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NET WORK FORUM 2019 N etwork Forum 2019 featured three streams focusing on future networks, flexible networks and the low carbon transformation of transport. The event, which took place in Birmingham, provided attendees with an opportunity to explore the latest busi - ness models and gain an understanding of what's required to help deliver tomorrow's low-carbon, sustainable energy sector. In the flexible networks stream, Akshay Kaul from Ofgem opened proceedings with a presentation entitled 'RIIO2: Regulation and a changing energy system'. The director of systems and networks told attendees: "We want to make sure that the price controls that are set for the energy networks are simpler and more efficient." During his presentation Kaul talked about heat as the next decarbonisation challenge. He said: "It's very early days for us on heat. Heat is a bit of an unknown ques - tion because it isn't obvious at the moment what the right answer for decarbonisation is. Whether the answer is low carbon gas, electrification or a mixture of the two. We're working closely with government to try to shape, as soon as is practicable to do so, a policy outcome which allows us to start shaping the system towards a defined end state. "We think our main emphasis as a regulator should be on enabling innovation, trials and experiments on both the gas and electricity side and seeing how best we can use the results of them to feed into longer term policy." During his summing up, Kaul remarked: "We exist to serve the best interests of government and consumers. We can only do that by confronting quite directly the chal - lenges of the energy transition." Decarbonisation was high on the agenda in the flexible networks stream with Simon Fairman, director network strategy and safety at Cadent, talking about how the company has used the gas network to ef - fectively and efficiently decarbonise. He highlighted two projects that the gas operator has been working on - HyDeploy and HyNet. HyDeploy is a £7 million project that is being led by gas network Cadent, in part- nership with Northern Gas Networks, Keele University and a consortium of technical experts. In a year-long pilot, HyDeploy will blend up to 20 per cent of hydrogen (by volume) NETWORK / 26 / MAY 2019 The event featured a stream focused on the low carbon transformation of transport. Addressing energy issues Visitors to Network Forum 2019 were presented with three content streams designed to address specific issues within the energy network sector. Editor Alec Peachey was there.