Utility Week

Community Tulip fanciers' robo salvation No sooner has the ink dried on a WWF report warning that mankind has wiped out 60 per cent of animal populations since 1970 than Dutch scientists have come up with an answer – of sorts. No, not a way to preserve animals, but a way to mitigate the consequences of their disappearance. Researchers at Del University are developing robotic bees, because, what with climate change and the extensive use of pesticides, bee numbers are falling dramatically, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the pollination of crops. Matej Karásek, a researcher on the project, said: "The use we see for this is pollination in greenhouses. The bee is under threat due to our farming methods. This is one solution." The current prototype has a wingspan of 33cm – which astute readers will know is considerably wider than what typically passes for a bee, but Karásek is confident the drones can be miniaturised "within five to ten years". None of which gives Disconnector much comfort. For one thing, the plotline of an episode of Black Mirror envisaged a future with robot bees that were then hacked to become killer swarms. So there's always that. More widely, the great man reckons that wiping out bees presents a more profound problem for life on Earth than for Dutch agriculture. Shape-shifter dangerbots The Chinese are also hard at work – on all-purpose shape- shiing nanobots that can do pretty much anything you want them to. The tiny, liquid metal robots – developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of Wollongong in Australia – could be injected into the body to attack tumours, for instance, or deployed in particularly hazardous environments. "We expect to develop so robots incorporating liquid metal that could be used in special missions such as searching for and rescuing earthquake victims, since they can change shape to slide under doors or make it through spaces humans can't get into," Tang Shiyang, from the University of Wollongong, told the South China Morning Post. Which, Disconnector can't help but notice, almost perfectly describes the T-1000, – Arnie Schwarzenegger's search-and-destroy robot foe in the Terminator films. The current prototype comprises a plastic wheel, a lithium battery, and drops of gallium (a so silvery metal), so we've some way to go before silvery nemeses slither across the Earth, but, hey, as (fittingly enough) Confucius observed, a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Army to recruit GM squaddies It's reassuring that we Brits are having nothing to do with such high-tech tomfoolery and will be putting our faith in old-fashioned human beings. That's right: mutant soldiers, or perhaps more accurately, new- fashioned human beings. Global Strategic Trends: The Future Starts Today, a report for the Ministry of Defence by think-tank the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre, predicts that genetically modified troops could be a reality within 30 years, able to li huge weights, run at incredible speeds and see in the dark. And that's without any bionic modifications, also predicted to become a reality. So there you have it. No-one can say that we don't live in interesting times – which, incidentally, is also a Chinese curse. 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. 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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 | 9TH - 15TH NOVEMBER 2018 | 31 Rebecca Long-Bailey @RLong_Bailey Ofgem announce energy price cap will come into force in January 2019 – almost 2 years (!) after Theresa May first announced it as Tory policy, and at a level £100s higher than the cheapest tariffs available. Gareth Miller @garethmillerCE Price cap from 1 Jan confirmed at £1,137 for typical dual fuel customer. Wholesale costs not yet driven higher cap, though clear warning that it might. Tom Steward @Steward_T Fuel debt is spiralling, we need meaningful action. Switching is important, but not as important as a greater policy focus on #energyefficiency – the only route to long- term energy affordability. Richard Lowes @heatpolicyrich In 2018, the Dutch Government have so far supported 16k small heat pumps. This compares with 7k supported in the UK in 2017 by the RHI (in total). Worth bearing in mind the Dutch market is also around a third of the size and has a higher penetration of gas. Not good. Dave Jones @dave0dave0 The UK is going #BeyondCoal by ignoring the gas bridge, and just building renewables, lots of renewables… Doug Parr @doug_parr Would a strategic reserve be better value at keeping the lights on in UK than the current capacity market? Pavel Miller @PVMill Honest answer is don't know but there seems to be a building consensus on the need for capacity markets as power systems decarbonise further and further. A strategic reserve doesn't solve much when energy market isn't properly valuing capacity. Dustin Benton @dustin_benton "The capacity mechanism is a solution to a problem that has yet to emerge"… this is a very polite way of saying the UK spent literally hundreds of millions of pounds on unnecessary, mostly fossil, power stations. Top Tweets

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