Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 3RD - 9TH NOVEMBER 2017 | 5 WATER Yorkshire Water to cut flood risk in Calderdale Yorkshire Water is introducing a series of measures to help reduce the risk of flooding in Calderdale, west Yorkshire The first of up to 200,000 trees were planted last week (27 Octo- ber) as part of the pilot landscape project, in a bid to slow the flow of flood water in the Calder Valley. The company will also work on leaky dams and the restoration of 43 hectares of blanket bog to the moorland. Alongside this landscape project, Yorkshire Water will trial a change in how some of the reservoirs above Hebden Bridge are managed this winter. This will involve reducing reservoir levels to allow for flood storage to determine whether a longer-term change to reservoir operation is possible. United Utilities plans to expand its generation of renewable energy by installing solar canopies over the car parking bays at its head office in Warrington. If approved, the solar canopies could produce up to 1.8GWh of power, helping offset a third of the site's power demand. United Utilities already produces energy from ground-mounted solar arrays on more than 50 sites in the North West, as well as a floating solar array on a reservoir near Hyde. (Pictured is an artist's impression of the proposed facility). £60m Investment Severn Trent has made in hydrolysis technology to generate 30 per cent more clean energy at its biggest sewage treatment works, in Minworth, near Birmingham. The UK is outperforming the other countries in the G20, with a decar- bonisation rate almost three times the average, according to a new report. The Low Carbon Economy Index by consultancy PWC sees Britain top of a list of G20 countries, with a decarbonisation rate of 7.7 per cent, compared to a global average of 2.6 per cent. It said energy consumption in the UK fell by 2 per cent in 2016, mainly as a result of efficiency improvements. It also highlighted the UK commitment to close all coal power stations by 2025. UK leading the low- carbon revolution "At the moment, we have to convince customers to take a smart meter" Eon UK chief executive Michael Lewis argues that the smart meter rollout should be opt-out rather than opt-in. Interview, p6 52% Proportion of businesses expect- ing to experience an energy- related failure in the next year, according to research by Centrica. Million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) 250 200 150 100 50 0 Coal Gas Nuclear Wind Solar Geothermal/biomass Oil Hydro electricity 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Source: PWC

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