Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | FEBRUARY 2021 | 35 Operational Excellence crops aer the harvest in autumn and win- ter when fields are fallow. Through auctions, farmers bid to sow specific crops funded by UU to stop nitrates leeching from bare fields through the soil zone into groundwater. Moore says cover crops are a really effec- tive way to mitigate nutrient loss, minimise soil erosion and improve soil structure when the fields are fallow. Incentives favour crops that capture more nitrogen and farmers are paid relative to the amount of time crops are in the ground. Agronomy tool The company utilises a nitrogen manage- ment tool from CF Fertilisers, which is based on the science of soil management and crop production to advise farmers on the nutri- ents required based on the soil type on their land. Precise information based on soil sam- pling throughout the growing season is given to farmers to show all the nitrogen available throughout the cycle of a crop and study the effects of using fewer nutrients on the yield. Moore says the project, now entering its second year, is targeted at arable and maize growers. Biomass – Miscanthus This ornamental grass is seen in gardens up and down the country but a sterile hybrid of the hardy perennial is now being trialled by UU to cover bare fields in groundwater catch- ment areas. The miscanthus has very low agrochemi- cal requirement and can be harvested and sold as biomass, for animal bedding and even for bioplastics. Moore says this hits the sweet spot between what farmers want and what is needed in the catchment. Willow and poplar Another biomass crop is being grown in the northern region with short rotation willow crops added to flood-prone pastureland in Cumbria. These can stabilise and re-profile riverbanks aer flood damage. Further south in Cheshire UU is reaching out to landowners to grow willow and pop- lar, both of which can be used as biomass crops. Moore said these "energy crops" can promote net zero emissions, improve water quality, provide natural flood management benefits, and boost biodiversity – as well as being profitable. As with the miscanthus trial, the goal is to improve raw water quality at source, reduce the pressure on treatment processes, and bring wider benefits to nature at the same time. Ruth Williams, water correspondent "The whole purpose is about addressing challenges at catchment scale out in the landscape rather than relying solely on water treatment." VEE MOORE, CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT ADVISOR, UNITED UTILITIES T he world is at a critical moment for climate change and it's crucial we continue to make strides. In the UK, there's been great progress with a transition to renewables well underway, alongside developments in electric vehicles, hydrogen, and carbon capture & stor- age. This is coupled with new net zero commitments and COP26 focusing minds and actions. With net zero wrapped into the economic recovery, 2021 presents a unique opportunity to increase progress. There's been a notable shi in the right direction over the last five years. Electricity produced by wind in the UK increased by almost 100% between 2015- 19, and 2020 was the greenest year on record for Great Britain's electricity system. From a policy perspective, we have more meaningful roadmaps and greater political support, with industry and government coming together to secure a net zero future. However, there is a long way to go and a huge amount of work to achieve the level of change needed. For example, at National Grid we've set a target to reduce our direct (Scope 1 & 2) greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To date, we've reduced these by 70% since 1990. We're also focused on cutting our indirect (Scope 3) emissions - we've significantly reduced the carbon intensity of our construction activities and set a goal for our UK construction project emissions to be carbon- neutral in 2026. Key to success in the UK will be fostering innovation, developing the skills needed to deliver on these ambitions, and collaboration across the energy sector. There are several innovation achievements driving progress on decarbonisation. For example, converting a decommissioned substation at Deeside into a test and evaluation hub, the first of its kind in Europe, will be a significant step; it will allow us and our peers to trial new projects in a risk-free environment, and accelerate the testing and rollout of net zero technologies. However, we need the right people to bring these cutting-edge ideas to life. National Grid research shows the UK needs 400,000 green jobs by 2050 to deliver net zero, highlighting a significant talent deficit that risks slowing progress of innovative projects. Industry and government must collaborate to plug the skills gap, aligning this to the pandemic recovery. There's real ambition to make 2021 a year to remember for the net zero journey through concrete actions that will have a long- lasting impact. However, this won't be possible without sufficient talent and the necessary innovation. Getting this right must be a priority. EXPERT VIEW EMMA FORD, HEAD OF GAS CONSTRUCTION, NATIONAL GRID Innovation and the right skills are critical for keeping net zero ambitions on track

• Cover