Utility Week

4 | 20TH - 26TH APRIL 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Seven days... Brent crude slips from highest level since 2014 with Syria in focus The main international oil marker pulled back from its highest level in three and a half years with inves- tors paying close attention to this weekend's US-led strikes in Syria. Brent crude futures fell 72 cents to $71.88 per barrel on Monday – a drop of 1 per cent. The price rose almost $4 last week as the US and allies began plotting the military intervention. The US, France and the UK launched a targeted missile attack on Syria on Saturday, aiming at what they believed to be three chemical weapons sites. Financial Times, 16 April 'Lightweight PR and greenwash' – BP's low- carbon plan dismissed Environmental leaders have dismissed BP's low-carbon strategy as "greenwash" and a lightweight response to climate change and the energy market's rapid switch to renewables. In a strategy published on Monday, BP said there would be no increase in its carbon footprint over the next seven years because it will cut emissions from its oil and gas rigs, and offset the rest. The oil firm said it would achieve a saving of 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2025. The Guardian, 16 April Castle pioneers waste- water heat capture A Welsh castle is set to pioneer new technology that sucks heat from water as it is flushed down the drain. The aim is to cut energy bills and carbon emissions at National Trust's Penrhyn Castle in Gwynedd. It will be used to warm up water coming in to the property's tearoom, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. Those behind the project say if it is successful it could be replicated in schools, hospitals and homes. BBC News, 17 April STORY BY NUMBERS National media Record-breaking turbine deployed in Aberdeen Bay V attenfall has successfully installed a record-break- ing 8.8MW wind turbine at its European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Aberdeen Bay. The upgraded version of MHI Vestas' V164 model is the most powerful wind turbine to be deployed commercially anywhere in the world. Vattenfall is installing 11 turbines at the facility: one further 8.8MW turbine and nine 8.4MW versions of the V164 model. With a combined capac- ity of 93.2MW, they will produce enough electricity each year to meet 70 per cent of Aberdeen's annual needs. The turbines have a tip height of 191m and each blade is 80m long, giving a total rotor diam- eter of 164m – hence the name. The record was previously held by the 8MW V164 turbines deployed by Dong Energy (now Orsted) and its partners at the Burbo Bank extension in Liver- pool Bay. EOWDC project director at Vattenfall, Adam Ezzamel, said: "The first turbine installation is a significant achievement and credit to the diligence and engi- neering know-how of the project team and contractors." He continued: "It is remark- able that just one rotation of the blades can power the average UK home for a day." MHI Vestas' chief operations officer, Flemming Ougaard, said: "We are very pleased to have installed the first of 11 turbines at Aberdeen Bay. Our collabora- tion with Vattenfall not only provides clean wind energy for the UK, but also is an impor- tant opportunity for us to gain valuable experience with several different technologies. "We look forward to the successful installation of the remaining turbines." MHI Vestas had previously deployed an even more powerful 9MW prototype version of its V164 design at the Østerild test centre in Denmark, later upgrading the turbine to 9.5MW before it caught fire in August last year due to a faulty component. TG Low awareness of support schemes A survey by Echo Managed Services of 1,000 UK households found that awareness of utility support schemes was low: 70 per cent of consumers had experienced debt recovery procedures due to a missed payments – a 7 per cent rise since 2016. 31.5% of customers were aware of the Warm Home Discount Scheme 10.4% knew what the Priority Services Register was 15% said their water bill was inaccurate 9% said their energy supplier provided a billing breakdown 11% said their water supplier provided a billing breakdown "For decades we've been told to reduce our energy bills… UK households are becoming apathetic to that message" Matt Clemow, Igloo Energy's CEO and co-founder, as the company launches an energy usage smartphone app. Photo: TVP Film and Multimedia Ltd

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