CBI: 50 Years of Business Innovation

CBI: 50 YEARS OF BUSINESS INNOVATION | UK SPOTLIGHT

SQUARING UP TO THE NEW ENERGY CHALLENGE

NATIONAL GRID www.nationalgrid.com

In the 1960s, the UK’s energy landscape looked very different from that of today. Power stations capable of producing around 2,000 megawatts had just come on stream and the energy mix was almost entirely coal and oil, with nuclear power only just becoming a reality. Today, energy has become front-page news

and pressures increase on the energy sector every day from climate change, population growth, resource depletion and the increasing demands of technology and industry. “The reliable supply of energy by National Grid

over the past 50 years has been fundamental for our economy,” says the organisation’s CEO Steve Holliday. “Delivering this for the next 50 years will require us to work very closely with both customers and stakeholders, and invest significantly in our networks, people and new technology. We’re up for the challenge.”

TRANSFORMING THE SECTOR As the “pipes and wires” of the energy sector, National Grid plays a vital role in connecting millions to the energy they use – safely, reliably and efficiently. Based in the UK and the Northeastern

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USA, National Grid is an international electricity and gas network company at the heart of one of the sector’s biggest challenges – meeting ambitious low-carbon energy targets while securing an affordable energy supply for generations to come. “The future holds excellent investment

potential for National Grid,” says Stephanie Hazell, Director of Corporate Strategy & Business Development. “As well as investment in our existing networks, there are exciting opportunities such as the development of transportation networks for CCS [carbon capture and storage], the expansion of our Isle of Grain terminal and interconnection with the rest of Europe via subsea electricity links.” CCS – the process of capturing carbon dioxide

waste at its source and preventing it from entering the atmosphere – can play an important role in decarbonising the UK’s future energy mix. For many industries, such as iron and steel, it is the only decarbonisation pathway. In preparation for the deployment of CCS, National Grid Carbon is applying its expertise to design, build and operate safe and effective high-pressure gas pipelines. CCS helps preserve energy security by retaining the industrial and

economic benefits of fossil fuels in the energy mix while still reducing carbon emissions.

INVESTMENT IN NEW GAS North Sea gas supplies are in decline and the UK has become more dependent on gas imported from Europe. New sources are emerging, however, including shale and renewable gas. The latter, also known as methane-based gas or biomethane, is a form of biogas that can be produced from organic waste such as food waste and sewage. National Grid has already commissioned

its first commercial food waste biogas project – a £20 million anaerobic digestion plant at Widnes, Cheshire, which will help fuel thousands of local homes and businesses. Operated by ReFood, the plant is capable of processing 120,000 tonnes of waste food a year, producing 180 million kilowatt hours of gas – enough for 10,000 homes. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a vital

component of the UK’s energy supply and is significantly easier to transport and store. Located at the Isle of Grain in Kent, Grain LNG is Europe’s largest gas storage terminal and the eighth largest in the world. National Grid’s »

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