Utility Week

10 | APRIL 2021 | UTILITY WEEK Countdown to COP Analysis Utilities in the spotlight In the run-up to the COP26 climate conference, Utility Week is highlighting the ambitious net zero plans of utilites, their signifi cance to the UK's response to climate change and the obstacles to delivery. Here's our latest snapshot of leadership perspectives on the pivotal COP26 opportunity for the sector. What opportunities does COP26 represent for the utilities sector, and how can we capitalise on them? Fintan Slye, director, National Grid Electricity System Operator (FS): "Our Future Energy Scenarios outline the level of change required to make net zero a reality, both in the energy sector and wider society. COP26 will bring a new spotlight to those changes and an opportunity to accelerate progress, agreeing clear targets and action plans, both nationally and on a global scale. "In Great Britain progress towards decarbonisation is exciting, with the transition to a zero carbon grid one example, but we need to keep up the pace, ensuring industry, government and the regulator are working in partnership to solve the challenges that lie ahead. "Globally there is a need for a major collaborative e… ort in overcoming technical barriers related to the integration of clean energy into power systems at an unprecedented scope and scale. Power system operators are already coordinating through initiatives such as the Global Power System Transformation Consortium and GO15 and COP26 will give a further platform to countries around the world to pursue a path to modern, low-emissions energy systems." What does the UK need to achieve in the next nine months to present itself as a world leader in tackling climate change? What role can utilities play in that? Christine McGourty, chief executive, Water UK (CM): "If the 2020s is the decade to deliver on climate change, then 2021 is the year to make some of the key decisions to enable that to happen. We have laid out the world's ' rst detailed route map to achieve net zero emissions on a sector- wide basis by 2030 and are proud to be the ' rst industry trade body to join the Race to Zero as an o– cial partner – we don't have all the answers, but we're keen to share our learnings with other water companies globally, and with other sectors too." Peter Emery, chief executive, Electricity North West: "We can do nothing in nine months to present ourselves as world leaders. What we can do is show some humility, demonstrate the great things we have done and show an ability to listen to others, learn and apply it quickly. "There are lots of things utilities have done which are pushing the envelope and are of interest to the world at large; the decarbonisation of power generation, the development of o… shore wind, the early stages of transitioning to a decentralised electricity distribution system, the early deployment of storage technology, the early deployment of EV infrastructure." What is your principle ask of government and/or regulators to unlock the sector's potential to accelerate the green transition? Iain McGu og, director of strategy & regulation, Bristol Water: "Meeting the challenges of the future will require new mindsets and approaches. This inevitably brings a risk of failure – and indeed, if we do not have projects that fail this will be the clearest indication possible that we haven't been ambitious enough. We ask our regulators and government to recognise this and to recognise that spending customers' money on projects that do not all deliver their desired outcomes is not a sign of bad planning: it can be an indicator of ambition and innovation. "We are hopeful that Ofwat's innovation fund provides an opportunity for local water companies to work together with others to push our ambitions on." How can utilities help to encourage all consumers to be more active participants in the net-zero journey? CM: There's been great progress in engaging the consumer on energy saving that now needs to be matched on water. Our research has shown that the majority of people are willing to do their bit for the environment by reducing the amount of water they use so we're going to be building on our Water's Worth Saving campaign this year. We're also leading the drive to introduce mandatory water labelling so that customers are able to make a more informed decision before buying a new appliance. We've got to show people that saving water isn't just about saving money. They're saving the planet too." FS: "Part of the challenge of the net zero 2050 target is that the energy system alone cannot deliver decarbonisation. It exists to serve consumers and its evolution will reŸ ect their behavioural changes over the next 30 years. "In a net zero world, fossil fuels need to be replaced by electricity and hydrogen for transport and heating. At the same time, consumers must be willing to change how and when they use energy and be prepared to change to more energy e– cient technologies. "Importantly, as an industry we need to educate consumers before we can expect them to act. Our Carbon Intensity app shows people the greenest times of day to use electricity and helps them see real-time information on how our electricity is being produced. Real-time data is a simple way to educate and empower consumers. If they can be Ÿ exible with their electricity use, they can make more environmentally friendly choices and save money too." James Wallin, digital editor

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