Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1181340
THE FUTURE 32 An alternative route to Black Start The GB grid currently has fi ve HVDC interconnector connections to neighbouring grids, with more due to come on stream. Could they be used as an alternative route to delivering a Black Start service, at an affordable cost? The team at Scotland's National HVDC Centre in Cumbernauld discuss the options.. NETWORK / 5 / NOVEMBER 2019 L E A D E R C O M M E N T YOUR NET W ORK Give the people what they want Let us know what projects, technologies and topics you want us to cover. Have your say Express your opinions and respond to content by blogging or writing for the magazine. A social Network Follow us on Twitter: @Network_mag Email the interim editor: elaineknutt@fav-house.com C OMING SO ON ∙ Community energy goes live ∙ Beyond coal power ∙ Grid analytics Elaine Knutt elaineknutt@fav-house.com FLEXIBILITY IN PRACTICE Flexibility is a dominant theme in Network magazine and website at the moment, as the electricity network operators, distributed generators and demand side response services start to form working partnerships and contractual relationships. As we report everyday (at www.networks.online), the transformation is underway and working. But in this issue, we look at some of the teething problems. Is " exibility" really so exible for community-based energy companies trying to unlock opportunities (page 11), or for the commercial solar farm that couldn't deliver what it's local DSO was looking for (page 24)? And will EV drivers be stuck in the slow lane because DNOs' exibility to build charging networks means they end up in the wrong place (page 14)? These questions re ect the tricky realities behind the buzzword. Converting national gas networks, and domestic boilers, to carry hydrogen rather than natural gas, is the secondary theme of this issue. With general agreement that hydrogen will play a major part in the heat decarbonisation agenda, this year's Network Asset Performance Conference (page 14) heard disagreement on how the hydrogen should be produced. Expect to hear more on the electrolysis versus heat reformation and carbon capture debate in the coming months. Following the success of the inaugural Network Awards last year, this year's event is going to be bigger and better, with 15 award categories to recognise network operators, the supply chain, contractors and local authorities who are involved in shaping the energy system. With the deadline for submissions falling on 29 November, we asked two of the judges (page 25 and 27) to discuss last year's — eld and o˜ er entrants some tips and suggestions for winning submissions. Good luck to all our readers!