Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/895363
NETWORK / 32 / NOVEMBER 2017 to ensure smart power has cross party support and that it remains at the top of the energy agenda. "We want to explain the huge environmental, social and economic benefits to the public, and to help ensure these ben- efits are accessible to all in the new era of smart energy. Many people are already generating their own power and engaging with smart applications, but smart power has the potential to transform all our lives for the better, in ways that are creating real excitement today." But does Hendry think that consumers fully under- stand what is meant by smart power? "I don't think they're fully understanding of it at the moment because they haven't seen what it's going to mean for them," he remarked. "I think what we want to do is move things a stage forward so households are thinking how do I generate power and use heat constructively. How do they become part of the solu - tion, rather than simply being on the receiving end of other people's decisions. I think that just as we've seen with the roll - out of solar panels on roofs and the feed-in tariff which drove that forward, people became very enthusiastic about it, and I think we will see much more engagement across the whole of the energy sector." Economic benefits Examples of smart power include enabling people to generate and sell their own electricity easily, cutting bills and demand by using energy efficiently and when it's cheap - est, supporting the efficient growth of electric vehicles, storing clean electricity, and building new cables between countries so that electricity can flow easily between them. Delegates at the event heard that the development of new smart infrastructure will deliver economic benefits across the UK, with an estimated potential of £13 billion of Gross Value Added, £5bn of potential exports to 2050 and 8,000 – 9,000 jobs over the 2020s and 2030s associated with creating smart grids. The government's recently published Clean Growth Strategy identified the delivery of clean, smart, flexible power as a key growth sector for the economy. Analysis by Imperial College for the National Infrastructure Commission shows that a smart energy system could save businesses and households up to £8bn per annum by 2030. The enhanced flexibility and efficiency of a smarter system means that less generators and network capacity will be needed and that the whole system can be balanced more effectively. Smart meters The launch event was attended by MPs including Labour's Chi Onwurah and current energy minister Richard Harrington. Harrington said: "Some peo - ple in the Conservative party may say that we've got enough experts. This is a sector where we certainly need experts. I'm very pleased to be hearing what the experts in this room say over the weeks and months ahead. I wish you all the best of luck with it." The former pensions min - ister confirmed that 370,000 smart meters are being installed each month, but that this figure is expected to rise to a million (gas and electricity). He added: "I embrace the programme like I embrace everything in this whole system as being part of the future. It's the future where people have control, transparency and know what they're in for." Organisations involved in the launch include: The Energy Networks Association, The Association for Decentralised Energy, The Renewables Energy Association, Energy UK, Re - newableUK, Scottish Renewa- bles, The Solar Trade Associa- tion, BEAMA, SmarterUK, The Electricity Storage Network and National Grid. INDUSTRY INSIGHT WRc Approved certification provides confidence in water and gas network technologies With focus on commercial efficiencies, performance outcomes and reduced customer impact, the expansion, replacement and refurbishment of water and gas networks require utilities and their contractors to have full confidence in the technologies they use. For over 20 years, the WRc Approved 'fitness for purpose' certification scheme has helped suppliers demonstrate the performance of their products and services. Buyers can have confidence that the products and services are what they claim to be, reducing risk in selection and procurement especially for new and unknown products and services. Quality, performance and installation are all covered in the WRc Approved assessment. To date, over 400 approvals have been issued in the water, gas and wastewater sector, including pipes, lining and repair systems, flow control systems, inspection systems, fittings, manholes and access chambers and software. Approved services include soil surveys, CCTV inspections and drain repair contractors; these are all focused on demonstrating good workmanship. The WRc Approved scheme continues to grow and now operates in the gas sector. In June 2017 two fully structural Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) solutions for the refurbishment of gas pipelines were approved. Gas liner supplied by Reline APTEC GmbH and SAERTEX- LINER gas supplied by SAERTEX multicom GmbH have both been through extensive testing to achieve WRc Approved certification. The scope for these two products is for replacement of cast iron and steel gas distribution mains with diameters between 150mm and 1220mm and operation of gas distribution systems up to 2 bar operating pressure in Great Britain. COLLABORATION