcing has brought forwards huge changes to the retail market – increased market entry, improved customer service, better tech – but by itself isn't enough for a supplier to succeed – need a USP, management vision or other differentiator. Matt Finch @mattfinch00 2 predictions: 1) any more talk of expensive petrol + there will not be an increase in fuel duty in the #budget 2) #ElectricVehicle manufacturers should advertise the fact that #electricity prices are less volatile – but won't. Top Tweets

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