Smart utilities

Navigating compliance complexity in renewables

The focus on renewable energy is of paramount importance to the UK government; however, this has led to significant regulatory complexity and risk for energy players operating in the UK, explains Malcolm Gray.

Cadent ‘throwing the kitchen sink’ at performance problems

Coronavirus: Regulator expects ‘proportionate’ debt response from suppliers

As the government issues stark advice on limiting movement and multiple industries warn they will struggle to survive, utilities have been reminded of their responsibilities to the most vulnerable in society. Ofgem has urged suppliers to be flexible over debt recovery and late payments, while Citizens Advice has said the sector needs to be prepared for a sharp increase in those struggling to pay their bills.

Macquarie signs first smart meter deal with challenger

Macquarie’s Specialised and Asset Finance business has signed a deal with So Energy to install second-generation (SMETS2) smart meter devices. It is the first such deal Macquarie has signed with a challenger energy supplier and the first time it is offering installation and management of meters, through its partnership with Morrison Data Services.

Accelerate IoT opportunities

Joseph Melone, knowledge exchange associate at the University of Strathclyde’s Power Network Demonstration Centre (PNDC), discusses their readiness to support the exploration of the Internet-of-Things.

Cloudy future means politicians must place ‘multiple bets’

Equitix buys smart meter portfolio for £291m

Investment management company Equitix has purchased around 187,000 smart meters for £291 million from Smart Metering Systems. The portfolio belonging to Crail Meters Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of SMS, had an average asset life of around 4.7 years and generated around £18.4 million of annual revenue last year.

Bank’s data specialist joins Ofgem board

Ofgem has appointed the chief data officer of Lloyds Banking Group as its new non-executive director. The new role for Barry Panayi, which starts on Monday, was hinted at by the regulator’s chairman Martin Cave in a speech at Utility Week’s Investor Summit last week.

Coronavirus fears to hit smart meter installations

Power to the people: Reinventing the grid

Budget promises £800m for CCS but ‘fails to close climate policy gap’

The government has pledged the construction of at least one gas-fired carbon capture and storage power station by 2030 and announced a new grant scheme for low-carbon heating. But, in his first Budget new chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak has disappointed environmentalists by freezing the carbon price. Utility Week assesses the main takeaways for the sector and gauges reaction.

Kaluza and EDF launch smart storage heating trial

UK Power Networks opens up access to data

Hydrogen production by 2050 may need to match today’s electricity generation

Kwarteng: Energy system must adapt to keep pace with innovation

The rapidly evolving nature of the energy system may trigger reform of its regulation, the energy minister has said. Kwasi Kwarteng promised that a whole chapter of the government’s upcoming white paper would be devoted to energy systems and the challenges involved in their design.

Gridserve starts work on nationwide network of ‘Electric Forecourts’

Five energy suppliers banned from taking on customers

British Gas to install EV chargers in Volkwagen customers’ homes

Finding fault: Bringing fresh intelligence to LV network management

Networks launch scheme to unlock spare capacity in southern England