Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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UTILITY WEEK | 29TH JANUARY - 4TH FEBRUARY 2016 | 5 Four cities have been awarded £40 million to promote green vehicle technology after successfully bidding for a share of a multimillion- pound fund created to support the take-up of plug-in electric cars across the UK. As part of the government's Go Ultra Low Cities initiative, London, Milton Keynes, Bristol and Nottingham each received a share of the cash. The government plans to invest £600 million by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve its goal of every new car and van in the UK being ultra-low emission by 2040. Eon cuts gas prices Eon became the first major energy supplier to respond to calls for price cuts this week, announcing a 5.1 per cent cut to its standard gas tariff. It will apply from 1 February and the company claims will knock £32 off the average annual bill. Tony Cocker described the cut as "the right thing to do" to reflect falling wholesale gas prices. At the time of going to press, other big six suppliers had not responded. Analysis, p21. GAS Ofgem 'needs help', MPs told The potential role of a systems architect was on the table this week, as a committee of MPs heard that energy regulator Ofgem could not achieve an integrated energy system alone. Energy Technologies Institute chief executive David Clarke told a meeting of the Energy and Climate Change select committee that an overarching view of engineering, economics and consumers needed to sit above the transition to a new, integrated energy system. However, he appeared to dismiss arguments for a systems architect, saying that while it would be "very nice" from an engineering point of view to create a central planning body, "that won't work, no chance". Clarke said the current regime by Ofgem was "not really" addressing the interlocking roles of engineering, economics and consumers. ENERGY £31m Amount Southern Water has spent tackling the various sources of pollution that can stop bathing waters from achieving "excellent" status. "Numerous bioenergy value chains can deliver genuine system-level carbon savings" The Energy Technologies Institute argues that bioenergy has the potential to be a game changer. "Under current policy, it is almost impossible for UK electricity demand to be met by 2025" IMechE made headlines this week with stark warnings over the extent of the looming capacity crunch 70% Amount by which energy storage costs will fall by 2030, according to a report from the World Economic Forum. £1m Research grants awarded by the Gas Safety Trust to raise awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning since the Energy Networks Association took over management of the trust in 2013. Greatrex gets top nuclear job Tom Greatrex has been appointed the new chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, the trade body for the civil nuclear industry. He will take up his position from 1 February 2016 and succeeds Keith Parker. The former Labour MP was shadow energy minister in the last Parliament and the Opposition's lead spokesman on nuclear energy as well as a member of the energy select committee. APPOINTMENT