Utility Week

UTILITY Week 29th September 2017

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Community Reality bites Authenticity is a much over- rated virtue, thinks Discon- nector. It's a quality that Jacob Rees-Mogg, for instance, is said to have, despite the fact that he appears to be something dreamt up by Gilbert and Sullivan. Authenticity is also Donald Trump's USP. No polished career politician he, but an ordinary Joe who calls it as he sees it. Well, perhaps he's more of a wall-obsessed billionaire property developer than a regu- lar guy, but he certainly speaks his mind nonetheless. In what's been a slow week for Trumpian unforced errors, he called for American football players who knelt for the national anthem to be sacked, prompting the protest gesture to spread like wildfire; doubled the threats of biblical violence against North Korea, which is kinda Kim Jong-un's speciality; and extended his Muslim travel ban to include North Korea and Venezuela, despite the citizens of neither country being a threat. Nor Muslim. His attempts to woo the leaders of African nations at the UN weren't covered by many newspapers, despite his aer-dinner speech prais- ing the African country of "Nambia", which doesn't exist. Anyone would think there might be a point in professional politicians who take the time and trouble to master a brief. Downfall of EU in the pipeline? Not that we seem to have much time for professionalism on this side of the Atlantic either. Our undeclared King of Brexit, Boris Johnson, has made a career out of appearing per- manently baffled. It didn't stop him being mayor of London and isn't stopping him from being foreign secretary. His most recent incarna- tion is that of self-proclaimed Saviour of Brexit, although David Davis denies his inter- vention had any effect. Davis reckons the negotiations are going swimmingly, and Discon- nector is inclined to agree with him. It seems pretty obvious we've got those continentals on the run. It's only a matter of time before the mainlanders realise what a ghastly mistake the whole enterprise has been and ask us to take charge of the world again – in fact there's anecdotal evidence that it's already started. Over in Switzerland the local water utility in Geneva was called out to remove block- ages in the sewers at a branch of UBS bank, only to discover that the pipes were full of shredded 500 euro notes. The toilets of three nearby bistros were similarly blocked. There you have it. When the Swiss start chucking the euro down the toilet you know it's game over. It's only a matter of time before Jean-Claude Juncker admits as much and comes grovelling. Sitting this one out In other toilet-related news, Disconnector was under- whelmed by a report from not- for-profit body UKactive, which found that the average person in the UK spends more time sitting on the toilet every week than exercising. Adults clock up an average of three hours and nine min- utes on the lavatory every week – but spend just 90 minutes being active. More than a quarter (26 per cent) of people exercise for 30 minutes or less each week and almost two- thirds (64 per cent) sit down for at least six hours a day. We were doubtless sup- posed to find these results shocking, but Disconnector suspects that they are in fact flattering: many people don't do any exercise at all in any given week. And what about the 64 per cent of people sitting down for at least six hours – what are they doing the rest of the time? Disconnector Editor, Utility Week, and content director, Utilities: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellenbennett@fav-house.com; Deputy editor: Jane Gray, t: 01342 332087, e: janegray@ fav-house.com; Features editor: Lois Vallely, t: 01342 332080, e: loisvallely@fav-house.com; Deputy news editor: Katey Pigden, t: 01342 332082, e: kateypigden@fav-house.com; Senior reporter: Tom Grimwood, t: 01342 332061, e: tomgrimwood@fav-house.com; Policy correspondent: David Blackman, e: davidblackman@fav-house.com; Production editor: Paul Newton, t: 01342 332085, e: paulnewton@fav-house.com; Sales executive: Sidney Houliston, e: sidneyhouliston@fav-house.com. t: 01342 332009; Conference sponsorship manager: Sophie Abbott, t: 01342 332062, e; sophieabbott@fav-house.com; Publisher: Amanda Barnes, e: amandabarnes@ fav-house.com. General enquiries: 01342 332000; Membership enquiries: Peter Bissell, t: 01342 332057, e: peterbissell@fav-house.com. ISSN: 1356-5532. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Printed by: Buxton Press, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6AE. Published by: Faversham House Ltd, Windsor Court, Wood Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1UZ, 3,580 Average circulation Jan–Dec 2015 Membership subscriptions: UK £669 per year. Overseas £781 per year. Contact Peter Bissell on: 01342 332057 Utility Week is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK's magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors' Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact the editor, Ellen Bennett, at ellenbennett@fav-house.com. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors' Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk Ed Matthew @Ed_Matthew1 If UK don't put energy efficiency first in Clean Growth Plan then they are putting households, energy security and fuel poor second. Again. Andrew Adonis @Andrew_Adonis Green energy becoming cheap energy. We should be bold in developing offshore wind Dustin Benton @dustin_benton Nice line from @GreenpeaceUK "We urge the government to come clean... and publicly admit that they got this right!" Paul Massara @paulmassara Dieter Helm report needs to reflect the quantum shift in the price of solar, batteries and wind. Nuclear and ccgt are the big losers. Richard Howard @UKenergywonk Banning @Uber from London could be massive own goal in terms of CO2/NOx emissions. PHVs tend to outperform black cabs. William Marchant @richonlyinname The govt would be right to scrap Swansea lagoon. There are better ways to deliver regional aid and decarbonisation. Paul Lewis @paullewismoney It's begun! Eon is first energy supplier to offer cheaper tariff to those who have a smart meter. Not compulsory but expensive to say no! Nina Skorupska @NinaSkorupska Sun came out at official opening of Anesco's Clayhill site with @claireperrymp @beis The future is bright for #ukenergystorage and #uksolar Dale Vince @DaleVince Privatisation is a failed dogma, Labour are right to take a different approach Opus Energy @Opus_Energy Great news from the @nationalgriduk – 52% of electricity on the grid this summer came from low-carbon sources! Top Tweets UTILITY WEEK | 29TH SEPTEMBER - 5TH OCTOBER 2017 | 31

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