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NETWORK / 18 / JUNE 2016 PITCH IT Network rounds up the innovation pitches given by up-and-coming SMEs at Utility Week Live last month, revealing the latest game-changing solutions for the gas and electricity industries. Smart Systems Scotland This company, formed in 2011, has developed a smart carbon monoxide (CO) monitor. It uses the mobile phone network to raise the alarm if CO is detected, recording all data for health and safety compliance in tenancies, can send texts to multiple devices, has a low unit cost and is available on a monthly subscription. National Grid has supported a UK-wide trial project, and the detectors should hit the market later this year. Innovation is key if networks are to ce- ment their role in a low-carbon, secure and affordable energy system. Since the inception of the Low Carbon Networks Fund in 2010, energy networks have explored myriad possibilities unlocked by new technology. Already, innovations such as novel energy storage are shaping the energy market: frequency response to help bal- ance the system and mobile storage in electric vehicle batteries. But innovation can also be small, a bright idea from a small company that just needs the right environment and relationships to grow. The Innovation Zone at Utility Week Live revealed a wealth of such thinking. In this section, organised in associa- tion with the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), DNOs had the opportunity to look into the future as SMEs showcased and pitched their bright ideas. The EIC is working to nurture these early stage game-changers, but what became evident from the idea pitching sessions is the level of involvement from energy networks through the Network Innovation Allowance. Through this funding mechanism, networks run trials and form partnerships – vital activities if the benefits of such innovations are to be realised. Some in the industry have said in- novation has become "business as usual" for energy networks, and funding should be withdrawn. Certainly innovation is now front and centre in distribution op- erators' minds, but if these pitches dem- onstrated anything, it was the enormous scope remaining for innovation in every corner of the energy system. UK Power Networks' director of safety, strategy and support services, Suleman Alli, speaking at the event, said: "Technology is not our barrier, it's our ambition." Cutting off funding now could show a lack of ambition when the true extent of innovation has yet to be realised. Alder & Allen A spray coating of Adaline 400 Polyurea can extend the life of 20th century assets and also protect critical infrastructure, such as substations, from floodwater. Polyurea is heat resistant to very high temperatures, has high tensile strength and resists chemical attack, decomposition and oxidisation. Importantly for networks, it is highly resistant to oil and water. OptoSci Optomole is an optical methane-sensing system designed to let GDNs find mains gas ingress points without digging. It is rapidly deployed, provides instant gas data, and there is no spark risk. Disruption is reduced by minimising streetworks, and trials have revealed a 30-60 % cost saving on repairs. Optomole has been field tested by gas operator SGN among others. The next stage of development is to roll out test systems to GDNs.