Utility Week

Community the national curriculum from primary school onwards. Climate change is currently restricted to chemistry and geography in Key Stages 3 and 4, but the shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, has promised a full review to make sure pupils get the knowledge and skills they need to help them get jobs, particularly in the renewable energy and green jobs sectors. Back in the day, the nearest Disconnector ever got to learn- ing about the power of the sun was when his English teacher decided to take the class out- side when it was sunny. Those were the days, my friends. Not seen to be believed? Disconnector was naturally sceptical on receiving a press release from Waitrose and Part- ners this week claiming that the retail giant will unveil an "invisible door" later this year to help save on energy bills. Developed by Wirth Research, the AirDoor uses self-generated wind to create a barrier that stops heated or cooled air inside the store escaping and outside air „ owing in. Not being down with the kids, Disconnector has no real idea what that actually means, but if it saves energy then he will let the PR folk o† , just this‡once. Disconnector Publishing director, Utilities: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellenbennett@fav-house.com; Content director: Jane Gray, janegray@fav-house.com, t: 01342 333004; Acting editor: Suzanne Heneghan, t: 01342 332106, e: suzanneheneghan@fav-house.com Intelligence editor: Denise Chevin, 01342 332087, denisechevin@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; Editorial assistant: Greg Jones, t: 01342 332102, e: gregjones@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. 2,500 Average circulation Jan–Dec 2018 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 (IPSO), the regulator of 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 we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact the Editor. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you want more information about IPSO or the Editors' Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk. Alan Whitehead @alanwhiteheadmp Welcome the @ofgem decision to delay. Now TCR [tari compliacne rate] and access reform can be considered appropriately in paral- lel, reducing the impact on clean energy technologies. Matt Copeland•@Matt_Copeland1 Looks like @ofgem is keen to take its time on the TCR and related decisions. This is good news as it would have had a disproportion- ately bad impact on low-income households. REA•@REAssociation Good news from @ofgem on the TCR! Grid costs and future design need to be decided together, not to mention the need to support a greener more decentralised system. But one thing at a time! BEAMA@BEAMAUK•May 24 Ofgem conŠ rms that RIIO2 will include new innovation funding in place of the NIC to refocus innova- tion funding on the transition and what is strategically important. Sarah Merrick @SpeakSarahSpeak This is quite a thing, even for a bank holiday weekend. >50 per cent wind + solar. 80 per cent low- carbon power. Negative prices. 69gCO2/kWh. Greg Jackson•@g__j When electricity is cheap (and green) @octopus_energy Agile customers get an absolute bargain… This is the future @SmartEnergyGB ads are point- ing towards. Top Tweets plex, a legal action in the good old US of A has come up with the most bizarre excuse yet. Mount Pleasant Waterworks (MPW) in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has been hit by a law- suit from a group of four custom- ers, one of whom claims they were told by the supplier that their bill had rocketed because their cat kept „ ushing the toilet. The suit claims: "MPW's cus- tomer service representative told a customer that the customer's cat was „ ushing the toilet and that the cat was causing the cus- tomer's excessive water bills." That allegation was one of several made by the residents, who said their water bills would suddenly shoot up by several hundred dollars without warn- ing or reason. Utility Week has reported in the past how suppliers are testing smart water meters, leak detecting robots and special listening devices. Could the real culprits for water wastage be closer to home? Disconnector is not so sure, but look out for a special investigative supplement coming soon – Cat's the way – aha, aha – we like it. A good lesson The great man was heartened to read a Labour party announce- ment, buried in among all the usual Brexit/European Par- liament chaos, that it wants climate change to be part of Hair-raising Given Disconnector's ongoing fascination with the "comb- over-in-chief ", Donald Trump, it would be remiss not to start this week's column without mentioning the American pres- ident's visit to these shores. Obviously, the great man has to state the "at time of going to press" thing because given all the shenanigans in Westminster, anything could happen between now and when the visit is scheduled to start on 3 June. Trump's visit naturally prompts many questions, such as "hasn't this country been through enough in the past few years?" and "how will the Trumpster cope in a country with an energy mix rapidly going coal-free?" But by far the most impor- tant question is, how will the president fare when he visits Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day land- ings on 5 June? It can get awfully windy on the seafront and it would be a tragedy if anything were to happen to the presidential bou† ant. The cat did it Rising consumer bills are a big issue for the water sector and although the reasons behind price increases can be com- UTILITY WEEK | 31ST MAY - 6TH JUNE 2019 | 31

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