Utility Week

6 | 27TH APRIL - 3RD MAY 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Event Utility Week Live W ith unprecedented shi s in UK and interna onal poli cs, pressure on the global economy, new technolo- gies and changing pa erns of genera on, consump on and demand, UK u li es face disrup on on all fronts. Energy generators, suppliers, networks and water companies are transforming their business models in response to these pressures, seeking to bal- ance the needs and demands of customers, investors, policymakers and regulators as they do so. The UK u li es landmark annual event, U lity Week Live 2018, will explore dis- rup on in all its forms, and celebrate the opportuni es that u li es are crea ng from it. Once again, U lity Week will be hos ng hundreds of exhibitors and speakers from the very top of the industry as we bring together gas, electricity and power for a show-stopping week. Disrup on will be top of the agenda in the show's six theatres – the keynote stage, and the innova on, water, networks, cus- tomer solu ons, and streetworks theatres. Industry leaders will share the stage with "disruptors" – companies, individuals and technologies that turn the debate on its head, bring fresh perspec ves and an out- sider view. And hundreds of exhibitors will be showcasing technologies and solu ons that will both enable the disrup on and help u li es find their place within it. In the spirit of disrup on, we're innovat- ing across the board for U lity Week Live 2018. We'll be hos ng a live hackathon run- ning overnight, tackling one of the key chal- lenges facing u li es today: how to iden fy and support vulnerable customers. In the build-up to the show, U lity Week Live and its sister brands, U lity Week, WWT, WET News, and Network, have surveyed their audiences on how disrup on is impac ng their businesses. The findings will be available to all show visitors in the Disrup on and Opportunity report, to be distributed at the show. The u li es industry is changing – and U lity Week Live 2018 is at the fore- front. We'll be at the NEC in Birmingham from May 22-23 – we can't wait to see you there. WHERE: NETWORK THEATRE WHAT: As Britain seeks to decarbonise energy and provide security of supply while driving down bills, energy network companies are having to find new and innova ve solu ons and approaches to balancing the grid. In this me of unprecedented change, a series of seminars at U lity Week Live 2018 will explore new technology, com- mercial and opera ng arrangements and changes to the regulatory system. Speakers in the seminar programme, held in associa on with Smarter Grid Solu ons, will examine the implica ons, opportuni es and challenges presented by storage, decarbonisa on of heat, the future of the gas network and flexible integrated smart infrastructure and how these will contribute to the transforma on of networks. HIGHLIGHT: A seminar on day one will explore how Ofgem will use the lessons from RIIO1 to inform its RIIO2 price control. Networks are facing the dual challenge of preparing for the next regulatory review while refin- ing their approaches to the current one. This session will explore the latest regula- tory thinking, the challenges as networks see them, and best prac ce responses. Another topic discussed on day one will be the decarbonisa on of heat. Hea ng our homes accounts for almost 25 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions, while process heat accounts for 40 per cent of industrial energy use. If the UK is to meet its 2050 carbon reduc on targets, industry will need to explore new solu ons for reducing emissions from heat. Day two kicks off with a discussion of the challenges and opportuni es of smart meters and grids. The session will explore the poten al for smart grids, asking what smart networks can achieve and what a fully connected society might look like. Another highlight will be a debate about the transi on of DNOs to distribu- on system operators, examining recent strategies from the individual networks and the collabora ve Energy Networks Associa on Open Network project. 'Disrup on' in all its guises is the keynote theme of this year's U lity Week Live in May. Over the next four pages we preview the highlights of the leading UK u li es exhibi on and conference. Harnessing disrup on In association with

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