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NETWORK / 31 / APRIL 2019 District heating network deployments are on the rise. But do the numbers of these projects always add up? Comsof, a company specialised in GIS-based network design software, created Comsof Heat, a tool that speeds up the planning process and builds a solid district heating network business case. Planning and designing a district heating network is complex and time consuming. It is nonetheless an essential step, since deployment is expensive, and disruptive to the local community. It is crucial to execute a feasibility study, as your business case is based on these numbers. In this phase you compare multiple designs based on different assumptions to decide which areas are the most valuable for deployment. Comsof Heat is GIS-based planning and design software which automates and speeds up this step. The tool makes it easy to build your business case and accelerates the planning process. The software uses intelligent algorithms for automated clustering and routing of the network. It is embedded in a GIS application. The software dimensions the network pipe system. You can modify the technical parameters such as temperature settings, pressure levels, pipe constraints and the cost of each network component. When all is set and calculated, simply assess the results on an area map. In the bill of materials, provided in Excel, Comsof Heat offers a comprehensive overview of all pipe system lengths and network deployment costs. The end-result is a reliable and clear capital cost calculation for only a fraction of the invested labour hours. For further information email info@comsof.com NETWORK / 31 / APRIL 2019 I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H WHAT DOES THE ENERGY REGULATOR SAY? Andrew Burgess, deputy director, electricity network charging and access, Ofgem. Our energy system is changing rapidly as we now have more renewable electricity genera on and in the future we will be hea ng homes and businesses with electricity or cleaner forms of gas. New technology and services are developing. Millions of electric vehicles will also be on the roads in the coming decade. We need an energy system that can support these changes at a lower cost to consumers. Together with government we are revamping 20-year-old energy regula on so that it doesn't hamper progress towards a smarter, more fl exible energy system. We are working to bring in a smarter, fairer and cleaner energy system. We need to capture the benefi ts of new technology, new approaches and cleaner forms of electricity genera on and lower the cost of the system for consumers. We also need regula on that supports innova on and new ways to help consumers engage more in the energy market, and cut their bills. There are some areas where the industry is making signifi cant progress. For example, as part of the Smart System update, we highlighted the work that the industry, the government and ourselves are doing to remove barriers to smart technologies, enable smart homes and businesses and make markets work for fl exibility. To date we have completed 15 of the 29 ac ons and we are commi ed to implemen ng the remaining 14 by 2022. Where we are concerned that the industry is not progressing reforms quickly enough we have intervened. For example, in December 2018 we launched a Signifi cant Code Review into access arrangements (the nature of users' access to the electricity network) and forward-looking network charges (the type of network charges which signal to users how their ac ons can either increase or decrease future network costs). A Signifi cant Code Review is a tool for Ofgem to ini ate wide ranging and holis c change and implement reforms to detailed, industry code-based issues. The energy system is changing rapidly, and regula on must change too. Our work is shaped by fi ve consumer outcomes. I would advise all u lity companies to consider what changes they could make within their business to help ensure that consumers benefi t from lower bills, lower environmental impacts, improved reliability and safety, be er quality of service and be er social outcomes. I N D U S T RY I N S I G H T Build a solid district heating business case make this transi on in a mely and cost-eff ec ve manner," says Brazier. "Every part of the energy system has a role to play, and the network research and innova on is par cularly important given the central role our energy infrastructure needs to play in decarbonisa on." To fi nd out more about U lity Week Live and to register go to h ps://www.u lityweeklive.co.uk