Utility Week

Community A hard act to follow It's been a slow news week, Trump-wise, except for the usual cosying up to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and insulting Kim Jong-un on Twitter (Trump called him "short" and "fat" because a North Korean apparatchik had labelled him "old"). Of course, there was a grinning Trump heralding his "great relationship" with Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, who he said was doing an "unbelievable job on the drugs problem". Which is kind of true: Duterte's death squads are tootling around the island on mopeds summarily execut- ing drug addicts, and "unbe- lievable" is probably an adjec- tive that most people could agree accurately describes it. For anyone else that would be a solid week's work on the infamy front, but Trump has set the bar so high when it comes to outrageous behaviour that he's already struggling with "difficult second album" syndrome. If the great man may be so bold (Disconnector, that is, not Trump), perhaps Donald could consider recruiting the resurgent Silvio Berlusconi as wingman and the two could go on a European road trip? Per- haps they could see who could insult Angela Merkel in the most humorous fashion, or maybe grope a minor royal while pass- ing it off as boyish banter? Donald, think of the ratings! How green is green? The wholesale switch to electric vehicles has become a given, despite the lack of charging infrastructure and lack of appetite among the public to buy them. In the UK, the government has announced that the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040. Even China has stated it is on the same path, albeit without a specific deadline. So, this is a good thing, right? Perhaps not, according to boffins at the Trancik Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Last week they issued a report substantiating earlier work by the Norwegian University of Science and Tech- nology that sought to ascertain the lifetime emissions footprint of different vehicles, and it made for sober reading. So, while a Tesla Model S P100D saloon has a signifi- cantly smaller carbon footprint than, say, a 7 Series BMW, both cars fall short of the humble Mitsubishi Mirage, a small petrol-driven vehicle. What the lifecycle studies measure is not just the emissions coming out of the exhaust pipe, but the carbon involved in the manufacture of the car and its components, as well as the emissions involved in getting its fuel. On this measure, it can be deceptive to label all EVs as zero emissions. As always with these things, the devil is in the detail. You're getting warmer The news about EVs is a shame, because it looks like we're going to have to double our efforts to cut emissions if we're going to save the Arctic ice cap. We've known for some years that the polar caps are melting – the photographic evidence is clear. What has been a cause of genuine debate, however, is the exact cause. While the consensus remains that man- made emissions are raising the temperature of the atmosphere – and consequently helping to melt the ice – it turns out that another culprit is also playing its part and melting the ice from below. Yup, scientists have man- aged to verify a hitherto le- field theory that a giant magma plume lies under the Arctic and is contributing to the rapid warming and breakup of the ice. Somebody up there doesn't like us. 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; Content editor: Alice Cooke, t: 01342 332102, e: alicecooke@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: Ben Hammond, e: benhammond@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 Leonie Greene @LeonieGreene 'One message - #solar. It will be as large as coal' @IEA unequivocal at their press conference. '*huge* transformation' for all, given millions of households, communities & businesses will invest in solar. #WEO17 Scottish Renewables @ScotRenew "It's incredibly satisfying to be sat in Whitehall discussing offshore wind and to have hard evidence to demonstrate the cost reductions which have taken place", Matt Taylor of @beisgovuk tells #FOWUK17 Maf Smith @SmithMaf "There is a lot to play for and floating is a serious contender." Great that @ CrownEstateScot working with Marine Scotland on future leasing rounds #FOWUK17 Alexander Anderson @DouneFarm Calling for 'regulation fit for a revolution' @ofgem ceo Dermot Nolan says reforms to the energy supply market needed to boost innovation & competition #OfgemSmartFutures Thomas Edwards @TomHenryEdwards Ofgem consulting on shaking up the supplier hub model Tom Steward @Steward_T This represents a potentially huge change in how we do things. Dare I say it - are @ofgem becoming radical? Laura Sandys @Laura_Sandys Utility Week – Capacity debate is 'fictitious', says @alanwhiteheadmp - totally right again from Alan! Simon Waldman @tidal_Simon This is not a joke. The official US delegation at #COP23 did an event promoting fossil fuels Mike Bloomberg @MikeBloomberg Promoting coal at a climate summit is like promoting tobacco at a cancer summit. It's also a denial of what's happening in the US - half of all American coal plants have been retired over the past six years. #COP23 Top Tweets UTILITY WEEK | 17TH - 23RD NOVEMBER 2017 | 31

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