Fife’s energy infrastructure could make the region an important hub in the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy, according to award-winning research by our Energy Futures team. The East Neuk Power-to-Hydrogen project, which won Cross-Vector Project of the Year at the 2020 Network Awards, found that with its rich renewables resource
As governments across the UK and Ireland manage regional lockdowns, ease restrictions with more people returning to the workplace, and consider the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19, Energy Networks Association and Energy UK members have reaffirmed their commitments to protect those most in need, keep colleagues and customers safe
The electricity grid is undergoing its first evolution since the invention of the power transmission system, and energy storage devices, particularly mechanical energy storage devices, will play a solid role in this evolution. Decarbonization, renewable energies, and energy storage devices are all factors involved in the current evolution of the
A £4million investment scheme has begun to rebuild parts of Derby’s electricity network in response to an anticipated surge in demand. The work will involve laying 7km of new underground cable and a complete rebuild of Mackworth’s primary substation. The project is needed to replace ageing equipment – some of
First new design for pylon in nearly 100 years 116 new T-pylons along 57km route from Hinkley to Seabank, which will connect six million homes and businesses to low carbon energy At the end of July 2021 – the first T-pylon on National Grid’s Hinkley Connection is due to be constructed. It
A pioneering smart renewable heating scheme in Oxford, part of the £41m Energy Superhub Oxford project, has been given the green light to proceed following lockdown disruption, providing a confidence boost for the construction and renewables industries as they rise to covid-19 operational challenges, and a positive step towards the UK defining
The 128-tonne unit will arrive in North Wales via an 80-metre long barge The delivery of a huge electricity transformer that was set to land on a Gwynedd beach has been delayed. National Grid had hoped to bring the 128-tonne unit by barge to Traethy Graig Ddu (Black Rock sands),
Scottish developers gain exclusive access to a turnkey solution including the Flygt Concertor pump – a state of the art waste water pump with energy savings of up to 70%. Scottish Water Horizons, a commercial subsidiary of Scottish Water, and Xylem Water Solutions, a world leading water technology company, have
Global industry leader will provide design, construction and project management services Bechtel to oversee and create resource-efficient utilities and a highly advanced transport system to connect NEOM’s cognitive cities. NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to U.S.-based Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the primary, base
A gas network construction project fundamental to a £1bn regeneration scheme in Liverpool has been completed three months ahead of schedule, despite the coronavirus lockdown. Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) designed and completed the gas works for the Paddington Village Energy Centre and District Energy Scheme on behalf of Liverpool City
Fife’s energy infrastructure could make the region an important hub in the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy, according to award-winning research by our Energy Futures team. The East Neuk Power-to-Hydrogen project, which won Cross-Vector Project of the Year at the 2020 Network Awards, found that with its rich renewables resource and extensive electricity and gas networks, the East Neuk could become the ideal base for trials involving power-to-hydrogen: the process of turning electricity into hydrogen through electrolysis. This clean gas can then be used in place of natural gas for zero-carbon heating and transport fuel. The study, carried out alongside project partners Scottish Power Energy Networks, Artelys and E4Tech, explored the feasibility of producing green gas using excess clean energy, and found that low-cost, low-carbon power could underpin the area’s transition to a green energy hub, affording benefits across the whole energy system. The study also concluded that using renewable energy dedicated to hydrogen production can drive larger scale hydrogen production and deployment, create new capacity and reduce the need for power network upgrades. Analysis found that large-scale offshore renewables deployment off the coast of Fife is limited by the capacity and cost of connection into the area’s electricity network. The offshore production of hydrogen could be a cheaper alternative to onshore production, and could support the whole energy system.Media library image The project’s final report, Decarbonising the UK’s Gas Network: Realising the Power-to-Hydrogen Opportunity in the East Neuk, also makes a number of recommendations to accelerate the deployment of power-to-hydrogen projects, including changes to the Gas Safety Management Regulations, new subsidies and market frameworks to incentivise hydrogen uptake, and financial support for demonstration projects. “We need to accelerate low-carbon energy generation significantly if we’re to meet the Net Zero emissions targets set by the UK and Scottish Governments,” says Angus McIntosh, our Director of Energy Futures. “Green hydrogen produced by renewables presents exciting opportunities for decarbonisation, and as an energy carrier can be stored in multiple ways to be used across applications like transport, heating and industry. Fife’s advantageous energy supply and infrastructure present a positive picture, and in the East Neuk we have a tremendous opportunity to develop power-to-hydrogen solutions.” Our pioneering H100 Fife project aims to develop a world-first hydrogen-to-homes heating system using clean offshore wind power in Levenmouth. The Scottish Government has committed £6.9m to the programme in its Programme for Government, and construction could begin as early as 2021 if proposals are approved by energy regulator Ofgem. Download the project report…..
As governments across the UK and Ireland manage regional lockdowns, ease restrictions with more people returning to the workplace, and consider the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19, Energy Networks Association and Energy UK members have reaffirmed their commitments to protect those most in need, keep colleagues and customers safe and their energy flowing. From the outset of the pandemic, companies across the energy industry have implemented safe working practices in consultation with colleagues, contractors, and trades unions. As the governments’ responses to the coronavirus pandemic develops, companies and unions are continuing to keep their approach under careful watch and carry out regular reviews of their practices to make sure they operate as safely as possible. Energy companies will always take an approach which safeguards the health and well-being of their customers and colleagues, while maintaining a safe and reliable supply of energy. As lockdown restrictions ease in many parts of the country, companies and unions are mindful of the possibility of more local lockdowns and a resurgence that will require continued vigilance. They continue to take appropriate safety measures, including: Revising and implementing procedures based on our joint learning from experience gained since the start of the pandemic. Continuing to ensure any new or revised procedures provide customers with the best possible service Working with the National HESAC and across the whole energy industry to pre-empt and prepare for any potential spikes in infections to ensure that colleagues and the public have confidence that the essential services they rely on will continue to be provided safely. Reviewing existing COVID-19 risk assessments with trades union health and safety representatives. Any changes to the assessments will be shared with energy industry and contractors, demonstrating transparency and ensuring they are easily accessible. David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK and Ireland’s energy networks businesses, said: “The energy networks continue to put colleagues and customers at the heart of their COVID-19 response. We are constantly reviewing our plans to make sure we continue to provide the best possible service, especially to those who need extra help. We will carry on working with our colleagues and trades unions to keep people safe, protect those most in need and keep your energy flowing.” Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of Energy UK said: “At the start of the pandemic our members responded quickly to make sure customers were supported and that we kept the lights on, maintaining the highest standards of health and safety in unprecedented circumstances while protecting the welfare of staff and customers. The experience gained over the last few months will help the industry rise to any future challenges and our sector will continue to work with staff and union representatives to protect essential energy workers and the customers they serve.” Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary of Prospect said: “By working together and focusing on detailed changes to make work COVID-secure, the companies and unions have ensured that we have maintained high safety standards and service to customers. Trade union safety representatives have played a key role and their work will be even more vital during the challenging times ahead.”
The electricity grid is undergoing its first evolution since the invention of the power transmission system, and energy storage devices, particularly mechanical energy storage devices, will play a solid role in this evolution. Decarbonization, renewable energies, and energy storage devices are all factors involved in the current evolution of the electricity grid. In the last decades the integration of renewable energies, pushed by the necessity to decarbonize the electricity sector, led energy storage devices to become increasingly important to stabilize the electricity grid. The increased adoption of variable renewable energy led the electricity grid operator to adopt energy storage systems to smoothen the variability of renewable sources. Li-ion batteries, currently dominating the storage sectors in all of its aspects. From portable electronics to MW scale storage systems, Li-ion batteries will struggle in the future to address the MW scale power and daily storage duration, when Mechanical Energy Storage systems will enter the market. Power and storage compacity comparison of different technologies. Source: IDTechEx In the brand-new report “Potential Stationary Energy Storage Technologies to Monitor”, IDTechEx has investigated these emerging technologies. With a simple working mechanism, Mechanical Energy Storage systems are addressing the bigger spectrum of the energy storage devices: large power output, and long storage time. This new class of storage systems includes older and newer technologies. It includes elderly technologies like compressed air energy storage, already installed in the 1980s, and some of the younger gravitational energy storage, like in the case of Highview Energy, and Energy Vault recently backed with millions of dollars. These interesting devices are now entering the electricity market with demonstration projects, to prove the technical concept. The constant integration of variable energy sources will require additional storage devices to stabilize the electricity grid, where the Mechanical Energy Storage device could play a fundamental role. Electricity is an essential element of modern society, and reaching a stable electricity grid is a fundamental target to improve the economy of each and every country. The adoption of these innovative devices will surge in the next future, allowing an improvement of the electricity grid, and boosting the integration of variable energy source. For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/PotentialSES or for the full portfolio of Energy Storage research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/ES. IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Consultancy and Event products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information on IDTechEx Research and Consultancy, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
A £4million investment scheme has begun to rebuild parts of Derby’s electricity network in response to an anticipated surge in demand. The work will involve laying 7km of new underground cable and a complete rebuild of Mackworth’s primary substation. The project is needed to replace ageing equipment – some of which has been in place for more than 50 years – and to meet an expected growth in demand for electricity, as a result of new developments in and around Mackworth. It will benefit around 100,000 customers. The first part of the job will be to lay 3.75km of new cable from Derby to Mackworth. Work is expected to take up to six months and will begin in the city centre, before moving out towards the A38. There will be some road closures as a result of the scheme. Paul Squires, WPD Engineering Specialist based at Derby, said: “This is a huge investment for the people of Derby which will enable us to meet their electricity needs for decades to come. This takes into account the changes to electricity use that will arise from an anticipated switch to electric vehicles and other low carbon technologies. “We have worked closely with the local authority to plan the work and to keep disruption to a minimum. We will also be working 10 hour days and at weekends to complete the work as quickly as possible. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during this essential project.” All WPD staff will be observing strict social distancing and hygiene regulations while working on site, to protect themselves and customers during the coronavirus pandemic. The roads affected will be Sowter Road, St Marys Gate, Cathedral Road, Queens Street, Jury Street ,Willow Row,St Alkmunds Way, Agard Street, Bridge Street, Friargate, Vernon Street, South Street, Uttoxeter Old Road, Stepping Lane, Hanford Street, Stanley Street, Morley Street, Napier Street, Mackenzie Street, Lyttleton Street and Greenwich Drive South. There will be some rolling road closures on Stepping Lane, Handford Street, Stanley St, Napier Street and Mackenzie Street with short diversions in place, along with some temporary parking restrictions. Temporary traffic signals will be used on some of the larger streets.
First new design for pylon in nearly 100 years 116 new T-pylons along 57km route from Hinkley to Seabank, which will connect six million homes and businesses to low carbon energy At the end of July 2021 – the first T-pylon on National Grid’s Hinkley Connection is due to be constructed. It will be one of 116 T-pylons* along the 57km route, which will connect low carbon energy from EDF’s Hinkley Point C power station to six million UK homes and businesses. It will also allow for more capacity on the network for renewable energy from the South West peninsular. Once energised, they will be the UK’s first operational T-pylons and the first new design for a UK electricity pylon for almost a century. The T-pylons have a single pole and T-shaped cross arms which hold the wires in a diamond ‘earring’ shape. They are around 35 metres high; about a third shorter than traditional 400kV lattice pylons, have a smaller footprint and use less land. The new high-voltage 400kV overhead line featuring the new pylons is just one element of the Hinkley Connection which will run from Hinkley to Seabank, near Avonmouth. The full route is made up of 14 interconnected project stages which are set for completion by 2025. It includes modifications to Western Power Distribution’s (WPD) existing network plus 8.5km of underground cables through the Mendip Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which will leave the area free of pylons for the first time since the 1960s. Construction work started in 2018 and, as a critical infrastructure project, has continued throughout 2020. In that time, highlights include: Start of works to underground 132kV lines and remove pylons that run close to and over homes in Nailsea Completion of the temporary haul road for construction of the Mendip underground cables, including installation of a 90-tonne Callendar Hamilton Bridge – the first to be built in the UK for several decades. The start of trenching and ducting in preparation for the underground cables through the Mendip Hills Construction of 2400m of bat flyways to maintain habitat connectivity for bat roosts Start of construction work on two new substations at Shurton and Sandford Removal of pylons and wires near the M49 at Avonmouth and undergrounding of a short section of cable running north from Avonmouth substation Installation of a tilting weir on moors near Tickenham to adjust water levels to encourage wading birds to nest and breed National Grid is also supporting local communities most impacted by the works through a range of initiatives. So far these include over £354,000 in STEM grants to 538 schools, a total of £332,000 in community grants to 22 local projects plus an adult skills programme that has seen 175 local unemployed people gain a recognised construction qualification and helped 66 back into employment. James Goode, Project Director for National Grid said: “We have already reached some significant milestones on the Hinkley Connection Project, which is a testament to the skills and expertise of the project team and partners. It’s exciting to look forward to this time next year, when Hinkley Connection will see construction of the first new pylon design in nearly 100 years.”
A pioneering smart renewable heating scheme in Oxford, part of the £41m Energy Superhub Oxford project, has been given the green light to proceed following lockdown disruption, providing a confidence boost for the construction and renewables industries as they rise to covid-19 operational challenges, and a positive step towards the UK defining how it will meet its 2050 net zero target. The recommencement of the scheme with leading housing provider, Stonewater, and Kensa Contracting, will contribute to the Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) project’s anticipated savings of 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year by 2021; the equivalent of taking 2,000 cars off the road. The 60-homes in Blackbird Leys will demonstrate how decarbonisation of heating using ground source heat pumps can interact with local energy systems to allow millions of homes to cut carbon and costs, and adopt a ‘smart cities’ model. The trial represents 20% of homes committed to receiving smart heating with Kensa ground source heat pumps as part of ESO, a world-first project backed by UKRI which is pioneering a model for the rapid decarbonisation of power, transport and heat in cities across the UK and globally. ESO showcases rapid electric vehicle charging, hybrid battery energy storage systems, low carbon heating, and smart energy management to improve air quality and accelerate Oxford’s journey to zero carbon. Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, visited the smart heat pump project as works resumed: “I am delighted that Blackbird Leys residents are first in line to benefit from a heat pumps system that saves them money and shrinks the city’s carbon footprint. Oxford’s Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change was clear that greener homes would be better homes, cheaper to heat. It was brilliant to visit the site of the new heat pumps, talk with the people making this aspect of Energy Superhub Oxford happen, and see at a social distance the positive impacts for local people. This year we have taken exciting steps forwards as part of the Energy Superhub Oxford project with the installation of electric vehicle chargers, electrification of the City Council’s fleet, and delivery of the electricity transformer to the National Grid substation in Cowley.” The residents at Blackbird Leys will have their night storage heating system replaced with a Kensa Shoebox ground source heat pump system coupled with Switchee heating controls, which will constantly sense, learn and respond to the inhabitant’s behaviour. Adding a further smart technology dimension to the running of the heat pump, Kensa’s heat optimisation software will take a day-ahead forecast of half hourly electricity costs, and automatically shift the operating times to enable the occupants to make savings from dynamic tariffs without having to change their behaviour. The smart heating system at Blackbird Leys is expected to save residents 3,520 tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime and cut their current night storage heating bills to levels lower than that of mains gas, all without adding strain to the UK’s electricity grid; a triple-challenge the renewables industry must overcome to ensure low carbon ground source heat pump technology is more widely adopted by society.
The 128-tonne unit will arrive in North Wales via an 80-metre long barge The delivery of a huge electricity transformer that was set to land on a Gwynedd beach has been delayed. National Grid had hoped to bring the 128-tonne unit by barge to Traethy Graig Ddu (Black Rock sands), at Morfa Bychan in Gwynedd, on September 2. However, due to adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Francis the date has now been changed to Wednesday, September 16 – providing there is no further spells of bad weather. A 330m temporary trackway will be laid on the beach on Tuesday, September 15, ready for the transformer to arrive by an 80-metre barge the following day. A 10m wide cordon will be in place around the transformer which will remain at the beach until Friday, September 18. The transformer will then begin to make its way to Trawsfynydd Substation arriving at around 12.30pm by road transport. National Grid said that there will be rolling road closures to ensure the safe delivery of the unit. The route is as follows: • Depart Black Rock Sands • Turn right onto High Street • Continue onto Britannia Terrace • Continue onto A487 • Continue onto A470 • Arrive at Trawsfynydd Substation Wendy Williams, project manager said: “National Grid has been planning the transformer delivery for months, taking into account potential delays to the schedule due to adverse weather conditions. “The change to the delivery date does not have an impact on electricity supply and we hope to follow the same plan and route beginning on 15 September, weather permitting.” National Grid added that the delivery is to replace an existing transformer at Trawsfynydd substation and is not connected to nuclear reactors at any site. National Grid and North Wales Police recommend anyone planning to use the roads mentioned above should try to find alternative routes or allow additional time for their journey. A broadcast text service will be available to keep motorists and residents updated on the morning of the transformer movement. To subscribe to this text messaging service, please text INFO to 07860 027 842.
Scottish developers gain exclusive access to a turnkey solution including the Flygt Concertor pump – a state of the art waste water pump with energy savings of up to 70%. Scottish Water Horizons, a commercial subsidiary of Scottish Water, and Xylem Water Solutions, a world leading water technology company, have announced an exciting new partnership that will help developers improve efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. The two organisations have teamed up to provide the Scottish developer market with exclusive access to the world’s first waste water pump system with integrated intelligence, Xylem’s Flygt Concertor system. The Flygt Concertor system offers a host of significant benefits. The system’s smart technology can sense environmental operating conditions and adapt the pumps performance to ensure they always operate at the optimum level, whilst providing intelligent feedback to station operators. Compared to traditional pumps, the Flygt Concertor system offers up to a 70 per cent saving on energy consumption, drastically reducing carbon and running costs. All of these benefits have a positive impact on Scottish Water vesting the asset, making the process easier for developers. Previous installations of the Xylem technology have proven to be a huge success for Scottish Water. With the pumps working significantly more efficiently and with increased resilience compared to other technologies, Scottish Water saw both cost and carbon savings at two sites in Ayrshire. David Thompson, Capital Liaison Engineer for Scottish Water, said: “With the installation of Xylem pumps at two of our pumping stations, we saw reduced energy bills combined with savings made through fewer call outs, repairs, pump replacements and maintenance time, which amounted to Scottish Water making collective cost savings of just over £42,000 per annum. The increased efficiency of the pumps also meant that we saw energy savings of around 30 – 40 kilowatts per year.” Scottish Water Horizons’ Operations Manager, Colin Lindsay, said “Our new partnership will offer developers peace of mind whilst contributing to a greener future for Scotland. “In the midst of climate change, we’re committed to supporting Scotland’s journey to Net Zero Emissions. Scottish Water have pledged to Net Zero five years before the Scottish Government targets, so we want to do everything we can to drive efficiency and protect precious resources. The developer community is constantly looking for innovative systems that will help them reduce their carbon footprint whilst driving down costs. This partnership means they can choose the Flygt Concertor system, safe in the knowledge that installation will be managed and carried out by our team. “This agreement is exactly what Scottish Water Horizons is all about – bringing fresh thinking and innovative ideas together to help our customers, our environment and our economy thrive.” Scottish Water Horizons have years of experience in the developer market, providing a range of water and waste water services throughout Scotland. Their pumping station service starts at initial design and carries right through to vesting with Scottish Water. Chris Stewart, Xylem’s Regional Sales and Operations Manager for Scotland, said: “Xylem are delighted that Scottish Water Horizons have embraced the opportunity to drive innovation and efficiencies into this market. This collaboration will offer significant reductions in capital and operational costs to the housing developer, while contributing significant carbon reductions in line with the Scottish government’s carbon neutral strategy”. “Historically pump stations can be inefficient, expensive to install and maintain, with significant operational costs. Many of the problems that developers experience with pump stations, such as clogging and breakdowns can be alleviated through the use of innovative Xylem technology that has a proven track record within the Utilities market. With this agreement, Scottish Water Horizons and Xylem Water Solutions can offer a proven alternative from a trusted provider.” Two Scottish Water Horizons and Xylem projects in the Scottish developer market are already underway featuring the Flygt Concertor system at sites in Renfrewshire and Argyll & Bute. The projects, which were temporarily on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions and safety measures, are due for completion later this year. For more information about Xylem’s intelligent solutions and services, please visit https://www.xylem.com/en-uk/products-services/pumps–packaged-pump-systems/pumps/submersible-pumps/wastewater-pumps/flygt-concertor.
Global industry leader will provide design, construction and project management services Bechtel to oversee and create resource-efficient utilities and a highly advanced transport system to connect NEOM’s cognitive cities. NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to U.S.-based Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the primary, base infrastructure for NEOM as the Giga-project advances work to create the world’s leading destination to attract talent and investment. NEOM, a beacon for the future of urban living, selected Bechtel to oversee and create resource-efficient utilities and a highly advanced transport system to connect NEOM’s cognitive cities. Integrating sustainable land use, intelligent urban design and multi-modal mobility, NEOM will deliver a community of exceptional liveability. Work will include simultaneous construction in multiple locations requiring extraordinary engineering solutions in challenging terrain. NEOM’s next generation cognitive cities will support its cutting-edge urban environments, improving the lives of residents and businesses far beyond the capabilities of today’s smart cities. NEOM’s infrastructure will utilize AI, robotics, and human-machine fusion to deliver greater predictive intelligence and enable faster decision making across all NEOM sectors. Commenting on the award, NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al Nasr said: “Built from the ground up as a model of future living, NEOM will be one of the largest, most sophisticated and advanced infrastructure projects ever undertaken globally, and we are delighted to have a major industry leader like Bechtel on board to work with us to realize our ambitions.” Bechtel Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Bechtel said: “NEOM is one of the most complex projects in living memory and we are proud to be part of it. The vision for a futuristic, innovative and sustainable ecosystem is unique and bold, and we believe NEOM will change the way new cities are developed by future generations. We have helped our customers shape the Kingdom’s history with many key projects and we are honored to be a partner in building its future.” Bechtel has deep experience of working in the Kingdom having been involved in many other high-profile Saudi projects, including Jubail Industrial City and the Riyadh metro. In its role as Executive Project Manager, Bechtel will draw on over 120 years of industry experience to deliver a lasting positive impact in NEOM. NEOM will be home to an economy and society oriented to the future with a technologically advanced, sustainable infrastructure powered by 100% renewable energy to support truly liveable cities. NEOM has accelerated work this year in many areas including a contract with Saudi telecom giant, stc, for the establishment of a 5G network infrastructure that will accelerate NEOM’s digital ambitions. It also signed a $5-billion partnership with US-based Air Products and Saudi Acwa Power to develop the world’s largest green hydrogen and green ammonia plant to be operational in 2025. About NEOM NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a New Future might look like. It is a region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea being built from the ground up as a living laboratory – a place where entrepreneurship will chart the course for this New Future. It will be a destination and a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses, and reinventing environmental conservation. NEOM will be the home and workplace to more than a million residents from around the world. It will include hyperconnected, cognitive towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centers, sports and entertainment venues, and tourist destinations. As a hub for innovation, entrepreneurs, business leaders and companies will come to research, incubate and commercialize new technologies and enterprises in ground-breaking ways. Residents of NEOM will embody an international ethos and embrace a culture of exploration, risk-taking and diversity – all supported by a progressive law compatible with international norms and conducive to economic growth. For further information email: media@neom.com or visit www.neom.com. About Bechtel Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world’s infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place. Bechtel serves the Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; Oil, Gas & Chemicals; and Mining & Metals markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com
A gas network construction project fundamental to a £1bn regeneration scheme in Liverpool has been completed three months ahead of schedule, despite the coronavirus lockdown. Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) designed and completed the gas works for the Paddington Village Energy Centre and District Energy Scheme on behalf of Liverpool City Council’s main contractor Morgan Sindall to help pave the way for a world leading innovation district in health sciences. EAU was recommended to Morgan Sindall by gas metering specialists Exoteric, another Energy Assets Group business, when potential delays to the original gas network construction schedule threatened to impact the wider development programme. “We quickly met the construction team on site in Liverpool and within a few weeks had mapped the network and submitted multiple analyses of potential mains connection points to the client to avoid the need for reinforcement work,” said Daniel Goulty, EAU Multi Utility Design Engineer. “A decision was taken and network design approval received at the end of January. Construction started over weekends in February, in line with Liverpool Council’s traffic management requirements…then came lockdown.” It wasn’t until late April that work resumed under strict operating conditions, including regular temperature checks, social distancing, PPE, constant site monitoring and limited site access. Yet, by early June – three months ahead of schedule – the complex design and construction programme, which included navigating a dual carriageway four-way junction, had successfully delivered a gas network comprising 160m of low pressure pipe supplying the Paddington Village Energy Centre and District Energy scheme. This energy infrastructure will enable Paddington Village to become a landmark mixed use development for world-leading MedTech businesses as well as residential accommodation and luxury hotel. Andy Dinnage, Morgan Sindall Head of Building Services – North Construction, commented: “Paddington Central is a major development of international repute and in Energy Assets Utilities we found a gas network design and construction partner with the expertise, commitment and agility not only to meet our schedule but to beat it, despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus lockdown. They did a great job.” Once developed, Paddington Central will be home to The Royal College of Physicians as part of a new Northern Centre of Excellence, which will also include University of Liverpool’s International College, and The Rutherford Cancer Centre North West, a proton beam cancer therapy treatment hospital. Paddington Central will kick-start the entire Paddington Village development programme in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, leading to the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs. www.energyassets.co.uk/gas/utility_networks
