The success of the UK’s energy transition will rely on collaboration between businesses to maintain a robust supply chain, a global energy specialist has warned following the launch of its latest research. Aggreko has revealed in its latest report Rebalancing the Energy Transition that CEOs in the UK cite supply chain
Some projects require military style planning to ensure that work can be undertaken in short periods of access time, and this is absolutely the case at Milton Keynes Hospital where Ashe has been working on a £3.4m Salix funded project for Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (MKUH). In
The success of the UK’s energy transition will rely on collaboration between businesses to maintain a robust supply chain, a global energy specialist has warned following the launch of its latest research. Aggreko has revealed in its latest report Rebalancing the Energy Transition that CEOs in the UK cite supply chain main risk to the energy transition, followed by lack of investment and access to technology. This concern over the impact of supply chain comes as the UK government has reaffirmed its commitment to renewable energy production and infrastructure through the establishment of Clean Power 2030. The new initiative is aimed at overcoming barriers and accelerating progress on energy projects, including the recent plans to give approval power for onshore wind projects over 100MW to government ministers[1] over local authorities. Clearly, successful rollout of infrastructure for renewable energy production and transmission, along with the energy transition of businesses across the UK, will require innovative ways of thinking within the energy supply chain. Aggreko’s research showed that ambition around the energy transition among energy intensive businesses is also strong, with eight in 10 UK CEOs stating they will increase investment in the energy transition over the next 12 months. Though nine in ten (or 9 in 10) UK respondents cited they have adjusted timescales around energy transition targets, the UK has the highest proportion of CEOs (52%) across the countries surveyed that stated they have only adjusted short term goals and remain on track for net zero targets. With ambition from businesses matching that of the government in terms of sustainability targets, Aggreko is highlighting how the entire supply chain must work together to ensure a successful energy transition. Alan Dunne, UK and Ireland Managing Director at Aggreko, said: “With continued uncertainty around energy cost and resilience, businesses in the UK are facing the challenge of balancing profitability and sustainability. Much like the government and its Clean Energy 2030, UK businesses remain ambitious in making their energy transitions. However, our research has found that barriers and challenges still remain, even though the ambition to fund the energy transition is there. “High energy costs and fluctuating energy security and resilience has continued to be a challenge for businesses, however, supply chain issues are clearly the biggest risk posed to energy transitions in the eyes of leaders. To overcome all of these challenges at once, it is imperative that businesses engage with expert partners across the supply chain to identify practical ways to reach ESG goals while keeping operations efficient and profitable.” As the UK continues to develop renewable energy production and infrastructure, the report highlights the challenges around striking the right balance between commercial and ESG ambitions with energy procurement. A key part of this is working closely within the energy supply chain to assess requirements and challenges to choose the most practical solution to deliver efficiency and environmental benefits. Providing the latest efficient technologies through its Greener Upgrades portfolio, such as battery energy storage solutions and Stage V generators, is a central part of Aggreko’s sustainability framework Energising Change Dunne continued: “Making a success of the energy transition relies heavily on businesses having the right technologies and solutions for their requirements, along with the expertise to implement it correctly. While reliable energy supply and stable costs remain in the balance for the UK, working with expert energy supply partners can provide businesses with this to provide resilience and cost efficiency throughout the energy transition.” For more information and to read Rebalancing the Energy Transition, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Some projects require military style planning to ensure that work can be undertaken in short periods of access time, and this is absolutely the case at Milton Keynes Hospital where Ashe has been working on a £3.4m Salix funded project for Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (MKUH). In order to meet efficiency targets the hospital building, which was constructed in 1984, needed to replace its single glazed windows with thermally efficient double glazing. Many of the windows are on occupied hospital wards each with eight beds. Without the capacity to decant an entire ward to another space, the project has been undertaken in live wards with only the patients from the two beds nearest the windows being relocated during the works. Window of opportunity Contracts manager, Steve Cockram, explains the challenges on a project of this type: “We only got one day to cordon off each area to the safety and hygiene standards required by the hospital which takes around two hours. We then removed the existing windows, installed the new windows, clearing any debris and cleansing the area to high clinical hygiene standards ready for patients to move back into the bay by the end of the day.” A major challenge was upgrading the windows in the hospital’s shop. The shelving and refrigerators were all positioned against the windows which had to be moved from the working area, old windows removed, new windows installed, then all returned to their original positions, in one working day, whilst the shop remained open to the public. Steve continues: “Despite the best programming, it was inevitable that some wards would not be available as planned due to emergencies, therefore it was decided that all of the new windows would be ordered and stored within easy access of the site so that we could pivot quickly to work in another part of the building should access be denied.” This plan B approach made Ashe so efficient that the team actually shaved four weeks off the original schedule which was due to complete in mid-October. In total 456 windows, 22 doors and a curtain wall have been installed. Precision timing Extensive mechanical and electrical works have also been carried out providing new energy efficient air handling units (AHU) to ensure clean ventilation. The AHUs serve four of the main operating theatres at the hospital, so timescales were crucial in achieving theatre re-commissioning. The trust required three months’ notice for the start of the works to allow for closures to be communicated to staff, and operations to be scheduled appropriately. Each theatre was shut down for three weeks at a time, with the handover of each AHU and theatre allowing access into another theatre. Ashe adhered to these strict timescales and managed to complete the AHU works to operating theatres also ahead of programme. Ashe has also installed the services in preparation for the upgrade of the steam generation for the hospital’s autoclave sterilisation system. The works will enable the hospital to transition from gas-powered to an electrically-heated system, to make it more energy efficient. Careful co-ordination with the hospital was required so that one of the four main entrances could be closed for two days to allow use of a crane to access the plant room. Signage and barriers also had to be of a high standard. The project forms part of the hospital’s Greener Future plans having secured £4.8m of funding from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which aims to reduce emissions from public sector buildings by 75%. The project was procured under the Pagabo Medium Works Framework. This is one of several healthcare projects Ashe is currently undertaking which includes creating a new community diagnostic centre in the heart of the city, for MKUH. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
